Through the Looking Lens: Saving Endangered Species Through Photography and Documentaries by Tylor

Through the Looking Lens: Saving Endangered Species Through Photography and Documentaries by Tylor - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

As a senior this year, I am highly motivated to achieve my goals: to graduate, secure an internship, pursue professional nature photography or documentarian work, and polish my skills and become a top professional. I bring a unique viewpoint to my studies in photography and filmmaking as a neurodivergent student at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). My focus on wildlife conservation drives me to harness my creativity and make a concrete difference for the benefit of the planet. This year, I will refine my skills to create documentaries and take photographs that raise awareness about endangered species, including the Black rhino and cheetah. My documentaries can have a significant impact on global conservation efforts and inspire others to join the cause.

I became interested in cameras at the age of five, thanks to my Papa, who took me along to photograph landscapes. After he passed away, I inherited his cameras and started photographing wildlife in the mountains near his home as a tribute to him. Shortly after, my parents gifted me a video camera, and I began creating documentaries by recording myself talking to the camera. I often stayed up all night filming myself or capturing the bears that tried to break in and steal our food. In those moments, I would spontaneously tell stories to the camera.

These early experiences sparked my passion for filmmaking and photography. I learned the importance of capturing moments with my camera and the power of storytelling. Editing those videos of the mischievous bears helped me process my grief over Papa's sudden death. Sharing the videos filmed at Papa's home while using his cameras allowed me to honor him, my greatest inspiration.

I took a career test that confirmed what my family had always believed: I should be behind the lens of a camera. In high school, I enrolled in extra art, design, and photography classes beyond my standard coursework. I even attended a summer art intensive at Kennesaw State to further develop my skills before heading to SCAD. During this time, I used my grandfather's cameras. Eventually, I figured out what I wanted to do for my future. Being a creative person, everything fell into place. I realized I could build a career that combined my creativity with my passion for saving our planet's wildlife.

Art plays a vital role in society, particularly in raising awareness about endangered animals. Images of endangered animals can be crucial to their support. They could raise awareness, educate the public, promote their protection, ease fundraising efforts, or be useful in research. I can draw attention to them by sharing their images with the world.

Furthermore, photographs can illustrate the harm humans have inflicted on the environment. Another vital part of being a wildlife photographer is watching animal behavior and tracking their daily movements. Through images, a researcher can assess an animal's behavior pattern in its habitat. Photography helps in exhibiting wildlife's natural tendencies and instincts, how they interact with their species and their environment, and how they go about hunting, mating, and raising their offspring, so that researchers can devise strategies to protect them.

Many people are unaware of the essential facts surrounding wildlife and conservation, which often leads to misconceptions. I can seize the moment with my camera to tell hard-hitting stories from around the world, educating the public. I can highlight deforestation, poaching, illegal trade, and other traumatic situations, enlightening the world. Such realities are bound to leave a mark and instill a feeling of empathy towards wildlife and the environment.

This scholarship could help me complete my education this year and start my mission to conserve endangered species. I would greatly appreciate any support I may receive.