Wildlife Photographer | Peter Delaney
My Wildlife Photographic Journey
A long time ago...
Peter emigrated from Ireland to the bright lights of London. Ireland was mired in a deep recession with high unemployment. For many young Irish men and women, leaving Ireland was their only way to find work.
St Pauls Cathedral,
AI spent 14 years as a money broker, a time filled with adrenaline and excitement. I also formed lasting friendships, some of whom tragically lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. May they rest in peace.
Peter found work as a money broker in London's Square Mile, the heart of the world's financial markets. During a lunch break, Peter wandered into an old bookshop. Don McCullin's photography book piqued his interest. He opened the book and looked at the striking black-and-white documentary photographs.
This Photograph changed my life….
Retrospective-Don McCullin
One photograph, in particular, struck a chord with Peter: a portrait of a homeless Irishman. “I couldn't believe the impact this photograph had on me; it evoked so many emotions and questions in me. It was then that I realized the power of a photograph." He had no idea that this book by Don McCullin would inspire him to become a fine art photographer many years later.
Blue Iceberg by Cherry Alexander
This photograph inspired Peter to choose the Natural World as his genre.
Peter’s passion for photography was ignited when he bought McCullin’s book, leading him to devour countless photography books, and magazines, and attend every photography exhibition in London. However, it was the 1995 BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum that left a lasting impression on him.
“I was mesmerized by the nature photography, especially Chery Alexander’s blue iceberg. These winning images weren’t just documentary shots of nature; they transcended into true works of photographic art.”
In 2001, while working in his company’s Tokyo office, Peter made the life-changing decision to leave his job as a money broker. He had long dreamed of driving across Africa in a Landcruiser, and he finally decided to follow that dream. Peter embarked on an unforgettable journey, driving his 4x4 from Cape Town to Kampala, Uganda, passing through 14 countries along the way.
Peter's 4x4 Landcruiser traversing Zambia...
“The sheer size and magnitude of this continent were overwhelming; I hiked through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see the last mountain gorillas, climbed the snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, kayaked in the crystal-clear waters of Malawi and Mozambique, and flew in a hot-air balloon over the red dunes of the Kalahari. I had finally experienced everything I once only dreamed about at my desk.”
While staying at a tented camp in Uganda, Peter picked up a book by Frans Lanting and realized that he no longer wanted to return to London and resume his career as a money broker. Instead, he knew he was destined to pursue his passion for fine art photography.
Peter's Landcruiser on a pontoon crossing the Zambezi.
Peter turned around and drove back to South Africa, selling his house in the United Kingdom and purchasing a home on the Garden Route in the Western Cape. With no prior experience and little knowledge of the challenges faced by fine-art nature photographers, he fully embraced his new life. Within a short period, Peter achieved remarkable success, including being published in National Geographic and winning the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year award three times. Today, Peter is a highly accomplished fine-art photographer with his work exhibited and published worldwide, and his fine-art prints are highly sought after.
Peter has fully embraced his new life as a wildlife photographer in Africa, but what he cherishes even more is his wonderful wife, Nicolinah, and their three amazing boys, Neo, Lerato, and Shay
Snapshots from some of Peter's most unforgettable moments throughout his photography career.