Why I created this blog: Living World Journals

Why this title

We’re often told that nature is a problem to manage. Invasive species, pests, harmful organisms.

And yet, just a few meters from my home, what I observe is something entirely different: quiet species that are not trying to harm us, but simply to live.

And that’s exactly why I created this blog.

Living World Journals refers to my time in the field. Observing, identifying, taking notes, photographing. Then researching in books or online. Or heading out with my field guide on animal tracks and signs.

Since I started photography, I’ve focused on nature: landscapes, wildlife, and plants. The more I learn, the more fascinating it becomes. But at the same time, I’ve realized that the relationship I once had with nature no longer fits who I am. So many details go unnoticed when we’re caught up in our daily routines.

And still, I keep wondering: why do I find nature more and more wonderful, while the news only talks about pests, nuisances, and invasive species?

As I write this, I’ve even heard that ants are considered “invasive” by some people. I understand they may enter our homes, attracted by sugar or an open jar of jam. I’ve even experienced part of a colony settling in my bedroom during a nuptial flight… Hundreds of flying ants in the room, and many more on the floor, quickly carrying fertilized queens to safety.

But is calling a professional to eradicate them really the only solution?

I don’t have a perfect answer. As for me, I just slept on the sofa.

What you’ll find on this blog

This blog is also for you.

I’m not a naturalist, but I invite you to explore nature alongside me.

In every field I’ve explored (music, science, photography, nature) I’ve come to the same realization: the more you learn about a subject, the more you become aware of how much there is still to discover.

Do you think trees are immobile?

While traveling in the Peruvian Amazon, I discovered a tree that can “move” thanks to its roots (feel free to look up Socratea exorrhiza).

Do all birds build nests in trees?

Not at all. The emblematic bird of my region, the Atlantic puffin, lays its eggs in burrows.

There are countless examples like these. And that’s exactly what keeps me curious. I’ll never stop discovering new things.

To keep things structured, I’ve organized my articles into a few categories:

🌱 Exploring the living world

• Descriptions of the species I encounter, their life cycles, and their habitats—wetlands, the Pink Granite Coast, or the Peruvian rainforest.

📖 Field immersion

• Stories from my experiences in nature, sharing my feelings and sometimes exploring local stories or legends.

📸 Photography

• Technical advice based on how I take my own photos.

Some articles may contain affiliate links.

If you choose to purchase equipment through these links, you directly support my work—at no extra cost to you. It’s a simple way to help this project grow.

Why ohotography changed everything for me

When I bought my first camera, I didn’t intend to become a photographer.
I simply wanted to give meaning to my walks in the forest. I wanted to photograph trees and flowers.

Then I joined a photography club, where I learned how to read images (yes, an image can be read and analyzed like a text), along with some technical basics.

But more importantly, I met someone there, now a very close friend, who introduced me to macro photography. The first time I mounted a macro lens on my camera… a whole new world opened up, as I began capturing the fine details of mushrooms.

Today, I’m convinced that images can inspire anyone, anywhere in the world. Like music, they are universal.

One of the most powerful moments for me was the launch of my activity, during an exhibition I presented to students at my village’s primary school. Seeing their eyes wide open in front of my photos gave me an incredible amount of energy.

One of them even said to me before leaving:
“I had ideas about what I wanted to do when I grow up, but I think I’m going to choose to become a photographer.” Wow!!! What could be more motivating than sparking a new vocation?

My goal is not to create an army of nature photographers, but to raise awareness through what I experience: hours spent in nature searching for insects, waiting for a roe deer to pass by, or for badgers to emerge from their burrow, without them ever noticing my presence.

Nature photography is not just about going for a walk and pressing a button.
There is research. Scouting. Waiting.
And above all, an ethic.
A way of being present without disturbing.

All of this is far from feeling like work to me.
It’s a way to connect more deeply with my environment and to better understand it.

Observing is understanding, and understanding is protecting

This blog has a simple goal: to help you see differently, and to better understand the species around us.

As I mentioned before, I’m not a naturalist. So I’ll do my best to make things accessible. And whether you’re familiar with a topic I cover or not, feel free to leave a comment, share your thoughts or your own observations. It benefits everyone.

Whenever possible, I’ll also share my sources at the end of each article.

Let’s not remain spectators, let’s become more attentive observers.

From my own experience, photographing invertebrates, especially spiders, helped me overcome my arachnophobia. The more I photograph them, trying to highlight their beauty, the more I learn about their behavior… and the more fascinating they become.

I still feel some apprehension, especially when a friend in the Amazon once suggested I hold a tarantula in my hands…
But I can now say that I tolerate them in my room.

Observing what surrounds us changes everything.
We understand more. We feel more.
We begin to see ourselves as part of this living world.

And that’s when we start to protect it.

An adventure that goes further

There is also a “photographer’s dream” behind this blog, one that connects all of these articles.

The promise I’ve made to myself is that one day, I will return to the Amazon to follow scientists in the field, photographing species that are still unknown, or highlighting the fascinating details of nature I mentioned earlier, so that, one day, I might have an article published in National Geographic.

The photographers featured in that magazine are incredible, and a constant source of inspiration for me.

This blog is also a way for me to practice writing, to move closer to that goal.

For those who already know me a little, you’re probably aware of my deep connection to Peru. As I write this in May 2026, I have the opportunity to go back and live there for two years.

An incredible opportunity, one that brings me even closer to that dream.

I hope these articles will inspire you, help you travel through words and images, and above all, give you the desire to explore and rediscover the biodiversity around you.