My name is Thomas Machowicz. I make photos and films and wear Crocs while doing it. Most people find it slightly out of place and quirky, but I think they think it’s endearing.

Once after a diving trip to San Diego my kind Airbnb host, Gernot, left me a review:

I’m the co-founder of a nonprofit documentary project Sanctuary Doc which tells visual stories of animals and the people who rescue them amidst the world’s greatest challenges.

Though I own a production company and do freelance photo and video journalism for a few different publications, my passion is to find a topic I’m interested in and pursue it obsessively until my curiosity is satisfied.

I resonate with Thomas the Apostle when he (allegedly) said;

"Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe."

Through photography I try my best dispel my own ignorance and to be a conduit for stories meant to raise the consciousness of humanity.

Every Image Is a Seed.

Our mind is like a rich field of fertile soil. The images we see and the stories we hear are seeds planted in that field. With cultivation, experience, and time they grow into thoughts and emotions, forming pieces of the tapestry that are our own personal experiences and world view.

We see thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of images every day. I started this Substack because I believe that the context in which we see these images is important and largely out of our control.

My hope is that the images and stories you see here will be seeds planted in the spirit of inquiry, watered with patience, nurtured with understanding and allowed to bloom into compassionate action for everyone with whom we share this world.

It’s nice that you’re here, even if it’s just for a little while. New articles are shared every Saturday morning for your weekend reading enjoyment.