Biography I wanted to be a photographer when I was 15, but my mother said I could always take it up later as a hobby – so that was that for 30 years! I ended up reading English at Oxford and working as a strategy consultant for a few years before retiring at the age of 29. I then travelled round the world for seven years, doing four ski seasons and working on an internet start-up in San Francisco before finally returning to London in 2005. At that point, consulting work felt too stressful, so I decided to go 'quality of life'. I'm now a private tutor and international award-winning wildlife photographer. I became a tutor in 2009 when I happened to read an article in the paper called 'Ten Ways to Beat the Recession', and I started taking pictures again in 2013 when I received a random email inviting me to go on safari and climb Mount Kenya. I've been a wildlife photographer ever since, taking pictures in 26 countries on all seven continents and winning various awards including the Sunday Times/Audley Travel Big Shot. I also work as a photographer at various safari lodges in Africa. From March to June 2019, I was the Resident Photographer at Klein’s Camp, Serengeti Under Canvas, Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp and Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp, and I spent two weeks at Gabus Game Ranch and Etosha National Park in October 2020. My work as a private tutor helps me be quite patient and understanding with any guests who want to take better pictures. On game drives, I'm always happy to answer questions, whether it’s about camera settings, the rules of composition or just identifying all the different species of wildlife. Back at camp, I'll give the odd talk to familiarise guests with camera technique, provide feedback on their images and show them some of my own. Maybe I’ll see you out there…! Artist’s Statement I have a passion for wildlife, and I want to celebrate all its facets in my photography, including power, beauty, cuteness and humour. These are the qualities I want to share with people. I’m not a conservationist, so I don’t take pictures of endangered animals to put on a poster for Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth. I take them because I love close encounters with the natural world, and I want to share the excitement and joy of being there. I obviously recognise the threat to certain species posed by poachers and diminishing habitats, and I hope that my images will give people more of an appreciation for wildlife, but what they choose to do with that is up to them. I started out taking 'portraits' of animals. That was all very well, and a lion might look beautiful sitting on the African savannah at sunset, but there isn't much energy in that sort of picture. What I try to do now is to focus on 'action shots'. I still take portraits - and sometimes I don't have a choice! - but my ideal image is much more likely to be a cheetah chasing down a Thomson’s gazelle than a bird sitting on a branch! My favourite animals are the predators, and the advantage of the long lens is that it can create the impression of being right up close and personal with some pretty dangerous beasts. It’s that sense of excitement that I try to capture in my work, and I'm happy to use whatever technology I can find to do the job. I have two Nikon camera bodies (a D810 and a D850), one with an 80-400mm zoom and the other with an 800mm prime. All that, combined with the wonders of Lightroom, gives me the best possible chance to communicate my vision of the natural world. Contact If you’d like to hire me for a talk, a lesson, a photo shoot or a safari, please contact me on +44 7942 800921 or at nick@nickdalephotography.com.