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 heading above any post for specific categories, such as Equipment, Trips or Hints and Tips.
If you’d like to write a guest post, I charge £50 + £10 per dofollow link. Please drop me a line on +44 7942 800921 or at nick@nickdalephotography.com.
(Please note that some posts contain affiliate links from which I can earn a small commission.)
Review: Fotopro O-9+MH-12
The Fotopro O-9+MH-12 feels like it was designed by people who actually spend their weekends hiking up steep trails at four in the morning. In a market saturated with ‘all-rounder’ tripods that are either too heavy for the trail or too flimsy for long exposures, this carbon fibre version attempts to hit the elusive sweet spot between stability, portability and features.
Capturing the Decisive Moment: How Wedding Photographers Train Their Eye for Unrepeatable Shots
There is a photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson of a man leaping over a puddle behind the Gare Saint-Lazare. The man is suspended mid-air, his reflection caught perfectly in the water below. Cartier-Bresson did not ask him to jump again. He did not adjust his settings and wait for the next person. He saw the moment forming, raised his camera, and pressed the shutter at precisely the right instant. He called this le moment décisif — the decisive moment.
Hurry up and Wait!
How long do you think you could go without all the things that are most important to you? I’ve just come back from three weeks at Paatli Fort Estate Resort in the far north of India, where there was no Western food, no pretty girls, and I had to wait 10 days for a photography permit. In the end, I only saw two tigers for about 10 seconds—and I didn’t even manage to take any decent photos!
Advanced Photography Editing Techniques Every Design Student Should Master
Photography editing is often treated as the final polish applied to an image after the "real" creative work has finished. Design students quickly learn that the opposite is true. Editing is not decoration. It is interpretation. A photograph leaving the camera sensor is only the starting point of visual storytelling.
Top 5 Aspects of Photography Every Student Should Master
Most people who pick up a camera for the first time assume the hard part is choosing the right equipment. It is not. The hard part is unlearning the impulse to point and shoot without thinking, a habit smartphones have made almost universal. Photography, as a discipline, demands something different: deliberate attention. And for students stepping into it seriously, that shift in mindset is where everything begins.
The Art of the Staycation Safari: Mastering Slow Fieldcraft
The term ‘safari’ conjures up images of the African plains of Botswana and Big Five checklists, but it applies just as readily to the British countryside. Strip away the geography and what remains is the essential truth: safari is simply the practice of spending long enough in one place that your presence becomes unremarkable, where you get to experience wildlife in their natural habitat.
How Photography Can Improve Your Study Habits and Concentration
Studying is not just about time spent with books — it is about the quality of your attention. Many students struggle with distraction, stress, and mental fatigue. Surprisingly, photography can become a powerful tool to strengthen focus and learning efficiency. When used intentionally, it supports mindfulness, memory retention, and structured thinking.
Kind Hearts and Coronets
If you thought the Colibri was just a café in Richmond Park popular with MAMILs, you might be surprised to know it’s the Spanish word for hummingbird! I’ve just spent two weeks photographing hummers and other birds at Tandayapa Bird Lodge in the foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes. I had to cope with power cuts, the language barrier, a mañana attitude and a fallen tree, but it was worth it!
How to Edit a Photo to Look Like Film
In recent years, film photography has experienced a remarkable resurgence. What was once considered outdated or impractical has returned as a powerful creative choice, embraced by photographers seeking authenticity, character, and emotional depth in their images. From fashion editorials and wedding photography to personal storytelling and lifestyle content, the film look has become synonymous with warmth, nostalgia, and timeless appeal.
How to Stay Patient and Observant During Wildlife Shoots
Wildlife photography places unique demands on both mindset and behaviour. Unlike controlled environments, natural settings operate on their own timelines, governed by weather, light, and animal behaviour rather than human schedules.
Optimising Imaging Lab Workflow: Practical Strategies for Design and Archival Teams
Inefficiency in a creative or preservation lab is more than a slowdown—it’s a risk. Learn how to streamline your unique workflow with strategies and tools, including the right imaging equipment for studios and labs, to build a more resilient operation.
Time-Saving Video Editing Methods Every Creator Should Use
If the creation of videos is a regular thing for you, then you know that filming is usually the easy part. You’re done after you press record and do some takes. But when you start editing…that’s where hours disappear. When you plan to spend around 30 minutes on it, you end up spending a full evening fixing mistakes and exporting different versions.
Probability of Epic Wildlife Shots: Stats Tips for American Students in the Field
It can feel like luck when you take pictures of animals in the wild. You see a hawk dive one day, and the next day, you go home with 300 pictures of empty branches. The good news is that "luck" has a plan. You start making choices that really raise your odds when you consider the probabilities.
From Strong to Award-Winning: Two Post-Processing Techniques Every Wildlife Photographer Should Master
Learn how monochrome conversion and distortion correction can elevate wildlife photos, refine realism, and turn strong captures into award-winning images.
How Photography Helps Students See Beauty in Everyday Study Moments
University life often moves fast. Students rush between classes, projects, and deadlines, rarely pausing to notice the small details that make their days unique. Photography changes that. It teaches young people to slow down, observe their surroundings, and appreciate beauty in ordinary moments. Through a camera lens, a simple cup of coffee, a pile of books or the soft morning light in a classroom can become a story worth remembering.
My Favourite Places: Muchenje
Botswana has more elephants than anywhere else in the world, and Chobe National Park has more elephants than anywhere in Botswana, so if you like elephants, there’s only one place to go! I’ve been four times now, and my last three trips have been to Muchenje Safari Lodge, which is one of my favourite places for wildlife photography.
My Favourite Places: Kicheche
Anywhere you see five cheetah kills in a week is going to be a great place for wildlife photography! And that’s what happened to me when I first visited Kicheche Bush Camp in 2018 with Paul Goldstein. Paul is one of the owners of Kicheche Camps in Kenya. There are three camps in the Masai Mara and one in the shadow of Mount Kenya.
Why Photographers Should Keep a Shooting Journal—and What to Write in it
For many photographers, improving their craft usually means upgrading equipment, testing new lenses, or experimenting with different lighting scenarios. Yet one of the most powerful tools for growth has nothing to do with gear—it is the simple, consistent practice of keeping a shooting journal.