Derek Nielsen Photography

07/21/2026

A passage from The Wild Within - After three or four photos I just sat there with Blondie looking at the surrounding mountains breathing in that fresh air. The warm setting sun still on our faces and just for a moment I felt more connected to the National Park than ever before. I felt like one of the animals appreciating the wild space as home, not just a park to visit. She was just over fifty yards away from me yet when I looked through my lens she seemed only feet away.

This time of year bears are in hyperphasia, an intense phase of near continuous eating to fatten up for hibernation. It is really important to give bears space but even more so during this time.

07/20/2026

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! What better way than to talk conservation photography in front of a sold out crowd at the new Leica Gallery Chicago. The event starts at 1:30pm. If you're in the area stop by. There may be a few standing room spots available.

07/19/2026

A passage from The Wild Within - During the hour we sat quietly watching the pride dynamics, I fired off hundreds of photos, but what stuck with me more than the beauty was the relationships. The obvious care and respect they hadve for each other was were admirable. The so-called king of the jungle liveds up to his reputation. However, as with most kings throughout history, their survival depends entirely on the strength, wisdom, and resilience of their females inside the pride.

07/17/2026

Climate change is destroying this planet. How bad does it have to get before people realize?

07/16/2026

07/16/2026

Smoke takes over Chicago from the wildfires in the north. This is happening more and more. We can't let this be the new normal. Our planet is literally burning. Vote for change. I had to repost.

07/14/2026

It's HOT! Go out with your dog and make some photo magic!

Wet dog
Shutter speed 1/1000 or faster
Aperture f3.5-5.6
ISO 100-500
Pure fun

07/14/2026

The president and his greedy friends just reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante. This should be alarming to every American. This is the largest reduction of public lands in history. Why? So greedy politicians and their friends can open up the lands to mining coal and uranium.

Republicans have sought to expand drilling, mining and logging on public lands, while removing protections for imperiled species and rolling back rules for conservation.

“They took the land from the people quite honestly,” Trump said at a signing event at the White House Monday. “We’re giving it back.”

Senator Mike Lee has been selling of Utah's public lands every chance he can get.

I'm sad and angry for our first nation's people who view these lands as sacred and disappointed in every politician who made this happen. .

07/13/2026

It was a fantastic Taste of Chicago this year. The weather was perfect, the people beautiful, and of corse the food was excellent. It peaked Saturday night with a fireworks and drone show over the lake.

07/12/2026

Just a reminder of how beautiful this planet is and what were at risk of loosing if we don't take care of it better.

I'm looking forward to and next week to move the conversations forward about protecting this planet for future generations of all species.