Show notes
Today, an episode where I walk with my guest along the paths of Greenham Common in Berkshire, England. We explore how photography, adventure, and purpose can align to become one path. Photographer Tom Warburton retired early and, rather than settle into a slower pace, decided to walk the length of the River Ganges, over 1,100 kilometres from the glacier source in the Himalayas to its confluence with the Yamuna near Prayagraj. It was a journey fuelled by curiosity, a love of walking, a desire to see life away from the main roads, and to photograph people and culture with care and respect.
Tom had long held an interest in photography, but like many, life's other responsibilities often came first. So with time finally on his side, he went in search of something deeper, not just images, but understanding. The result? A slow, human journey through rural villages, pilgrimage sites, nature reserves, and towns where he was often the only outsider for miles.
In today's episode, we walk and talk about what it means to truly travel with intention, to go off the beaten path, to connect with strangers, and to find portraits in moments where trust is built, not taken. This is a story of walking for photography, walking for perspective, and walking, quite simply, for the love of the road. As the walk draws to a close, Tom arrives in Prayagraj just as the Maha Kumbh Mela begins, a once-in-144-years gathering of extraordinary scale and spirit. On the biggest days, over 40 million people converge: sadhus, pilgrims, Naga ascetics, all drawn to the sacred waters where the Ganges and Yamuna meet. And there's Tom, camera in hand, somehow slipping through the crowds and into the press areas, ready to capture it all.
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.
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