Capture the Moment!

Since 2013, I’ve published hundreds of blog posts on all aspects of photography. Some are aimed at helping photographers with their technique, settings, and equipment, but others describe my exhibitions, workshops, and adventures in Africa, Antarctica, and beyond.

Feel free to browse chronologically or click on the category heading above any post for specific content, such as Equipment, Trips or Hints and Tips.

If you’d like to write a guest post, please drop me a line at nick@nickdalephotography.com or on +44 7942 800921.

(Please note that some posts may contain affiliate links from which I can earn a small commission.)

How to Take Pictures on Night Drives
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

How to Take Pictures on Night Drives

The word photography means 'drawing with light' and comes from the Greek words ‘photo’, meaning light, and ‘graph’, meaning to draw. You normally have plenty of light if you’re taking pictures during the day, but what about at night? It’s usually dark, so what can you do? Well, don’t despair. The good news is that with the right equipment, settings and techniques, you can still come away with some decent photos!

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Denys the Menace
Trips Nick Dale Trips Nick Dale

Denys the Menace

Finch Hattons is a luxury safari camp in Tsavo West National Park, Kenya. It’s named after Denys Finch-Hatton MC, a nobleman, soldier, pilot and Edwardian big game hunter who was educated at Eton and Oxford. Denys wasn’t really a ‘menace’—unless you happened to be one of the animals he shot! In fact, he became one of the early pioneers of photographic safaris when he hosted the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) in 1928 and 1930.

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Rhino Heaven
Trips Nick Dale Trips Nick Dale

Rhino Heaven

Everyone talks about how hard it is to find leopards, but what about rhinos?! I’ve been on over 500 game drives in nine different African countries, and I’ve hardly ever seen them. And that’s the main reason why I decided to visit Kicheche Laikipia—or Rhino Heaven!

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Beautiful Darkness
Trips Nick Dale Trips Nick Dale

Beautiful Darkness

In Laikipia, black leopards matter. That’s why I spent a week at Laikipia Wilderness. I wanted to see Giza, a female with a melanistic variant in her genes that means her coat is almost pure black, with only slight traces of the rosettes that would usually be visible on her flanks. Her name means ‘Beautiful Darkness’, but she only comes out at night, and there was no guarantee of being able to see her, let alone photograph her. Was I going to get lucky? Let’s find out…

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The Birds
Trips, Wildlife Nick Dale Trips, Wildlife Nick Dale

The Birds

When people ask me if I photograph birds, I say, “Yes, of course—if there aren’t any animals around…!” Having said that, I almost always see more birds than animals on my trips, and they’re almost always more active and more colourful. In fact, they account for 27 of my Top 100 photos.

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Where in the World
Wildlife, Travel Nick Dale Wildlife, Travel Nick Dale

Where in the World

Since I became a photographer, I’ve been on 35 trips to every continent. It’s taken a long time and cost a lot of money, so if you want to see a particular species, you might appreciate a little help!

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Life List
Wildlife Nick Dale Wildlife Nick Dale

Life List

Every now and again, I see an animal or bird for the very first time. They’re nice moments, I suppose, but I’ve never worked out how often it happens or tried to write down a ‘life list’ of species—until now!

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Photographic Trips
Travel Nick Dale Travel Nick Dale

Photographic Trips

I’ve been a professional wildlife photographer since 2013, so I often lose track of all my photographic trips! For my own reference and for yours, here’s a list of everywhere I’ve been with my favourite photos from each place.

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Silhouette City
Trips Nick Dale Trips Nick Dale

Silhouette City

I spent my second week in the Masai Mara at Kicheche Valley Camp, and you can probably sum it up in three words: cats, birds and silhouettes! I managed to see my ‘traditional’ cheetah kill, photographed many birds in flight and started and finished most days by taking sunrise and sunset silhouettes.

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2024: I Had a Year in Africa...
Photography Nick Dale Photography Nick Dale

2024: I Had a Year in Africa...

I didn’t quite spend a whole year in Africa (only 12 weeks!), but with a little help from a successful remortgage and a hefty bank loan, I managed to pay three visits to my favourite safari destinations (Kicheche and Muchenje) and stay in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe for the very first time.

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Where to See the Big Five
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

Where to See the Big Five

For most people who go on safari in Africa, it’s all about the Big Five: lions, leopards, African bush elephants, black and white rhinoceroses and African (or Cape) buffaloes. Back in the days of big game hunting, those were the five most dangerous beasts, so hunters prized them as trophies to take back home and put on their walls.

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Stills or Video?
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

Stills or Video?

If you’re a wildlife photographer who also shoots video, when should you take pictures and when should you film? Tricky one. I’m in the same boat, and I’m never sure of the answer. I see myself as a photographer first and foremost, so that’s my priority, but there are times when video is the right way to go.

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Wet and Wild!
Trips, Travel Nick Dale Trips, Travel Nick Dale

Wet and Wild!

I’ve just come back from a couple of weeks at Kicheche in the Masai Mara. There was so much rain that it sometimes felt like I was in a remake of Waterworld, starring Paul Goldstein!

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Create a Shot List
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

Create a Shot List

I have to confess that I very rarely make a shot list. The problem is that I’m a freelance wildlife photographer, so I don’t have clients to satisfy, and I’m happy to take pictures of whatever I happen to see. As Matt Kloskowski is fond of saying, I ‘embrace the chaos’!

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10 Best Places in the World for Wildlife Photography
Travel Nick Dale Travel Nick Dale

10 Best Places in the World for Wildlife Photography

I’ve been a wildlife photographer for 10 years now, and I’ve been on over 30 trips. I’ve set foot on all seven continents, but most of my expeditions have been to Africa. If you want to learn from my experience, here are my top 10 locations for wildlife photography. There are a few good places I haven’t been to, such as South Africa, but these are my favourites.

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How to Shoot in Bad Weather
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

How to Shoot in Bad Weather

In the words of Alfred Wainwright, “There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” Well, in photography terms, it’s not the clothing that’s the problem but the type of shot. Here’s a quick guide to the right types of shots in different kinds of weather.

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