My name's Hayley but I sometimes go by my middle name, Dawn. I love its connection with nature, as well as new beginnings. It also just happens to be my favourite time of the day, just before the sun peeks above the horizon and the birds are already busy in song.
I've been obsessed with taking photos since I inherited my grandpa's old film camera many moons ago. I started out in the dark room, the pungent smell of developer still filling my nostrils as I reminisce. I also love to write, particularly about subjects I am passionate about.
I feel most alive when on an adventure, whether that be scaling a peak or diving to depths. I have been fortunate enough to travel to many incredible places, experiencing firsthand the absolute magnificence of this planet we get to call home.
Sir David Attenborough once said that "saving our planet is now a communications challenge". I wholeheartedly agree, and feel a personal calling to dedicate my life's work to protecting it and supporting it to regenerate.
With twelve years experience in communications, I am striving to channel my skills in a deeper and more impactful way. Recently returning to university to study wildlife & conservation management, I hope to strike a balance between creativity and science.
Visual storytelling is the most powerful tool we can leverage to inspire action to protect our natural world. Iconic images—like the solo orangutan grasping onto the remaining tree in a torched rainforest, or the polar bear sleeping on a tiny drifting iceberg in the Arctic—have the ability to transport us to different places, feel empathy towards other species, and capture our hearts. Moments like these make people care. Moments like this make people act.
With our collective problem solving abilities, creativity and emotional intelligence, we can turn the tide on our current trajectory. What a feeling that would be. And what a monumental movement to be part of.
