This week, I’m walking with Thomas Nicolon, a National Geographic Explorer whose camera has led him through the dense rainforests of Central Africa and the tangled frontlines of wildlife trafficking in the Amazon.

He’s a photographer, filmmaker, and conservation storyteller who studies some of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems. Thomas spent five years in the Democratic Republic of Congo, working as a journalist before shifting his focus entirely to the natural world. Since then, he has collaborated with conservation organisations such as WWF and WCS, and published his work in Le Monde, Reuters, GEO, and Mongabay.

Thomas has an insatiable love for photography, and that comes across today as he invites you to embrace your childhood wonder and see through the eyes of a nine-year-old.

From the mailbag, Allin Sorenson reflects on his creative legacy, Patrick Gerke’s lost in a jungle of grass, and Michael Brennan delivers a heartfelt letter and boldly bins off social media’s pesky algorithms. I announce a special Photowalk meet up planned for July 30th and Paul Hutson invites you to take part in the One Word Assignment.

Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to Arthelper, who sponsor this show, plus our Extra Milers, without whom we wouldn't be walking each week.

WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.