We spoke with Torie about the inspiration behind her work. She shared what initially sparked her interest in wildlife photography: “It was during my master’s research in South Africa when I realized the power of imagery. I was studying the African wild dog (aka painted dog) and my friends and family thought I was studying feral dogs. This was shocking. So, I sent them as many photos as possible explaining that they are the second most endangered carnivore in Africa and really need our help. Now, they educate their friends and family on this endangered carnivore!”
The photographer went on to tell us more about her background: “As I continued my research, I began to realize that my passion for the African bush was due to capturing the behavior of predators and other wildlife through my lens. I felt that I could spread more awareness and send a message about endangered species more effectively through imagery. I then made the decision to dedicate my work to wildlife conservation.”
We were curious if Torie could share a heartwarming interaction she’s witnessed between animals. She told us: “That’s a tough question – what quickly comes to mind is watching mothers with their offspring. Whether they are bears, big cats, elephants, or painted dogs, you can always sense the immense amount of love there is between mother and kin. Mothers would do anything for their offspring. Nature isn’t always pretty or fair, so witnessing these interactions is always so special to me and I never take them for granted.
I also enjoy watching African painted dogs rally. They are one of the most social creatures in the world with a complex social hierarchy, tremendous amount of loyalty towards one another, and incredible hunting skills. When they are ready to go hunting, they get each other excited by playing, chasing each other, and greeting – basically getting each other pumped up! This is rallying, and this behavior is truly a sight to behold.”
When asked about a species or location still on her photography bucket list, Hilley responded: “I have so many places and species on my photography bucket list! Like, Canada, India, Tanzania, Australia, New Zealand, the Arctic, Antarctica, and wolves, tigers, wombat, Tasmanian devil, kiwi, giant anteater, aardwolf, striped hyena, polar bear, and emperor penguin, just to name a few! But my top place would be Namibia, and top species to see and photograph is a pangolin!”
At our request, Torie kindly shared some words of advice for aspiring wildlife photographers who hope to make a meaningful impact with their work: “If you can, I would recommend investing in yourself by learning from some of the best photographers that you hold in high regard. This will give you an edge by learning directly from those photographers who promote change with their high-impact images. But DON’T GIVE UP!!”
She added: “Honestly, if photography brings you joy – don’t stop. Keep sharing your work everywhere because you never know who is watching.”
Lastly, we had a completely hypothetical question: if she could borrow any skill or sense from an animal to improve her photography, what would it be? Here's what she revealed: “I love this question! There are many senses I would love to have from wildlife, like somehow knowing exactly where animals are and when they will do an unusual behavior! To be in the right place at the right time – all the time – would make life so much easier! But one animal’s skill that would really improve my photography would have to be the black-footed cat’s agility and speed. They are considered the deadliest of cat species with a hunting success rate of at least 60%. That way I would never miss a shot!”
