Local photographer captures elusive local wildlife — and the National Geographic Slingshot Challenge award

Soren Goldsmith, a senior at Lexington High School, is one of the winners of the National Geographic Society’s inaugural global Slingshot Challenge. The initiative challenged youth, ages 13-18 years, to create a one-minute video depicting a solution to the planet’s environmental problems. Five winners were chosen out of more than 1,800 submissions from across 80 countries. Soren’s video “Save the Forests” showed how he uses motion-activated cameras, or “camera traps,” to capture photos of elusive local wildlife. By placing the cameras deep in conservation properties, he reveals the unseen animals that live in town. He hopes to use his images as a tool for education to ensure that future generations get to coexist with the same nature we live amongst today.