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 still can’t find what you’re looking for, please drop me a line at nick@nickdalephotography.com or on +44 7942 800921.
Roller Derby
When people ask if I photograph birds, I say I do—if there aren’t any animals around…! That’s not quite fair, though, and I enjoyed seeing birds of prey and the colourful beauty of rollers, kingfishers and bee-eaters around Chikunto Safari Lodge in South Luangwa National Park.
Quality over Quantity
If you want to go somewhere that looks like the Palace of Versailles where you can see rhinos from a hide and they have oat milk, almond milk and five different kinds of tonic water, Kings Camp is the place for you!
Getting the Horn
One of the main reasons I went to South Africa was to see the rhinos. After the horrific disappointment of finding out almost all of them had been dehorned, I finally found what I was looking for at Simbavati River Lodge—a male rhino with its horn intact!
Raining Cats and Dogs
Where would you find an African civet, a pack of wild dogs, lions feeding on an elephant carcase and a woman called Miles? Well, you’d have to go to Arathusa Safari Lodge in South Africa—as I did a couple of weeks ago.
Last-minute Safari
It’s amazing how easy it is to book a last-minute safari. Within 15 hours of my flight home from Jo’burg being cancelled on 30 May, I was on my way to Kruger National Park!
Mr Nick Goes to Botswana
What did I see on my trip to Muchenje Safari Lodge in Botswana? Well, not much—apart from leopards, lions, a bateleur eagle and 20 male impalas chasing a single female!
How to Save Money as a Wildlife Photographer
People often ask me how I spend my time as a wildlife photographer. Some assume I spend my whole life on expeditions to exotic locations. If only! Sadly, I only have the funds to go on a few trips per year, lasting two or three weeks each. However, I’ve learned that it’s easier to save money than make money, so here are a few money-saving tips that should help you spend more time in the bush.
How do you Judge a Wildlife Photo?
People sometimes show me a wildlife photo and ask me what I think, but I always turn the question around. “What do you think of it yourself?” Aesthetics are subjective, so there’s no right or wrong answer, and my view is no more ‘valid’ just because I’m a professional wildlife photographer. However, if you ask me what makes a good photo, that requires a much longer answer…!
My Wildlife Photography Bucket List
Most of us don’t have the time or the budget to go on many wildlife photography trips, so it’s worth making the most of what we have by going to the right place at the right time. In 2014, I wrote down all the destinations on my photographic bucket list. Here’s an updated version that only includes the best places for wildlife photography that I’ve never visited...
I'd Rather be Lucky than Good!
In a sense, every wildlife photograph is a matter of luck. These are wild birds and animals we’re talking about, not fashion models working in a studio! You can’t tell wildlife subjects to pose, and bears and big cats are too dangerous to get close to.
How to Organise your Photos
Have you ever been desperately trying to find a photo that you took? Have you had to scroll endlessly through your Photos feed on your smartphone? Have you ever had to give up because it was just too hard to find? I’m sure the answer for most photographers is “Yes”, “Yes” and “Yes”! Keeping track of your photos is hard for everyone, but here are a few tips that might help.
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.
How to Become a Professional Wildlife Photographer
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin…
Once upon a time, a boy bought a camera and decided to become a professional photographer. He took hundreds of pictures and told his mum he wanted to go to the London College of Printing.
“Well,” she said, “you can always take it up later as a hobby…”
And that was that for 30 years!
Zooms vs Primes for Wildlife Photography
Wildlife photography is all about trade-offs, so there are never any easy answers. When it comes to the choice between zoom and prime lenses, my own experience tells me that primes work best at long focal lengths and zooms at wider angles. However, it’s a matter of personal taste, and new features like built-in teleconverters mean the picture is always changing…
My Camera History
The Sunday Times used to ask celebrities what cars they’d owned and what their dream car would be. In my case, it would’ve been the same answer: an E-Type Jaguar! When it comes to cameras, the list would be a bit longer.
How to Photograph in the Rain
Not many people like being out in the rain, and I’ve even been on a game drive with a guide who immediately turned round and went back to camp as soon as it started raining—even though we were only 20 yards down the road!
Getting Started on Bird Photography: 10 Essential Tips
Bird photography is a uniquely accessible pastime, particularly in the age of affordable high-performance cameras. However, it can be much more involved compared to other photography-related hobbies because of the technical know-how and personal discipline needed to capture human-shy bird species.
Top 100 Photos: Strengths and Weaknesses
I’m going to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPOTY) exhibition at the Natural History Museum in a couple of weeks to see the top 100 wildlife photographs in the world. Unfortunately, I know in advance that I’ll like hardly any of them!
10 Classic Safari Shots
To my knowledge, not many photographers who go on safari put together a shot list in advance. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s worth considering so that you can make the most of your experience. The last thing you want to do is come home kicking yourself you didn’t get a shot of a leopard or a cheetah hunt.
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!