The first time I stayed at Kicheche Bush Camp in the Masai Mara, I saw five cheetah kills. This time, I didn’t see any in a whole week, so I had to make do with silhouettes, leopards, cubs, birds—and a few slow pans in honour of Paul Goldstein…!
Read MoreCapture 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.
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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!
Read MoreFeast 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’.
Read MoreBirds, 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’.
Read MoreThe 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…!
Read MoreUnpronounceable, 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.
Read MoreDon'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…
Read MoreRoller 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.
Read MoreQuality 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!
Read MoreMr 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!
Read MoreStills 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.
Read MoreWhat Your Driver can do for you
As John F Kennedy almost said, “Ask what you can do for your driver - and ask what your driver can do for you!”
Drivers and guides are there to help you on safari, and it’s worth getting to know them so that you can benefit from their knowledge and experience—but it’s important to try and give something back.
Read MoreMuchenje...again!
Elephants, leopards, wild dogs, roan and sable antelopes, lions attacking a baby elephant, boat rides, lovely people, another beef Wellington, but problems with my camera and not as many bee-eaters as I’d hoped. That was the story of my second trip to Muchenje Safari Lodge in Botswana—this time in the dry season.
Read MoreMuchenje
Little bee-eaters, Portakabins, elephants, boat rides, more little bee-eaters, an FA Cup final, lovely people, a lunar eclipse, more elephants and a beef Wellington. That just about sums up my trip to Muchenje Safari Lodge in Botswana!
Read MoreOl Jogi
Ol Jogi is in rhino country, and I had a rhino sighting on every single game drive until the final day of my visit. There are around 120 mainly black rhinos there, and it was great to see them. I hadn’t had so many sightings since I went to Etosha and saw 17 in one weekend!
Read MoreHow to shoot a leopard
Leopard sightings are pretty rare, but I went on an Exodus photographic trip to Kicheche Bush Camp in summer 2018 with Paul Goldstein, and that was when I had virtually all my best sightings of leopards.
Here are a few of the lessons I learned from that experience.
Read MoreGetting the most out of game drives
The worst part about taking pictures is knowing you've just missed a great shot. Here, I try to help wildlife photographers learn from 'the one that got away'.
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