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.

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…

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?

Create a Shot List

I have to confess that I very rarely make a shot list. The problem is that I’m a freelance wildlife photographer, so I don’t have clients to satisfy, and I’m happy to take pictures of whatever I happen to see. As Matt Kloskowski is fond of saying, I ‘embrace the chaos’!

Experiment with Different Styles

Have you ever taken a slow pan shot or used focus stacking? Have you taken macro shots of the insects in your garden or stayed up all night to photograph star trails? If you haven’t, maybe you need to experiment a little bit more!

Coping with the Cold

When I went to Sweden, the cold broke my tripod. When I went to Canada, the cold broke my lens. When I went to Antarctica, the cold broke my camera. I could go on…!

Extremely low temperatures can wreak havoc with your photography gear, so here are a few lessons I’ve learned in the past few years to help you cope with the cold.

What 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.

How to Pack Light!

In March 2021, I wrote a post on my packing list to let people know what I took with me on my photography trips, and you can see an updated version of the list below. However, I thought it was worth revisiting the topic to try to help people pack light.

Adventure Photography: How To Capture Action And Excitement In The Great Outdoors

Adventure photography focuses on outdoor shots such as stunning landscapes and heart-pounding situations. This photography also includes capturing extreme sports, including skiing, mountain climbing, and kayaking photography, hence a fun way to mix adventure with your passion for photography.

How to Photograph Birds Fishing from a Perch

We’ve all seen dramatic images of a kingfisher or bird of prey grabbing a fish while flying across a river or lake, but how do you get those shots? Bird in flight photography is hard enough without having to worry about the fish, too!

How to Shoot in Bad Weather

In the words of Alfred Wainwright, “There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” Well, in photography terms, it’s not the clothing that’s the problem but the type of shot. Here’s a quick guide to the right types of shots in different kinds of weather.

Embrace the Chaos or Plan Ahead?

“Embrace the chaos!” That’s the advice from Matt Kloskowski, a wildlife photographer in the States. On the other hand, David Yarrow and others seem to plan every single detail of a shoot in advance. So where does that leave us?

Pros and Cons of Using Auto ISO

Most of the amateur photographers I meet don’t use manual mode. They think it’s just too intimidating. However, you can make it a lot less scary by using auto ISO to control the exposure.

What Style of Photographer are you?

Every now and then, people tell me they recognise my photographic ‘style’, but I’m never sure what that means. I guess I just do what comes naturally, so it seems strange to think of myself as having a particular ‘style’, but I guess I do.

What Should Wildlife Photographers do Between Trips?

Matt Kloskowski once said there was no such thing as a professional wildlife photographer. That’s not quite true, but it is very hard to make a full-time living from it. So what are you supposed to do when you’re not on a shoot?

A Lightroom Trick to Separate Subject from Background

Photographs are flat, 2D images, but how can you make them appear three-dimensional? Inspired by a couple of videos by Matt Kloskowski and Steve Perry, here are a few Lightroom tricks to create depth by separating your subject from the background.

Update Your Metadata!

I’ve decided to use my first blog post of 2023 to be a nag! Apologies in advance, but I just thought it was worth reminding you to keep your metadata up-to-date. Not everyone is going to be as OCD as I am, but that’s as good a reason as any for this article…

How to Take Backlit Shots

Sometimes as a photographer, you need to make a difficult decision: do you want to take a good shot or a great shot? There’s a big difference, and it affects your whole approach. Backlighting is a good example.

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.

Nine Ways to Sex African Wildlife

I’m always keen to learn, but one thing I’m not very good at is working out whether safari animals are male or female. I know a few of the rules, but it’s easy to make a mistake—and that can be a bit embarrassing!

Here’s your cut-out-and-keep guide to a few of the major species. It’s not exhaustive, but it should prevent you having to refer to animals as ‘it’ all the time…

Four Ways to Photograph African Birds in Flight

Most people prefer wildlife action shots to portraits, and I’m no different. I also spend a lot of time on safari, so I end up taking quite a few pictures of African birds in flight. Even the most beautiful bird looks better on the wing than on a stick, so it’s worth the wait! Here are a few tips to help you get the best possible results—depending on the size of the bird.