Here Are The Best 30 Pics Of 2023, As Shared By Siena International Photo Awards

Bored Panda reached out to Torie Hilley, the 1st classified winner in the Animals in their Environment category of the 2023 Siena International Photo Awards. We wanted to find out more about the circumstances under which the wildlife photographer was able to take her impressive photo titled: “Lions in Lines.”

The winning shot captures a unique moment in the African savanna with a pride of lions walking in two parallel lines. We asked Torie to describe the emotions and thoughts that ran through her mind when she captured this moment. The photographer told us: “Most of the time when we want to encounter wildlife, we often enter their space. When I saw them coming towards me, walking on the tire tracks in seamless formation, and not moving away, I was instantly humbled and amazed. I felt like they were comfortable enough to approach me, which is a remarkable feeling. What I didn’t expect was for the pride to rest right next to my car for about 30 minutes before they continued their movement. I felt like they truly accepted me in that beautiful moment.”

We were wondering what led Hilley to choose this specific location and what the preparation process looked like for capturing such a remarkable shot. She shared with us: “At the time I took this image, I was a researcher studying the social behavior of this pride for an NGO in Zambia. In this moment, I was tracking them and by chance came across the pride walking towards me and pulled to the side of the tire tracks so that they could pass. For the whole year I was researching them, I never saw them walking towards me like this. I quickly grabbed my camera and started shooting the unique moment.”

The photo “Lions in Lines” beautifully showcases the wild cats blending into their surroundings. We were curious how the photographer approached capturing this camouflage effect in her composition. We learned that: “It is true that this image shows how well lions can camouflage in their environment. When I took the image, it was in May, which is just the beginning of the winter season in Zambia. The grass was still tall, but dying off, allowing the lions to blend into their environment. There was also a dust storm that day from Angola that casted a beautiful diffused warm glow onto the scene. I still pinch myself that I was there to witness this moment.”

We asked Torie how winning the 1st prize in one of the Siena International Photo Award categories impacted her perspective on wildlife photography. She shared with us: “I officially switched to wildlife photography in 2020. I believe wildlife conservation research is important, but I have seen the power of photography, especially after this image won a prestigious award. I have been inspired and now want to start diving into conservation photo storytelling. I always believed in this image, and now that it has received incredible recognition, I feel like I can now give a voice to conservation projects that need more attention on the incredible work that they do.”

Lastly, we wanted to find out if the wildlife photographer has any upcoming projects or goals in this field. Torie said: “Future projects that I would like to work on first would be local ones around my home in Ventura, California. For example, the Channel Island National Park, which has a unique ecosystem unlike anywhere in the world, has so many conservation stories that need to be told. But my heart lies with the African painted dog, the second most endangered carnivore in Africa. When I studied them in South Africa for my master’s degree research in animal behavior, I realized how little people knew about them and the threats they face. A big project that I want to do is to spread more awareness of the conservation behind this incredible, highly intelligent, and social species all around Africa.”