Introducing Earthshine: A Newsletter on Walks and Photography

There are three things you should know about me:

1. I'm a walker. Walking gives me exercise, clears my mind, and helps me think — when I think clearly, I find solutions.
2. I'm a photographer. Photographing gives me play, grounds me in the present, and gives me focus — when I focus, I make discoveries.
3. I'm a writer. Writing makes me creative, channels my self-expression, and helps me understand the world — when I understand the world, I tell stories.

For many years (long before I created my website), I practised these disciplines independently of one another.

One day, a shift took place: I began bringing a camera on my walks. As a result, a photo library formed and grew steadily. The sad part? I wouldn't do anything with it. All I did was watch the images gather dust on a bound-to-fail hard drive and allow my memories of the walks to wither.

It wasn't that I didn't realise the problem. In fact, it made itself very noticeable by knocking at my noggin time and time again, desperate for a solution. The challenge was figuring out what to do with the material. It was begging me to weave it into something bigger and grant it a proper resting place. It called for an outlet.

The missing ingredient turned out to be the last thing on the list above: writing. But writing was only half an answer. What kind of writing? Notes on the back of the photos, boomer style? Through a fleeting post on social media? An article in a photography magazine? No, not quite. The answer was an email list.

Yes, I hereby commit myself to crafting a monthly newsletter that tracks some of my favourite walks — old and new, local and exotic — and distils the results of these adventures (photos included) in a neatly packed electronic letter. (I say monthly, but that could change in the future.)

I'm calling it Earthshine, inspired by the astronomical term that refers to the faint glow of sunlight reflecting off the Earth and illuminating the darker portion of the Moon. This definition, however, doesn't quite encapsulate the whole story.

You see, when I say the word aloud, a bubble of connotations bursts in my mind and permeates my body. It begins with a planet glistening with life in an environment void of one … continues with vast landscapes, rich resources, and a complex biodiversity … and concludes with intricacies of the human condition.

But I don't just see the big picture; I see the small things. I think of the charm in the ordinary, the impermanence of things, and the smell of the air after a downpour. I also think of the rapid waves of change, the fragility of this planet, and the responsibility we humans have to protect it so its miracle may persist.

All this perfectly encapsulates my mission for this project and what I hope to inspire with every issue: to go out and experience the world and its palette by slowing down, appreciating its beauty and diversity, capturing its fleeting moments, and safeguarding it for future generations.

So, when can you expect it in your inbox? A new issue of Earthshine releases on the 15th day of each month. And if the letters catch you at a bad time, I've prepared an archive where you can always find them, chronologically ordered. (Alternatively, you can use the tag for a more visual browsing experience.)

Note: My photo walk library began while I lived in Japan, and my feet got quite the workout — 3,024 kilometres to be precise. That's a lot of walking — and a lot of photos … You know what's coming.

Interested? Subscribe here.

I'm also starting another newsletter named Moonquake — explained here.