“Giving Nature a Home” is an ongoing WIP based on the connection between mental health, and exposure to nature, with a focus on the hobby of birdwatching. The project documents RSPB Sandwell Valley in West Bromwich, a reserve used for birdwatching. The RSPB are the biggest charity in the UK concerned with bird protection, and the photographer is a frequent donator. Reilly uses his experiences from his hobby as a bird watcher to connect with both volunteers and visitors at the reserve and draws from those experiences to highlight how nature can help the mind in times of hardship. The project contains self-lead photo walks, interviews, and making of new portraiture (not included here at participants requests) to create a thorough exploration and documentation of the reserve. By focusing on the people involved with the RSPB, he aims to open the hobby up to a new audience and encourage them to share in his newfound passion for birdwatching, and for nature.

When the natural environment gives us so much, why do we often struggle to even acknowledge it?