Emily Y. Horton is a native of northern Alabama. It is there where a love for nature was instilled as she wandered the countryside in search of snakes, frogs or any other delightful creature she could catch.
She studied at the University of South Alabama where she discovered and developed a passion for conservation photography, film, and writing. During college Emily held various positions related to her interests including as a Photo Editor for the Vanguard newspaper, Biology/Chemistry Research Assistant, and Freelance Photographer/Writer. After graduating with a degree incorporating Environmental Science, Communications, Spanish, and Latin American Studies, she served as an environmental education volunteer in Eastern Paraguay with the Peace Corps.
As a volunteer, Emily lived for two years in a rural agricultural village bordering the San Rafael Reserve. During this time she learned about the reserve’s importance as one of the largest remnants of Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest in Paraguay. In addition to making precious friends, Horton collaborated with families, schools, municipalities and environmental organizations to raise socioeconomic conditions and awareness about the San Rafael Reserve.
By the time Emily had completed her Peace Corps service, she had fallen in love with Paraguay’s ecosystems and people and developed a philosophy that sought to integrate conservation and socioeconomic elements. She decided to combine this newfound love for the Paraguayan people and ecosystems with her passion for conservation photography and writing.
In March of 2007, Emily submitted a photo-documentary book proposal to Guyra Paraguay, a leading environmental organization in Paraguay. The proposal was accepted and she spent the next five months collecting photographs, interviews and research to produce Saving San Rafael. The book, written in English and Spanish, was published in 2008 and aims to conserve and raise national and international awareness about the San Rafael area.
In 2009, Emily worked with a group of photographers in Alabama to form the Conservation Photographers of Alabama whose mission is to lead and promote the conservation of Alabama’s natural and cultural resources through the application of photography and other media. The CPA is a project of the Watershed Identity Foundation, a non-profit established by Alabama’s renowned conservation photographer Beth Maynor Young.
In May of 2010, Emily and Guyra Paraguay published their second bilingual photography book and first short-documentary together which aim to conserve the Pantanal, Earth’s largest freshwater wetland. Gran Pantanal, Paraguay focuses on Paraguay’s unique portion of Pantanal and is available for purchase online through NHBS. The publication is being distributed to local, national, and international stakeholders to share the importance and beauty of this region with Paraguayans and the world.
She is currently in Paraguay working on a third conservation photography book and second short documentary film with Guyra Paraguay. Countless individuals, organizations, and experiences have positively shaped and continue to support Emily as she pursues her dream of applying photography, documentary film, and writing to celebrate and conserve Earth’s biological and cultural diversity.