Currently showing at the Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury is the "Natural World Through My Lens" by local wildlife photographer Victoria Hillman.

This exhibition of 32 photographs, is arranged in 3 segments, the first depicts Somerset wildlife; the second showcases a selection of photographs taken during a 2011 trip to Madagascar, and the third a selection of the photographer’s favourites.

Today at the museum, Victoria gave an engaging hour long talk, with an accompanying slideshow about her life as a wildlife photographer.  As a young child, she was bought a camera by her parents from which she developed an insatiable interest in photography; and despite having no qualifications in photography, she has the patience, artistic ability and eye for a good shot to produce some beautiful images which are on display with no post camera tweaks.

Wildlife photography gives Vicky time to sit, think and enjoy, as she waits to capture the perfect moment and her favourite photograph of all time is that of a European otter, with the early morning sun on its back taken in the early morning on Shapwick Heath that took four days to achieve.  Other local photographs depict a Little Grebe reflected on the calm water, mating dungflies in powerful black and white contrast,  and a murmuration of starlings.

Later in the talk Vicky took us away from Somerset to the minute island of Easdale in Scotland.  Easdale is situated just south of Seil island near Oban and inhabited by just 60 people; surprisingly it is also home of the World Stone Skimming Championships.  Acting as a guide and contracted to make a promotional video this amazing place gave Vicky the opportunity to see, monitor and photograph the biggest Bottlenose dolphins in the world; watch white tailed sea eagles and visit the Corryvreckan whirlpool, the third largest whirlpool in the world. 

And from the tiny island of Easdale we journeyed to Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, the fourth largest island on the planet where over 80% of wildlife endemic as well as being extremely rare.  The story behind her exquisite photograph of an endangered (only 130 exist) Greater Bamboo lemur peering through bamboo, taken through tears almost had me weeping; and as a member of the audience pointed out, it is the story of the photograph, rather than the picture itself which makes the image so special.  

Finally, Vicky chatted about her current project that is to produce a documentary with James Champion (grandson of F W Champion, the first wildlife photographer and conservationist who pioneered trip camera photography) as well as her plans to photograph badgers in the wild and hopefully venture to the Falkland Islands and return to Madagascar.

If you wish to visit the exhibition, it runs until the 9th June and admission is free.  The pictures, as well as key rings and cards are all available to buy.  Alternatively you can visit Vicky’s website here.

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