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 any category heading 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.

Canon EOS R1 Review
Equipment Nick Dale Equipment Nick Dale

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?

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How to use Pre-release Capture
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

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!

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Addicted to AUTO...?
Hints and tips, Equipment Nick Dale Hints and tips, Equipment Nick Dale

Addicted to AUTO...?

Are you addicted to AUTO? Do you leave your camera in AUTO mode without ever trying aperture or shutter priority, let alone manual? If so, let me be your sponsor! I can help you improve your photography by encouraging you to use different cameras, lenses, settings and rules of composition—and you won’t even need to go cold turkey!

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My Camera History
Nick Dale Nick Dale

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.

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The Two-second Rule
Nick Dale Nick Dale

The Two-second Rule

How long does it take you to get ready to photograph something? If it’s more than two seconds, you might miss your chance. The ‘two-second rule’ is a way of crystallising the importance of being ready at all times. Birds fly away, animals turn their backs, and some idiot in your vehicle might drop something and scare off all the wildlife!

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Sony ⍺1 Field Test
Equipment Nick Dale Equipment Nick Dale

Sony ⍺1 Field Test

I’ve been using my pair of Sony ⍺1 cameras for a couple of years now, and I thought it would be worth doing a proper field test. I’ve just come back from a couple of weeks in the Serengeti photographing the Mara river crossing, so how did they perform?

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Get to Know Your Camera Gear!
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

Get to Know Your Camera Gear!

I often meet guests on safari who have just bought a new camera but haven’t had a chance to work out how to use it properly. They couldn’t be bothered to read the manual, they didn’t have time to take any pictures or they were supposed to go on a course, but they were too busy…

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What Lenses do you Need for Wildlife Photography?
Equipment Nick Dale Equipment Nick Dale

What Lenses do you Need for Wildlife Photography?

Size isn’t everything, as they say, but there’s nothing like the power, reach and feel of a long lens. It gets you where the action is and lets you take close-ups of skittish and possibly dangerous wild animals. You still need other types of lenses, of course, but they’re far less glamorous!

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Mirrorless Shootout!
Equipment Nick Dale Equipment Nick Dale

Mirrorless Shootout!

One of the great frustrations of owning a camera is that the different mounts aren’t compatible. You can’t simply buy the best camera body and the best lenses because they might not fit together!

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Sony ⍺1 vs Nikon D850
Equipment Nick Dale Equipment Nick Dale

Sony ⍺1 vs Nikon D850

If you’re a photographer thinking about switching to mirrorless, I just thought it might be useful to read about someone else’s experience doing the same thing. I used to have an extensive collection of Nikon camera bodies, lenses and accessories, including a D850. However, I switched to the Sony mirrorless system last year, and I now have two Sony a1 cameras.

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Mirrorless Autofocus Settings
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

Mirrorless Autofocus Settings

I’ve been using a Sony a1 for over a year now, so I feel like the time has come to talk about the autofocus settings. I used to have a series of Nikon DSLRs (the D800, D810 and D850), and I’d never used a mirrorless camera before. However, it was pretty easy to learn, and even now I’m still amazed by the sharpness of the images.

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Update Your Firmware!
Hints and tips Nick Dale Hints and tips Nick Dale

Update Your Firmware!

When did you last update your camera’s firmware? What version are you running? What’s the latest version? When did you last check the availability online?

Okay, enough difficult questions! The truth is that most of us don’t really care about the firmware, and we certainly don’t make sure we have the latest version running at all times. But perhaps we should…

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How to Photograph Birds Fishing from the Hover
Nick Dale Nick Dale

How to Photograph Birds Fishing from the Hover

Normally, I like to post a ‘successful’ picture to illustrate these hints and tips posts, but I can’t today because I failed miserably! I was trying to photograph a common tern diving for fish, but I just couldn’t get a good shot of the moment when it hit the water.

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How to Use a Mirrorless Camera
Equipment, Hints and tips Nick Dale Equipment, Hints and tips Nick Dale

How to Use a Mirrorless Camera

Most people buying a mirrorless camera these days will be switching from a DSLR. Using a mirrorless is a little bit different, so here’s my guide to help you make the transition.

There are a few key differences, and I’ve divided them up into which camera to buy, how to customise it, which settings to use, plus sections on shooting mode, the EVF and custom buttons.

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