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.
Clash of the Continents
I’ve taken pictures in 36 countries on all seven continents, so I thought I should talk about the best one to visit for wildlife photography. Is it North America for grizzlies and polar bears, South America for jaguars and pumas, Antarctica for penguins and seals, Europe for bears and birds, Asia for tigers, Oceania for kangaroos and duck-billed platypuses or Africa for predators and prey?!
Windy Paine
Sea lions, penguins, foxes, pumas, guanacos, rheas, condors, short-eared owls, American tourists, Spanish speakers, Singer sewing machines, waterfalls, sunshine, snow, rain, lenticular clouds, wind, wind and more wind—and did I mention the wind?! That’s what you get when you travel to Torres del Paine in Chile.
Dress for Success!
Wherever you go in the world to take pictures, it’s important to wear the right clothing. I’ve worked as a photographer in 26 countries on all seven continents, so I thought I’d give you the lowdown on what I usually wear in different places and in different conditions.
Mara River Crossing
Beautiful women, power cuts, cold water, wildebeest, rain, laughter, one business class seat and 78,000 photos. That’s what I got when I went to see the Mara river crossing in the Serengeti National Park!
Find a Travel Company you Like and Stick with it!
Professionals like Andy Skillen are funded by the BBC and other clients to go on photographic trips around the world. The rest of us have to make do with booking our own—often at great expense! So what’s the solution?
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.
Tiger, Tiger...!
Hurry up and wait. That just about sums up any tiger safari. You wait to enter the park, you wait to see a tiger and you wait for it to do something interesting!
Lake Kerkini
I’ve just come back from a five-day visit to Lake Kerkini in Greece to photograph the Dalmatian pelicans. I usually prefer the Big Five to birds, so it wasn’t my normal sort of trip, but it was good fun, and I was happy with my pictures—and that’s the main thing!
Where Next in 2023...?
I had quite a quiet 2022 in terms of trips, but I’d like to go on a few more this year. Visiting Muchenje a couple of times was very enjoyable, but I’m looking for a bit more variety. I already have two trips planned, one to Kerkini in Greece to see the Dalmation pelicans and one to Bandhavgarh in India to see the tigers, and there might be more on the way. We shall see.
Muchenje...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.
Goodwood Revival 2022
I don’t get out much these days, so when my friend Jason invited me to Goodwood Revival, I was delighted to accept. He sorted everything out, so all I needed to do was enjoy a slap-up breakfast at The Kennels, take pictures of all the classic cars and enjoy the sunshine!
How to Become a Resident Photographer
A few years ago, I asked Andy Skillen how to win clients as a wildlife photographer. He didn’t tell me, but he did tell me a story of the ‘dream scenario’. He had an enquiry from a group of managers who wanted to buy a retirement present for their departing chairman. They wanted it to be a picture of a row of five hippos in the water, all looking towards the camera.
Bushy Park
Photography can be a solitary business, but every now and then I manage to take pictures with a friend. Tammy Marlar is a fellow photographer, and she’s always on at me to go and take pictures in the local parks. Well, this time, she was successful!
Muchenje
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!
Antarctica
It might’ve gone wrong in so many ways.
I might’ve failed one of my 12 (!) Covid tests, too many other people might’ve caught Covid, I might’ve had the wrong documents, the ship might’ve been impounded, we might’ve been weathered out, I might’ve lost my luggage (again!), we might’ve struggled to see any wildlife…and so on, and so on.
Polar bear heaven
Imagine you were given a chance to spend £10,000 on an 11-day trip that only involved four days actually photographing polar bears. Would you take it?
Photo trip history
From Alaska to Australia, from Svalbard to Antarctica, I’ve taken pictures in 26 countries on all seven continents. Phew…!
I thought it might be fun to show you this map and give you a potted history of my photographic trips since I turned professional in 2013, together with my favourite images from each one.
Exit, pursued by a bear
‘Exit, pursued by a bear’ is the most famous stage direction in theatrical history. It comes in Act III of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, and I know exactly how Antigonus felt…!
I had my very own close encounter with a bear when I went to Brooks Falls in Alaska in July 2015.
How to choose a photographic trip
I’ve been on plenty of photographic trips, but I’m quite picky about the companies I use.
In this article, I’ll provide a few different perspectives on how to choose a photographic trip that’s right for you.