Capture the Moment!

Here are all my posts on photography, covering techniques, trips, research, exhibitions, talks and workshops. Watch out for my latest article every Saturday.

I’ve also written dozens of articles for Expert Photography and Camera Reviews.

If you’d like to contribute a guest post on any aspect of photography, please email me at nick@nickdalephotography.com. My standard fee is £50 plus £10 for each dofollow link.

Note: Some blog posts contain affiliate links to Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

10 Useful YouTube TV Tips and Tricks for Photographers

In today’s digital landscape, video streaming platforms have become essential tools for photographers—not just as sources of inspiration but also for practical knowledge, tutorials, and insights. YouTube TV, with its vast array of channels and live TV streaming, is an excellent resource for photographers aiming to stay updated on techniques, gear reviews, and industry trends.

Canon EOS R1 Review

When I first became a professional photographer, a friend told me I should either buy Canon or Nikon. I didn’t want to own anything made by a photocopier manufacturer, so I chose Nikon!

I now have a Nikon Z8 and a Sony ⍺1, but what about the Canon EOS R1? It’s been three years since the release of the R3, and the R1 is now supposed to be Canon’s flagship mirrorless camera. Am I tempted?

African Wild Dog Facts

I never used to like African wild dogs. For some reason, the different patches of colour on their coats made me think of rabbits with myxomatosis! However, seeing a pack of them corner a blue wildebeest in South Africa changed my mind. The chase was very exciting, and it took place in the most gorgeous red light at sunrise!

Sony v Nikon Field Test

Some photographers have the luxury of owning complete ranges of cameras and lenses from two (or more) different brands. Sadly, that’s not the case for me, so it was harder to compare Sony and Nikon equipment in the field.

How College Students Can Turn Photography from a Hobby into a Side Hustle

Do you enjoy chasing the ideal light for that image, experimenting with angles, or catching events? If so, you're not alone! Many college students like photography as a creative release and a different prism to view the world. Have you ever considered, though, developing that enthusiasm into anything more? Imagine if your pastime might generate more income for you while still in college.

Mana from Heaven

Most people who meet someone who works for the National Security Advisor would probably have a brief chat and then forget all about him. I didn’t. Toby impressed me so much with the ‘mystical, blue light’ at Mana Pools and the chance to walk right up to the animals with a guy called Stretch Ferreira that I booked a trip as soon as I got home!

How to use Pre-release Capture

OM System has had Pro Capture Mode for years, the Canon R1 now has Pre-burst Capture and the Nikon Z8 and Z9 have Pre-release Capture. However, Sony doesn’t have any equivalent, and that used to be very frustrating. My two ⍺1s were probably the best on the market for wildlife photography, but they couldn’t ‘turn back time’. So what did I do? I exchanged one of them for a Nikon Z8!

Feast or Famine

After Kapamba, I stayed at Zungulila in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, from 1 to 5 August. This was the last stop on my tour and, according to the website, it was supposed to be ‘a remote, classic tented safari camp that delivers an authentic safari experience in eminently peaceful surrounds’.

Birds, Dogs and Pukus

After Bilimungwe, I visited Kapamba in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, from 29 July to 1 August. According to the website, it was supposed to be ‘A remote and romantic camp situated in a prime location on the Kapamba River, and one of only two Bushcamps to be open from April to January’.

The Dog Whisperer

After Kuyenda, I spent four nights at Bilimungwe in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. According to the website, it’s ‘beautiful’, ‘warm and welcoming’, ‘blends seamlessly with its surroundings and offers unrivalled wildlife viewings’. That wasn’t entirely true, but it did allow me to meet Manda, The Dog Whisperer…!

Unpronounceable, Unspellable and Unmemorable

After Mfuwe Lodge, I moved on to the bush camps, which were all in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. They had names that were almost impossible to spell, pronounce or remember: Kuyenda, Bilimungwe, Kapamba and Zungulila! First up was Kuyenda, where I spent two nights from 23-25 July 2024.

Don't Drive Angry

I’d been to Africa many times, and I’d never got angry with any of the staff before. It was almost inconceivable because they were all so friendly and helpful. Well, there’s a first time for everything, I suppose, and it arrived when I visited Mfuwe Lodge…

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.

How to Shoot from a Hide

Apart from an evening in the Brazilian Pantanal and an afternoon in Namibia, I never really had a chance to use hides to photograph wildlife until I visited South Africa in June 2024. Kambaku River Lodge had a hide beside a waterhole with gimbal heads for guests’ cameras, and Kings Camp had a similar facility—except with a very low ceiling!

Mix and Match

When I turned professional in 2013, I went through a succession of Nikon DSLRs: first the D800, then the D810 and finally the D850. They were good cameras, but I wanted something more. When the Sony ⍺1 came along, offering eye detection and 30 fps shooting, I took the mirrorless plunge—but now I’ve gone crawling back to Nikon! Why…?

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!