Whenever I head out with my recorder and a pair of headphones, I’m reminded why I love making the Wild Worcestershire podcast so much. There’s something deeply grounding about stepping into a nature reserve or finding a quiet corner of woodland, knowing that whatever happens next won’t just be a conversation - it’ll be a moment in nature, captured in real time.
But as romantic as that sounds, outdoor podcasting is a balance of beauty and chaos. I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that nature has its own opinions on how a recording session should go.
Why I love recording outside
For me, nothing beats the authenticity of natural sound. That first burst of birdsong, the rustle of leaves underfoot or the steady hush of water flowing somewhere out of sight. These aren’t just background noises. They’re characters in the story I am telling.
When I’m outdoors, my whole approach changes. I feel more present. My guests feel more relaxed. We notice things together - a fairy ring of fungi, a gust of wind rolling across a field - and those spontaneous little moments often become the heart of an episode. You simply can’t script that sort of magic in a studio.
Sometimes nature surprises me in ways I don’t expect. A soft, mossy woodland floor can absorb sound beautifully. Without the echo of hard walls, voices sound warmer, more intimate…almost as if they’re part of the landscape. A natural studio, as I prefer to see it.
