Calum O'Flaherty Photography

Calum O'Flaherty Photography I am an award winning amateur wildlife photographer from Berkshire. If you'd like to buy a print of a photo,please email me - [email protected]

Safari Sunday!!King in the Storm – African Lion -Ongava Game Reserve, Namibia, March 2025There’s a completely different ...
24/05/2026

Safari Sunday!!

King in the Storm – African Lion -
Ongava Game Reserve, Namibia, March 2025

There’s a completely different atmosphere in the bush when the rain starts to fall.

Captured during a light drizzle at Ongava Game Reserve last March, this male lion stood quietly amongst the grass, staring off into the distance as the rain drifted through his mane. The muted light, damp air, and soft movement of the grass gave the entire scene a far moodier feel than the golden safari images people are used to seeing.

What I loved most about this sighting was the calmness of it all. No roaring, no dramatic chase, no real movement; just a powerful predator standing completely still, watching the landscape around him as the weather rolled in.

Rainy sightings always feel more immersive to me. The bush changes character entirely; the colours deepen, sounds soften, and every encounter feels a little wilder and more unpredictable.

Not every safari moment needs dust and sunsets. Sometimes it’s the quiet, grey moments that leave the biggest impression.

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

Throwback Thursday!!Relic of Another Age – Chinese Crocodile Lizard – Cotswold Wildlife Park, England, June 2016After th...
21/05/2026

Throwback Thursday!!

Relic of Another Age – Chinese Crocodile Lizard – Cotswold Wildlife Park, England, June 2016

After the poll on my Instagram story, it seems quite a few people wanted to see some of the original zoo photography; the images from where all of this really started.

This photograph was taken before my time working at Cotswold Wildlife Park between 2017 and 2019, but features one of my favourite species I worked with there: the Chinese crocodile lizard.

Perched perfectly on a moss-covered log within its carefully designed enclosure, this species always felt almost prehistoric to me, like something from another era hidden away in the forests of southern China and northern Vietnam.

Long before I was photographing wildlife across Africa, I spent countless hours at Cotswold learning about animal care, conservation, photography, and simply observing species like this one. Looking back now, it’s easy to see how much those years shaped the direction I eventually took into wildlife conservation and photography.

And honestly… I still think these guys are some of the coolest reptiles out there.

Wildlife prints coming soon (Zoo prints will not be able to be sold)! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!




Wildlife Wednesday!!A Curious Glance – Cape Fur Seal Pup - Cape Cross, Namibia, 2019Sometimes wildlife photography is al...
20/05/2026

Wildlife Wednesday!!

A Curious Glance – Cape Fur Seal Pup - Cape Cross, Namibia, 2019

Sometimes wildlife photography is all about timing, one tiny expression that lasts less than a second.

Captured here with an unmistakable side-eye glance, this young Cape fur seal seemed equal parts suspicious and unimpressed as it stared back from the colony.

Seal colonies can feel chaotic constant movement, calls echoing across the shoreline, pups weaving between adults yet moments like this somehow stand still amongst the noise.

It’s these small flashes of personality that make wildlife encounters feel so relatable. A look, a glance, a reaction suddenly a wild animal feels unexpectedly familiar.

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

Safari Sunday!!Into the Darkness – African Leopard - Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia, 2018For my first Safari Sunday,...
17/05/2026

Safari Sunday!!

Into the Darkness – African Leopard - Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia, 2018

For my first Safari Sunday, I thought I’d change things up a little.

Most of the recent images I’ve shared here have been shaped by warm light, open landscapes, and soft backgrounds but wildlife photography doesn’t end when the sun goes down. Sometimes, the bush feels most alive in the dark.

Captured during a night drive Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), this leopard emerged briefly from the shadows, illuminated for only a few seconds before disappearing back into the darkness. There’s something completely different about photographing predators at night, the atmosphere shifts, every sound feels amplified, and encounters become far more unpredictable. These are by far my favourite animals.

The end result might be a little different to what you’ve been seeing on here recently, but that’s part of what makes nights in the bush so memorable. You never quite know what’s waiting beyond the reach of the spotlight.

Also… people have been promising me incredible leopard sightings for years now, and while this was a solid start, some of you still owe me.

*Cough* Kruger People *Cough*

You know who you are.

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

On this World Endangered Species Day I Support the Cheetah!A Future Worth Protecting – Jaya the African Cheetah – Cheeta...
15/05/2026

On this World Endangered Species Day I Support the Cheetah!

A Future Worth Protecting – Jaya the African Cheetah – Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia 2019

Today, on World Endangered Species Day, I wanted to share an image of Jaya a cheetah photographed at the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)!

Caught mid-step with her eyes fixed directly on the camera, this moment felt quietly powerful. There’s a confidence and curiosity to young cheetahs that’s impossible to ignore, but also a vulnerability that reflects the reality their species faces across Africa today.

Once roaming across much of the continent and beyond, cheetah populations have declined dramatically due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and decreasing prey availability. Today, they remain one of Africa’s most threatened big cats.

Photographing animals like Jaya is more than just capturing an image it’s a reminder of why conservation matters. Every individual matters. Every landscape protected matters. And every opportunity to help people connect with wildlife matters too.

World Endangered Species Day serves as an important reminder that conservation isn’t only about saving species for the future it’s about protecting the wild places and ecosystems that make these moments possible in the present.

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

Throwback Thursday!A Flash of Colour – Lilac-Breasted Roller - Dinokeng Game Reserve, South Africa, June 2016Africa has ...
14/05/2026

Throwback Thursday!

A Flash of Colour – Lilac-Breasted Roller - Dinokeng Game Reserve, South Africa, June 2016

Africa has no shortage of colourful birds, but few compare to the sheer brilliance of the Lilac-Breasted Roller. Every time one takes flight, it feels almost unreal like something designed rather than evolved.

I captured this moment back in 2016 on the first trip where I brought my camera to Africa. Sitting low in the grass, the roller suddenly launched into the air, wings fully spread, revealing the unbelievable mix of lilac, turquoise, cobalt, and emerald that make this species so famous among photographers and bird lovers alike.

At the time, I was still learning wildlife photography, still figuring out settings, timing, and how to react quickly enough to moments like this. Looking back now, that’s part of what makes this image special to me. It reminds me of those early days when every sighting felt new and every successful photograph felt like a huge achievement.

Even now, years later, the Lilac-Breasted Roller remains one of my favourite birds to photograph in Africa.

Wildlife prints coming soon — check out my website for more images. Link in bio!

Wildlife Wednesday!!An Unexpected Encounter – Aardvark - Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia, 2019Some wildlife sightings...
13/05/2026

Wildlife Wednesday!!

An Unexpected Encounter – Aardvark - Cheetah Conservation Fund, Namibia, 2019

Some wildlife sightings stay with you forever and this was definitely one of them.

Aardvarks are notoriously elusive, spending most of their lives hidden away and emerging only under the cover of darkness. To encounter one out in the open is rare enough, but seeing one active in broad daylight felt almost surreal.

Captured here running across open ground during a sundowner Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) this individual moved with surprising speed and purpose, disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared. For a few brief moments, though, one of Africa’s most secretive mammals stepped fully into view.

It’s encounters like this that make time in the bush so unpredictable. No matter how many hours you spend searching, sometimes the wild gives you something completely unexpected!

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

Always Watching - African Wild Dog – Namibia, 2019There’s an intensity to African wild dogs that’s difficult to describe...
10/05/2026

Always Watching - African Wild Dog – Namibia, 2019

There’s an intensity to African wild dogs that’s difficult to describe until you’re close enough to watch them properly. Every movement feels deliberate, every glance alert, constantly reading the environment and each other and I was finally lucky enough to see them in the wild in Kruger National Park last year!

Captured here during a brief pause between movement, this individual locked onto something beyond the frame for only a few seconds before the pack pushed forward again. In the stillness of the image, though, there’s a glimpse of the intelligence and awareness that make these predators some of Africa’s most efficient hunters.

Often overshadowed by the continent’s larger carnivores, African wild dogs remain one of the most endangered predators in Africa, facing increasing pressure from habitat loss, conflict, and disease.

Moments like this are a reminder of just how special it is to still see them in the wild.

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

Stripes Against the Sky – Plains Zebra – Etosha National Park, Namibia, November 2022Captured in Etosha back in 2022, th...
09/05/2026

Stripes Against the Sky – Plains Zebra – Etosha National Park, Namibia, November 2022

Captured in Etosha back in 2022, this portrait of a plains zebra stood out immediately, the bold contrast of black and white set against a clear blue Namibian sky, giving the image a simplicity that felt timeless.

I’m sharing this photo today as a birthday shoutout to one of my closest friends, whose dedication to wildlife and conservation continues to inspire me. Having worked closely with these incredible animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, she’s spent years helping people connect with wildlife through education, care, and conservation storytelling.

So alongside wishing her a very happy birthday, this is also a small recognition of the amazing work she does for animals both behind the scenes and in front of the public every day.

Hope you have an incredible birthday and thank you for continuing to inspire others!

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

Armoured Wanderer - Temminck's Ground Pangolin - Namibia 2023In honour of Kelsey Prediger birthday! I just had to post a...
09/05/2026

Armoured Wanderer - Temminck's Ground Pangolin - Namibia 2023

In honour of Kelsey Prediger birthday! I just had to post a pangolin!

Each encounter with a pangolin feels like a rare and treasured gift. As one of the most heavily trafficked animals on Earth, their survival is a testament to resilience and the great work of the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation and seeing them in the wild is both humbling and heart-warming. Their intricately patterned scales, each unique, make every photograph a work of art. These gentle creatures have such distinct personalities, and capturing their beauty through my lens reminds me of how special and vulnerable they truly are.

Wildlife prints coming soon! Check out my website for more images, link in bio!

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