Thank you so much for your photographic guidance and attention throughout our trip. You did a great job at ensuring everyone was happy. And you saved the best for last. Danum was wonderful. Great food. Beautiful lodge. Pretty Birds, and a big male orangutan.
I’m looking forward to travelling again with you to Madagascar next year.
In my opinion, one of the strong points of the Oryx photo tours is the use of excellent guides, who provide outstanding support to travellers (also at the individual level).
For example, when shortly after the beginning of the trip I had a problem with my walking shoes, Dale had them repaired for me! Dale did a very good job with regard to both managing the trip (e.g. transport, accommodation) and providing support to my photography efforts. Although the rainforest is quite a difficult environment for wildlife photography, we had very good sightings of wildlife (including Orangutans, a large herd of Pygmy Elephants, Tarsiers, Storm Storks, and even a Binturong), and this was also due to Dale’s skills, for example in selecting knowledgeable local guides and knowing the right people in the nature reserves (e.g. when we had a great opportunity to watch a female Orangutan with her baby for quite some time from up close!). I intend to join another of Dale’s Oryx photography tours within the next few years.
I feel I have come away with not only the most amazing and beautiful memories, meeting firstly yourself and the others. All of whom I am so fond of now and will definitely stay in touch. I also feel I have come away with so much more confidence around my camera with far more understanding. Thank you for being so patient with me. I promise to keep at it and hopefully continue to improve. So thankful to you. You are an inspiration and I can’t wait to make more adventurous memories.
There are only superlatives for Oryx Photo Tours and guide Dale Morris. Dale is a Super-guide! He is talented, skilled, and hard-working. He has a great eye for photographic situations. He finds subjects from a mom orangutan and her youngster to something called a Satanic leaf-tailed gecko. He seems to work magic behind the scenes, making sure you, the client, are comfortable, and happy and the tour is meeting, and exceeding your expectations. If plan A doesn’t work, he has a plan B in his back pocket. As a companion, he is easy & fun to talk with, plus he has a terrific, dry sense of humor.I also know that when it’s a tour with Oryx Photo Tours, I will experience an awesome, carefully arranged program with minute attention paid to every detail assuring my comfort, safety and that I will come home with the very best possible images.
Photo guide extraordinaire
‘My wife and I have traveled with Dale Morris from Oryx since 2012, on several personal and small group photographic safaris in India, Brazil, Borneo, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The fact that we keep going back and seeking out Dale as our guide indicates we think he adds real value to our experience. Apart from being a great photographer, Dale is an easy-going, down-to-earth guide – but with a real passion for improving your photographic skills. Importantly, he is very happy to share his knowledge and is patient! He works extremely hard to provide unique opportunities for some great photography. We have captured some wonderful images with Dale. His attention to detail and real desire to make your trip an enjoyable experience sets him apart. Dale has a genuine passion for wildlife, and the natural environment and a love of being in nature, which translates into an infectious, enthusiastic approach to everything he does.
Dale really cares for his clients on a personal level and is fun to travel with. After many shared travel experiences over the years we have come to know Dale as a genuine friend. We would highly recommend him to others seeking an unforgettable experience and some brilliant photographic opportunities.
Dale Morris, Wildlife photographer, and Super guide!
Dale’s enthusiasm has given my husband and I the most exciting and in-depth experiences all over Southern Africa and Brazil. He cares most passionately for his wildlife subjects and for his customers – us! He arranges the best experiences we could possibly have and gently guides us through technicalities and tireless teaching for better photography. We have been on numerous trips with him and look forward to a time when we can do it again. Margaret and Leigh Hall
Dale was an excellent guide. His enthusiasm is infectious and his knowledge of the wildlife and environment is outstanding. He was a pleasure to be with and we all gained from his photographic expertise. All four of us have traveled with Dale previously and will travel with him on another ORYX trip without hesitation.
It was a remarkable trip very organized with smooth transition to all activities. Dale was a delightful guide with a large knowledge base. He always made sure we all benefitted from each outing. Fred our driver was also a true asset to our journey. Always a smile on his face and also a bundle of knowledge. His driving was exceptionally cautious and safe trying to make our ride as comfortable as possible with the road conditions. They made a great team. They took care of everything, all we had to do is show up and live in the moment. This was my 1st adventure to Africa and will long be memorable. Thanks so much to Dale and Fred and everyone behind the scenes that made this trip exceptional. I would not hesitate to travel with ORYX in the future.
Uganda The Ultimate Adventure
In February 2024 three friends and I took a private photography tour to Uganda. The trip was organized by Oryx. The main goal was to see Chimpanzees and Gorillas but there was a great variety of other wildlife on the tour.
The trip was very well designed and organized by Oryx. All of the lodgings were very nice. Beautiful rooms and settings. The food was well prepared and had a nice variety. Our Oryx guide on the trip was Dale Morris. I have been on several trips with Dale. Dale is on top of everything, Behind the scenes he is making sure everything runs smoothly. He is a fine photographer and is always there to help if needed. He is constantly coming up with unique ways to take a photo to make it really special.
We had a fantastic trip. We all highly recommend a visit to Uganda traveling on an Oryx tour led by a superb guide Dale Morris. We always felt very safe and in good hands on the entire tour.
I want to thank Dale Morris for guiding us on such a wonderful adventure, his warm spirit, vast experience and depth of knowledge are outstanding.
Together with Sergio Freitas we were constantly put in the right place and at the right time. That’s no coincidence and it’s not luck, it’s skill.
As a photographer, it’s wonderful to work with such people.
Thanks again and I look forward to sharing another adventure with you in the future.
The Pantanal is quite an experience, the unique landscapes and types of wildlife and birds are unlike any I have seen before.
Our photo guide Dale was everything I hoped he’d be. His vast experience not only in the Pantanal but throughout his career was a highlight. He is very attentive to his guests and is willing and patient when you are seeking advice. It’s so helpful to have someone make sure your settings are correct and you are in the right position to take advantage of the sightings. During quiet times, he would find some subject to have us try out something different to expand my photographic education. I love the bird photos we took that utilized backlighting the best. At mealtimes, Dale’s incredible wit and vast wildlife experience kept us entertained, and are something that will stay with me long after my return home.
I have just returned from a memorable photo tour to the Pantanal under the excellent guidance of Dale Morris. The trip was very well organized. I welcomed Dale’s excellent guidance and suggestions for composition and camera settings, critiquing my images for ways to improve or just praise as “well done”!
I will keep all those suggestions/instructions at the ready each time I look through my viewfinder from now on. He made sure each guest had the opportunity to be in the “right spot” for the optimal shot whether on the ground, in a vehicle or on a boat. He kept us organized and well-informed of what to expect each day. I believe we all enjoyed hearing a few of his stories of the many amazing life experiences he’s had over a caiparinha at dinner as well as his wonderful sense of humor. It is very apparent he is in his element in nature, sharing that love and knowledge with us. He made great company as well as a teacher/guide. All in all, another great trip to add to my memorable moments! I hope to travel with Dale and Oryx Photo Tours again in the future.
The Pantanal Tour with Oryx and Dale morris was an absolutely Amazing Photography Tour as was the previous tour to Madagascar I also took with him!
Dale is an outstanding guide. The three areas Dale excels in are 1, knowledge of wildlife, 2, knowledge of camera equipment and 3, customer service. (In no particular order)
His excellence in these areas is always on display. Throughout the tour, he regaled us with his knowledge of wildlife, from ants to Jaguars (or leopards). His stories were so insightful and really added a depth to the tour I don’t always find on my other trips. Dale’s attention to all guests is truly exceptional. Without fail he worked with everyone on the tour on all shots, ensuring everyone understood the shot, understood their camera settings and why we should be using those settings. Dale’s knowledge of multiple camera systems and a desire to really help the guests with their equipment is far above and beyond anything I have experienced on any other photography trip. He really cares that everyone gets the shot they want or the shot of the day and that the guests are happy. If there were any concerns or issues with any area on the trip Dale was very fast to try to rectify the issue.
Dale’s humour is infectious which really added to our group dynamics, keeping everyone laughing and mixing with each other.
Thank you to Dale for another outstanding trip! Looking forward to the next one.
This was my second ORYX expedition with Dale, and it more than met my expectations. As usual, Dale was a witty and very pleasant tour leader. He worked well with Sergio, our local guide. Between the two of them, many interesting animals were located and identified. They provided us with interesting information about each of the species we observed.
As the tour leader, Dale was great! He did his best to help each photographer find windows for obtaining images of the various species of birds and mammals that were spotted. He always put the clients first, and his own photographic needs second. He gave us lots of great technical advice and suggestions of ways to try to get photographs that did more than document the species we observed. Dale did sometimes take shots and show them to us to demonstrate things that we could try. I appreciated this. For the most part, I am pretty confident in my ability to use my photography gear. While I did not need a huge amount of technical help, I learned a number of things from Dale on this trip that will be useful to me in the future. A couple of the clients were having difficulty with their cameras, and Dale needed to work with them quite a bit to try to resolve their issues. I felt that he was able to provide the assistance they needed without slighting the other photographers on the trip. Dale constantly engaged each of us to make sure we were doing well even when working out issues with others. I appreciate the effort he put into each and every one of us to help us return home with memorable images, and, even more importantly, a life-enriching experience in an exotic place.
Dale also encouraged us to have some fun on this trip. Although I am a fairly quiet person, I really enjoyed the camaraderie of the majority of the group and made some new friends.
Jaguar spotting from an open boat can get hot under the tropical sun, but both Dale and Sergio were very attentive to our needs and made sure that everyone was able to stay hydrated by providing cold drinks and snacks. I particularly appreciated Dale putting ice in my neck scarf to help me be less uncomfortable in the heat. I did not witness such attention to detail on other boats while we were lined up at jaguar sightings. Dale seemed to be far more attentive and interactive with his clients than was the norm.
In summary, I can say that I enjoyed this trip very much and felt that I more than got my money’s worth. I am looking forward to being a client on another of Dale’s photo excursions in the near future. I can say that he is one of a very select few tour leaders with whom I will travel, and I can’t wait until the next time!
What an amazing time I had in the Pantanal photographing wildlife from a 10-passenger boat – such a different perspective from a safari vehicle. My sincere thanks to Dale Morris of Oryx Photo Safaris for your photography guidance (and teaching me how to photograph in manual) and your sense of humour is insane 🤪. The Pantanal was more wonderful than I ever imagined.
Dale Morris was my guide on my first Brazil and ORYX Photo Tours adventure for jaguars, caiman, and lots of colorful birds of Pantanal. He’s a down-to-earth guy, which I really liked, and is also fantastic. He helped us a lot with the composition and light, and also helped us process pictures in Photoshop, and was always cheerful and professional.
In August 2022 I joined ORYX Photo Tours Brazil Pantanal Photo Tour. Our photo tour leader was Dale Morris, whom I have taken several trips with, and he always does a top-notch job.
He is constantly in the background making sure of every detail, so guests have the best time and safest trip. I enjoy his imagination. He frequently thinks of ways to take a photo, so an ordinary image becomes something really unique. This trip was great and so was the guide.
We saw and photographed many different birds, as well as Caiman, and Capybaras but our time with the Giant Otters and Jaguars was very special.
When we were on the houseboat, we spent our days in a small boat searching for Jaguars. We were rewarded with seeing 14 different Jaguars watching and photographing them in several different activities.
Caiman along the bank and with a powerful move climbed up the steep bank. Photographing the Jaguars was fantastic but getting a view into their lives was the icing on the cake.
This ORYX photo tour was more than I could have expected and has given me memories I will cherish forever.
My first trip to the Pantanal with ORYX Photo Tours and Dale Morris was terrific. Dale and the wonderful local guide Sergio Freitas (Dale’s Brazilian assistant) knew nearly everything I asked about the local wildlife, and if they didn’t, they found out. Dale and Sergio went out of their way to find reclusive and camouflaged animals, able to do so through knowing the animals’ behavior and the Pantanal itself so thoroughly. The tour was well-planned, the food was plentiful and delicious, the lodges and the boat hotel were comfortable, and the group of photographers were companionable and pleasant. I was using a new camera and shooting manually for the first time.
Every now and then, as I aimed at a potoo or a coiled anaconda, Dale would whisper, “If you use this ISO and that shutter speed, and stand exactly where I am standing now, Alison, you will get an excellent shot.” And lo! he was exactly right: I’d get a sharp photo with open eyes and no stick coming out of the animal’s head! I enjoyed the trip to the Pantanal very much and would urge anyone to travel with Dale Morris.
Hi Dale
Wow. What a lovely surprise hearing from you.
I must say, I can see why you have won so many accolades. It was a lovely letter indeed.
The smorgasbord of photos just had us smiling the whole weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s photos.
We are still very busy sorting through our photos, and choosing and editing the ones we like for our photo journals and photobooks.
Our very favourite images are already at the printers though, and we’ll probably be putting them onto our walls this weekend. I’m looking forward to that.
Some feedback from the trip. We had so much fun, and we do appreciate you guys going the extra mile to keep us together and getting us earlier out than the other groups. I also enjoyed our seating arrangements in the dining room with all of Oryx sitting together and us getting to know one another. I loved every moment of the trip and I am really glad that we were in such capable hands as yours.
We made some good friends, that I suspect will become lifelong friends.
We definitely would like to go with you to Madagascar in 2024. We were thinking of making an exclusive group of 6 people. Michael and I and our 2 girls, with Birger and Petra.
When is the best time to go?
We’ll send you some photos of our rooms when the prints are up.
Hope to be meeting you soon.
All our love and happy penguin memories.
Lizanne and Michael.
I’ve had the privilege of traveling with Oryx several times. The first was to the Omo Valley with Dale Morris. That trip was a leap of faith, signing up for it based on online reviews, a ‘good feeling’ – and little else.
What an amazing out-of-this-world trip it was. The arrangements were impeccable and Dale was a brilliant lead.
There’s been no looking back since then and I’ve been on magical journeys to the Masai Mara, Lake Turkana, Ranthambore/Varanasi and Peru – with Oryx. It never ceases to amaze me how perfectly organized these trips are, from the travel arrangements, accommodation, the local ground team, the emphasis on safety, and of course the photography ‘tuition’ – I keep learning new things on every single trip. All the Oryx leads are so generous with their knowledge and time and are absolute gems – a testament to Oryx’s corporate and hiring culture.
Oryx takes photography journeys to the next level. I have two more expeditions booked already.
I’ve been to seven countries on the African continent, and many other countries around the world, and I have to say that this trip ranks among the top as one of my best trips ever. I liked the length of time we spent at each of the locations, which gave us the best chance for wildlife viewing of the wolves and geladas (our viewings were so much better than I could have imagined). I’m partial to mammals, so this itinerary was perfect. I really enjoyed the company of the other guests too.
But I have to say, what made the difference was probably having Dale as a photo tour leader. Not only is he a fantastic photographer, but he also has so much knowledge on animal behavior. And I like that he also has a background in conservation. He is obviously passionate about animals and the environment, which is so important on trips like this where we are viewing an endangered animal like the Ethiopian wolf. I am also a very novice photographer, but he wasn’t pushy about instructing me. He was always ready and willing to provide feedback and tips, but he always made it my choice if I wanted to try something new in the moment or at a later time, so I wasn’t overwhelmed. He also was a very patient instructor and didn’t talk down to me when I didn’t get something at first. I do think my photos from this trip are much better than my usual ones because of him. I wouldn’t hesitate to book another trip with ORYX Photo Tours with Dale as the leader.
I have been on international photo tours with a number of organizations of which Oryx is by far the best in terms of interesting destinations, itineraries, excellent guides, and great back-office organization.
Dale Morris was very helpful with photography advice and personally interested in my efforts. I came away with improved skills and better photos. He was also very good at keeping the tours hassle free from the guest’s perspective, though I’m sure there was a lot going on behind the scenes.
The office staff were excellent and solved issues that arose promptly.
Peter Flatt
Dale is a great guide who gives 110% effort in making sure everyone is having fun, getting great photos, and making sure everything is running well. Oryx needs to be very pleased to have him as one of your guides.
Our trip to Borneo was a wonderful experience. Dale was a fantastic guide, and ensured they we were able to maximize any opportunities we had to see the unique wildlife that Borneo has to offer. It was an extremely challenging photographic experience, but with Dale’s guidance we were able to photograph animals, particularly gibbons, in low light situations, even though they refused our requests for a pose, and then tried to hide amongst the branches. With Dale’s expert tuition my photographic skills improved, especially when the lighting was not the best, and the animals were their most active. I have some absolutely amazing shots of the Orangutans! For extra tuition, I would recommend sharing a beer with Dale at the end of a hot and humid day’s outing.
I would like to thank the ORYX team for all the work in putting together the Borneo trip. I have a little understanding of all the effort it takes in booking tours and arranging all the guests and making sure all their unique requirements are met. Covid-19 just made it so much more complicated. Thank you, it was a job well done and appreciated.
Also I would like to thank and acknowledge Dale Morris. He was a superb tour and photography lead, taking care of the little needs of individuals or of the group to ensure our trip ran smoothly – whether it was an issue with a room or any other minor thing he could help with.
Under Dale’s expert photography tutelage, our photography skills increased remarkably over the ten or so days, learning new techniques such as macro and flash photography, improving the way we utilized our cameras, and constantly reinforcing the need to check camera settings and think about our compositions. Dale worked tirelessly trying to get us into the right place/position at the right time so that we could capture those special images.We also enjoyed Dale’s engaging company and sharing our meals and downtime and will look forward to traveling with Dale sometime in the future.
Our Madagascar tour was everything and more than I imagined it would be. I appreciated all the help and information I received from both oryx and Dale prior to the trip. All my questions ranging from travel arrangements to appropriate photo gear to bring were answered efficiently. The itinerary was well thought out, and the accommodations were nice.
The local guides and Dale were excellent. They were knowledgeable about the wildlife for which we were looking. I was amazed at how good the guides were at spotting these animals. The attention to detail on this tour was excellent.
I cannot commend our ORYX tour leaders more for their guidance in making this trip successful. They did their best to accommodate the needs of each of the six diverse individuals. Dale was a wealth of information. I learned a lot about the ecology and wildlife we were seeing from him. While some tour leaders spend time getting their own good shots, the members of our group always came first on this tour. Dale was constantly finding windows and angles from which each person could get good shots of our subjects. He also encouraged us to leave our narrow comfort zones and try new techniques. I personally learned how to use a flash in combination with a wide-angle lens to obtain very interestingly, different views of some of the lemurs. I had never used a flash previously, and Dale took the time to teach me how to use one. He also taught me how to take motion photos. It was fun to try some new techniques that I would have never attempted without his encouragement. While he has great technical skills, Dale is personable and very fun. He made the tour so enjoyable that I can’t wait to go on another photo adventure with him.
It was while on my first private ORYX photo tour with Dale Morris in Londolozi, South Africa, that the idea of a Madagascar photo trip germinated. It took three years, but I finally got to experience another trip of a life-time with Dale in that magical place, photographing all my targeted species in the impossibly finite time window I had given ORYX.
Where to start? I cannot thank ORYX enough for their patience in putting together this amazing tour. For those who are unaware, Madagascar is no easy place to plan predictable travel! The fact that all the moving parts – interior flights, hotels, safe food, competent drivers, comfortable vehicles, local guides, boat trips, park access, etc. – came together for a perfect experience is a testament to their expertise and competence. Once I told Dale what I wanted to do, the ORYX team got it done.
A special shout-out to Nonotinamalala – “Nono” – Dale’s right-hand man in Madagascar, who used his wizardry with Air Madagascar and countless other contacts to ensure smooth sailing – or hiking – or flying – or driving. It was fascinating to watch them work so well together to get the job done.Once I landed in Tana, Dale made sure I was comfortable and ready for the journey ahead. From our time in Kruger, I knew I would be in good hands. He is an amazingly talented photographer, but, just as important, is able to expertly share this knowledge of wildlife and photography with his guests while in the field, guaranteeing the best photos possible.
While I have been on over 30 photo expeditions all over the world, I always know I will learn new techniques from Dale, and he sure did not disappoint on this trip. Handling the challenges of Madagascar, attending to the desires and needs of his clients, and ultimately delivering the goods while maintaining a sense of humor and professionalism is no small feat!
My passion for wildlife photography tends to be species driven – the ultimate headache for tour leaders, as we all know that in nature, nothing is promised. I have to say that, with a little luck and a lot of Dale’s expertise, I was able to come away with stunning images of EVERY ONE of the critters on my Madagascar bucket list.
OK, Dale, where to next?
I’ve been meaning to send in a special review and ‘thank you’ for our two outstanding guides in Madagascar! As you know I’m impressed enough with Dale to book a second trip with him to Borneo next year!
We want to put in a special ‘thank you for Dale Morris and Nono who made our recent trip to
Madagascar so special. We now know that Madagascar is not an easy trip and presents many challenges to the traveller. Bad, rough, incomplete roads, unreliable airlines and vehicles, and other events that cannot be anticipated. However, Dale and Nono worked with Oryx behind the scenes to make the trip as pleasant as possible. They elevated our trip to be outstanding despite the obstacles and we want them to know how much we appreciate the hard work they put in to make this trip so productive and to enable us to capture the best photographs.
I very much enjoyed my time on the 2022 Pantanal photo tour as I had when I was on the one in 2017. Both times Dale Morris was our guide and photo expert. As always, Dale was a gem, and he was clearly happy and enthusiastic to be leading a tour after many months of COVID lockdown. I must add that the tour was made particularly enjoyable and educational with the participation of Sergio Freitas, PhD (Dale’s local assistant) who served as an excellent and affable Brazilian language/logistics facilitator and fauna biology expert.
We had plenty of wildlife photo opportunities, and all the lodge accommodations were very good.
Our time on the Jacare – our boat hotel – was very pleasant.
Our ‘Jaguar tracking’ boat driver was highly skilled both on our sprints and in holding steady while maximizing our photographic opportunities. To sum up, my friend Alison and I very much enjoyed the 2022 Pantanal tour. It was well planned and conducted with successful innovations adapted to the weather.
I have not counted up the number of separate species that I photographed and videoed, but there were a lot. I did get lots of good shots and video clips of my favorites – giant otters, a loping giant anteater, jaguars, and even two pairs of long-legged seriemas in a loud, pre-dawn territorial battle.
Dale Morris was our ORYX photo tour leader on a recent tour to the Pantanal in Brazil. This was either my 5th or 6th trip with Dale, and I have 3 more with him in the works. It is hard to imagine there could be a better guide than Dale. He is extremely knowledgeable about wildlife, a miracle worker with his camera and advice, and can do some great animal impressions. You will be in excellent hands should you decide to travel with ORYX and Dale. I highly recommend him regardless of your level of photographic expertise.
I had the pleasure of attending the 2019 ORYX Borneo Photography Tour. It was a trip that far exceeded my expectations, with every day full day of activities and new experiences. The trip was well organized by ORYX Photo Tours and expertly run by our guide Dale Morris. You can not find a more experienced or enthusiastic guide than Dale. He makes every day unique and fun filled. The weather was hot and humid but this did not deter us. We saw a great variety of wildlife from tiny insects to pygmy elephants. The Orangutans were the highlight of the photo safari. We had multiple encounters up close and personal. We stayed at four unique lodges. Each lodge offered a different variety of wildlife. The rooms were very nice and the food was very good and plentiful. It was fun trying some of the local foods and the many different fruits. I have traveled extensively and this trip will go down as one of my ultimate favorites. Thank you, ORYX Photo Tours and Dale, for an experience I will never forget.
I have been on many tours around the world and yours was the best!
Thanks again for your leadership in Madagascar. I definitely enjoyed our time together and you may well find me signed up for another trip with you. The Pantanal trip is definitely on my radar.
Late in 2019, I joined a wildlife photo tour in Madagascar, superbly organized by ORYX Photo Tours and terrifically led by Dale Morris. ORYX Photo Tours was well-organized, flexible and responsive throughout my interactions with them, starting with my first inquiries about the trip through the trip itself and on to my immediately following trip to the remote Omo Valley photo tour in Ethiopia. Their arrangements were excellent; I survived and thrived!
Dale is a terrific photo tour leader. He is an excellent photographer and teacher of photography (separate talents that don’t always come packaged together in one person). He is highly knowledgeable about the locations and their available wildlife subjects where he leads tours. Just as important, Dale is fully committed to meeting the needs and aspirations of his photo tour clients, including making sure the tour is fun and enlightening for everyone. Here’s one example of his commitment. There was another cycle of our tour scheduled right after ours with another ORYX tour leader. When that tour leader had passport difficulties and could not travel to Madagascar, Dale agreed to stay on (and away from his family) for another three weeks to take care of that later group.
I would, without hesitation, take another photo tour with Dale Morris and ORYX. Hopefully, we’ll emerge from this pandemic and that will be possible again soon!
I have been on many tours around the world and yours was the best!
I have had the pleasure of traveling with Oryx and Dale Morris on 2 very special trips -one to Madagascar and the other to the Pantanal – both destinations were terrific and Dale does a great job – he is a great photographer but also a really nice and helpful person.
I look forward to joining him in Ethiopia next November
My second trip with ORYX was as great as the first one. It was one of the most colorful holidays I’ve ever had! Madagascar was awesome. Everything went smoothly which is nothing short of a miracle in Madagascar because of the shoddy infrastructure.
Big thanks to our tour leader Dale who was a genius at fixing problems before they occurred, and for finding us compositions and angles, and windows in the thick of the forest, which is quite hard with all the dappled light and branches and green stuff in the way. A very big compliment to Dale Morris. He is the first person in 6 years who could convince me to switch to back button focus. He showed us a lot about spot metering and exposing too.
The hotels were lovely, the food really good, and the beers were cold and cheap. The photo opportunities are innumerable, varied, and colorful and it was great fun getting up close and personal with chameleons, tiny frogs, and dragonflies. The lemurs and sifakas are just the best things to watch and photograph, there are so many different ones, and yet they are all so very cute.
We came home with a colorful diverse portfolio of great photos and are more than happy! A big thank you. I believe you will see more of us!
Hi Dale hope you had a good flight home and all is fine with you and
your family. We made it home and now are freezing our butts off here in Switzerland. Hope our paths will cross again in the future. The trip with you was ABSOLUTELY awesome.
I want to thank you for taking the time and energy to help me with my photography. I feel I got some amazing shots because of you. Will try to practice before we meet again in Brazil
Once again ORYX and Dale Morris have certainly excelled in organization, photography skill development, finding the right places, at the right time to shoot, and making sure everyone is being catered for. Safety is at the forefront of Dale’s mindset, for his clients, while under his guidance and that was truly appreciated. He was able to subtly and gently encourage me to go places with my camera that I would have otherwise been too fearful to try. With Dale, you come away from your travels with a wonderful collection of photos that you are extremely pleased with.
Thanks, ORYX and thank you to Dale!
I had a great time in the Pantanal with Dale -the trip exceeded my expectations.
I like the group size and we were very fortunate to have such a compatible group of people.
I think that Dale is one of the best and I look forward to traveling with him and Oryx again.
We had the most amazing time and Dale was an excellent host. The trip exceeded our expectations when it came to photographic opportunity and we will definitely recommend it. It’s safe to say our camera cards are full of amazing imagery and memories.
Irene
We had an excellent Pantanal photo safari! We liked the itinerary and felt it was paced well. Dale Morris was a fantastic guide again (as we had him on our previous Madagascar trip). A big part of why we chose Pantanal this year was because of how much we enjoyed touring with Dale. If we didn’t live on other ends of the earth, I think Dale would be a great friend of mine. He’s adept at photography, provides constant feedback on whatever we are shooting, and is knowledgeable about so much wildlife and ecology matters. He cares very much about the experience of the group and is always working for “the tribe” while traveling.
Have I woken from a dream or did I experience the most unique portraiture photography tour that is possible?
I returned home with the most beautiful photographs of daily life in the Omo Valley, Ethiopia. I would not have been able to experience the immense variety and spectacular moments without the photographic genius, knowledge, and tutorship of Dale Morris. Every magical experience, with the tribes of the Omo Valley, was supported by Dale’s deep understanding and knowledge of the situation.
Even during traveling periods, Dale, with his keen eye for composition, was always on the lookout for photographic opportunities. I think his mantra must be ‘Don’t miss an opportunity!’ If there were herders with cows and a cloud of dust, or a mum making coffee, we would jump out of the 4×4 to capture what became a spectacular moment.
If you are an amateur photographer like myself or a seasoned pro, Dale is by your side to direct, suggest, teach, guide and critique, to get the most out of my camera and to develop your skills and understanding of all things Camera. Dale offered advice on what to shoot, how to work with the available light, and how to compose from a different perspective.
You won’t believe it was you, who managed to pull off spectacular shot after spectacular shot. He also encouraged me to search for my own style, and offered advice and compliments, based on pictures I offered for review.
Dale was extremely friendly, and encouraging, and has an infectious personality, with a quick wit and a deep understanding of the environment.
After having Dale, as a photographic guide, it is certainly difficult to choose another photographic tour. How could there be anyone as fantastic as him?
Thank you, Dale for taking me on the BEST photographic and cultural journey ever.
My photo tour to Ethiopia was simply phenomenal! I enjoyed every moment of it! If only I could press restart and relive it all again.
Dale was really a great guide. I could not have asked for more in someone taking our group to such ends of the earth. He was very knowledgeable and hands-on in making sure EVERYONE had a great experience and that we each made the types of pictures we were after. I can honestly say; his guidance sent my photography to new levels. I’m such a better photographer now. Even the feedback he delivered helped raise my game and the results are proof of his commitment to excellence. I would photograph a subject and he would be over my shoulder looking at my camera settings and my images. He would offer to rethink the image or adjust the light. And instantly the picture would become better. He also challenged me to think about new angles and to play around with composition. I’m so thankful for him. I really am! I not only became a better photographer under him, but I made a friend in Dale. I’ll never forget this experience or him. As I told Dale, coming to Africa this way was a dream come true. He took my dream and exploded it. He made my entire experience better than I could have ever dreamed for myself.
I can’t wait to show off my work to my friends, family, co-workers, and the world. I have tons and tons of brilliant shots. I think I’ll take a few of the best and enter contests and have them printed. After posting just 3 photos from my trip, I’ve got two inquiries about purchasing prints. That’s never happened before and I’m thrilled to see what will come next!
I had the pleasure of having Dale Morris as my guide and photography wizard on my expedition to the Omo Valley. The entire service was brilliant, from the initial emails and all my questions to landing in Ethiopia and the trip down south. It was a first-class experience from start to finish. What I appreciate and what I love most about my entire trip, was the care that Dale put into helping myself and others create the pictures we wanted. He along with a local guide, Henok, moved mountains for us every day. I walked away from that experience a WAY better photographer and I also left with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the people of the Omo Valley. I would take this trip again and go elsewhere with Oryx. You really can’t get any better.
I had a wonderful time with Dale, he has a great personality and really worked hard to help us get good images. He clearly cares about client satisfaction, demonstrated great patience, and did everything in his power to make everyone comfortable.
All in all, he was a great photo tour leader — and coupled with the top-notch service of your ground team, it was an enjoyable experience overall. The camp setting was also done very well — we felt like they really took great care of us and kept us safe, while not jeopardizing an authentic experience.
The trip was a challenging one given the logistics and precautions needed to go into a potentially dangerous area. But we were in great hands with Dale and his team of terrific local guides. Dale was helpful, communicative and energetic the whole time. He also deeply respects the local culture and people and brings his many years of experience as an ethnographer and animal lover to bear. His stories are also hilarious. We had one difficult traveler with us who was extremely ill but refused to leave the group – Dale managed to handle it very well under the strange circumstances. On top of it, he is an extraordinary photographer but does not get in the way of helping you make your best shots. We liked traveling with Dale so much that we have another couple of tours booked with him, that will hopefully resume after Covid.
I’ve been on about a dozen photo tours and this was definitely one of the best-organized and best-led trips. Especially impressive given the challenges of the location.
Dale did an amazing job dealing with both the expected / inherent difficulties and I’d gladly travel with him again!
I traveled with Oryx (Dale Morris as trip leader) to the Omo Valley of Ethiopia. The trip was exciting, rewarding, educational, and fun! While traveling to this remote and challenging area could be difficult and taxing, Dale, Oryx, and the local team made it all smooth and simple. Having warm showers, clean beds (nice cots!), and hot, fresh-cooked meals in the outskirts of nowhere is quite an accomplishment, yet the made it seem easy.
Dale is a great person, with an incredible sense of humor – dry and British most of the time, but warm and caring as well. He’s also quite a good photographer, always willing to help, provide some recommendations on technique or composition, or just hold an off-camera flash as a human light stand 🙂 I’d happily travel with him again; in fact have two more trips planned.
Borneo is an incredible country. Thanks to our guides, we were able to find some amazing animals; far more than most groups that don’t have all that guide support. Our last full day at Danum was one of the best photo experiences of my life.
Dale Morris is the consummate professional, and during our Borneo trip, was always there for us when we needed advice and assistance to properly frame a photo, whether it be a telephoto, wide angle or macro shot, taking into account such factors as subject positioning, lighting and background. He made sure we were in the ideal position to get a photo, meaning that he himself, unselfishly, was often outside of that sweet spot until he made sure we had gotten our memorable shot. His patience was appreciated as I sometimes fumbled to get all my settings correct during the multitude of photographic conditions we encountered, from the intense daylight of the midday sun to the deep shadows under the forest canopy. Never overbearing, truly unflappable, always helpful, and just plain fun to be around. Dale is an unpretentious and likable guy.
The tour had a great mix of driving, hiking, and boat trips. The high points were definitely seeing the orangutans in the forests. Also, the surprising sightings that I hadn’t expected, like the incredible colugo!
Dale was a really thoughtful and accommodating tour guide, who added humor and cheekiness to an interesting mix of people. Hazwan, Dale’s local counterpart, was also an absolute gem and they both gave all they had to make sure we had the best time. I even faced my fears and got up close and personal with a VERY big spider.
Dale is an excellent photo tour leader and really shined despite Borneo’s challenges. Of course, the orangutans and pygmy elephants make it all worthwhile but the jungle is dense, light limited, terrain sometimes difficult, heat and humidity overwhelming, and unexpected downpours always to be expected. Dale made sure we were prepared and made it all fun. He did his best to make certain we would all come home with some great photos. I look forward to traveling with him again next year!
We had a great Borneo photo tour! Dale was his usual professional, helpful & wonderful self, and the local guide was most helpful. The other tour participants were very nice people and all in all, it was a very good trip.
We are back home after the beautiful experience we had on our Borneo photo tour! All the locations, especially the Kinabatangan River and the Danum Valley were great! We enjoyed having Dale as our guide, as well as the other travelers in our group. ORYX Photo Tour organization was top-class!
You have all been great to work with and the Borneo photo tour was amazing.
Everything was well planned and organized, the lodges were very pleasant, and the local guides were excellent. We saw every animal on the list and got great photos. I hope you know how lucky you are to have Dale because he’s a star among photographer tour leaders.
He’s not only an extremely talented photographer for wildlife, macro, landscapes, and people, he’s a fountain of interesting knowledge about flora and fauna, and he has an innate ability with animals that’s a big advantage when photographing them. Even if we don’t see what we’re looking for while searching for wildlife, he can always find something cool and unusual to photograph in an interesting way, so it’s fun all day long and never boring. When it comes to non-photography guide-related tasks, he takes charge and is competent in every way.
Thanks again for everything and I look forward to traveling with ORYX Photo Tours again in the future.
Thanks to Oryx for arranging excellent tours for us in difficult parts of the world to travel to on your own. We went to Madagascar and Borneo. We certainly got to see and experience things one could only hope for, if doing the trip on our own or with a larger group. And Dale knows how to get you into position to get the most out of your photography experience. He makes sure that the local travel and guides are taken care of, so all you have to do is have your camera ready; and he helps with that if you want it.
Looking forward to Ethiopia whenever the lights come back on!
Don
My trip to Madagascar with Oryx Photography Expeditions was a fantastic experience. Madagascar is a very unique and interesting country. Oryx has put together a trip that allows one to experience all facets of the country from the wildlife to the landscape and especially the people. The tour leader Dale Morris and his assistant Kristen Frost made sure we enjoyed every moment of the tour. Dales many ideas of how to take the best shot and also the most interesting shot made for fun-filled days of photography. We got up early and often went to bed late because of a full day of taking photos. To me, the highlight of the trip was our interaction with the people. Dale arranged for us to get up close and personal with the villagers. This allowed us to take great images of the adults and especially the kids.
Oryx is a very professional company and they saved the day during the trip. The infrastructure of Madagascar is not good to say the least. Our flight back to Antananarivo from Morondava on our last day was canceled by the airlines the day before the flight without warning. Oryx arranged a charter flight for us at their own cost. Without this flight we would have all missed our international flights home.
A Professional tour company, top-notch guides, and a unique country made for one great trip. Thanks, Oryx, and Dale
The tour provided a fascinating array of photo opportunities from the various types of lemur to chameleons, frogs, geckos, flying foxes, insects, and rural life in Madagascar. Dale Morris was ever on hand with tips and advice for improving photos.
I had the great pleasure of meeting Dale in August 2019 on a trip that he led to the Brazilian Pantanal with an extension to Iguazu Falls. And what a wonderful trip it was! As an inexperienced photographer, I was the least accomplished in our group and Dale adeptly integrated my need for extensive instruction into his management of the group as a whole. Throughout the course of the trip, he taught me in a progressive fashion with one day’s photography building on the practices and accomplishments of the prior. I also enjoyed the vigor that he brought to his teaching, balancing a willingness to repeat foundational concepts which slipped through the cracks in my brain with the expectation that I engage in the process of learning and assume responsibility for some degree of retention. Aside from the photography, Dale’s guiding skills were impressive and he shared his knowledge of the fauna, local environment, and larger world of ecology and conservation with passion, commitment, and extensive foundational knowledge. And to boot, he’s a good teller of stories and great company with whom to share a caipirinha! Bottom line: I learned a heap, got a bunch of photos that look like they were taken by a “grown-up” photographer, had a blasting good time, and have already planned future trips with Dale which I anticipate gleefully.
I had ORYX Photo safari booking for two years, both the time Dale Morris was guiding and teaching us to take the best shots. He is very creative and has lots of knowledge of wildlife behavior and local knowledge. He also teaches us in a way that is very interesting not only in photography but also post-editing. He educates us to shoot many different animals, flowers, insects, birds, and many creative sunsets and sunrise topography shots. There are very few guides that will put in 16 hours a day with guests and who doesn’t mind lying down in mud or dust to get a great photo.
I had a super time and lots of fun with Dale and Marius but I do need to thank the Oryx office team for answering all of my questions in such a prompt and efficient manner. Their emails were always informative and cheerful. Ethiopia and Rwanda are not the easiest locations so the support was much appreciated. In fact, without it, I probably would not have traveled to those places. I look forward to another ORYX photo safari at some point in the future. Fondest regards and, again, many thanks!
Just a brief message to express our gratitude for all Oryx did in setting up this unforgettable photo tour. Dale was awesome and went out of his way to ensure Judy and I were comfortable and constantly amazed at the natural wonders we encountered. Judy was sharing her I IPhone pix on Facebook in real-time, which have been shared and re-shared by hundreds of her friends. We were so close to the animals, that she had to keep telling everyone they were from her phone camera and not her Canon Full Frame telephoto! You were correct in suggesting this tour as a first-time African adventure. Londolozi Founders Camp was spectacular, and the personnel there were outstanding. I can’t wait to start post-processing my photos and will be happy to share them with you. All the best!
Oryx’s choice of Dale Morris as our guide was pure genius. From the start, I only had one ‘small’ wish – to be placed in the best possible place with the best possible light to photograph the best possible animal behavior. Dale made all of that happen while doing it with charm, knowledge, professionalism, and wit. He just made everything fun, and in the process helped me better my photography skills. I hope to get together with Dale for other trip(s) in the future.
I had the most amazing experience with Oryx in Rwanda. Our small group was led by Dale Morris who is very talented, and fun (ask him about banana beer if you happen to meet him) and taught me how to take pictures of gorillas (not easy!). Everything from the time the Oryx team meets you to the end of the trip was very well organized and gave me some of the best photographic memories ever! I am looking forward to my next trip with Oryx – hope it will be soon! Thanks so much to the whole Oryx team.
I am so happy I found Oryx Photo tours. Over the years I’ve traveled with nearly a dozen different photo safari tour companies. Then I found Oryx. I’ve taken 2 tours with them (Borneo and Namibia) along with a private extension. The small group size is absolutely critical to me. They take care of every detail from the moment you book the tour. I already have two trips planned for next year, Ethiopia and a private safari.
Dale has been my tour leader on both trips. He is incredibly knowledgeable, a wonderful photographer, a great teacher, and just plain fun to travel with. When I decided I really wanted a photo of the flamingos flying over the dunes in Namibia, he went way out of his way to make it happen. You don’t forget those experiences!
I plan to do lots more traveling in the next few years and I’ll do it with Oryx!!
I recently completed a trip to Namibia with ORYX Photo Tours. This is my 6th photography tour with ORYX and I have at least 2 more planned. The beauty of this tour was the diversity of locations. We were in the desert with sand dunes, 900-year-old camel thorn trees, and desert wildlife; by the sea with seals and pelicans inches from us on the boat, climbing granite escarpments to a rock arch; and then on a classic wildlife photo safari in the bush. This photo safari offered the most diversity of any trip I have taken.
Dale Morris, our photo tour leader, who seems to know everything about everything, couldn’t have been more helpful with all things animal, mineral, etc. He expanded my photographic horizons in terms of composition, camera setting, lighting, etc. I wish I could take all of the credit for the great images my friends have marveled at, but he is a huge part of them.
As usual, accommodations and food are excellent. The local guides were very helpful. I did a fabulous hot air balloon trip at sunrise and other members of the trip did a great helicopter tour.
The photo tours by ORYX are seamless from the time you land at your destination to the time they return you to the airport for your trip home. They are an excellent value for the dollar and provide experiences the ordinary traveler would not have. I can’t say enough good things about ORYX Photo Tours and their staff.
“Dale will do whatever is needed to get the perfect shot. That’s what makes it clear what a pro he is. Lying face down on the ground, on a wind-swept cliff next to a penguin colony with the rain/sleet lashing down, to get the perfect shot is what I remember most about our trip to the Antarctic. The handy tips to get great shots, as well as the assistance with post-production, is what I took away from the trip. I am sure I will travel with him again in search of that perfect shot. “
The experience on Akademik Ioffe: this was our first cruise and it exceeded all expectations. The professionalism and friendliness of all staff, service, amenities, activities, conservation principles, amazing variety, and healthy choices at every meal. They even organized me a surprise birthday cake.
Graham learned so much from Dale, not only about his camera but also about new and varied angles for photographing wildlife! This was also our first photographic tour and we look forward to more. Graham’s passion for birdwatching and photography was more than fulfilled– he has so many amazing shots and our bird count tally was increased by 50 new species!
I recently got back from my Antarctica photo safari, which was absolutely spectacular. Out of about 10 photographer guides I’ve traveled with in the past, Dale is the best overall. He’s a wonderful teacher, has almost no ego, and is always concerned about his clients getting great shots. I never fail to be impressed by his talent for photographing animals and landscapes, his technical ability, his attention to detail, and his aesthetic sensibility. He’s highly attuned to the animals and their behavior, which is one reason why his photos are so successful. My photos are much better when I travel with him.
I loved the Akademik Ioffe ship and staff. The mostly Canadian staff and Russian crew were excellent and exceeded expectations in professionalism and competence. The food was very good, with many courses and options, and different every single day. The cabins were comfortable with stunning Antarctic views. The staff planned activities all day long to fill up the downtime days so we were constantly entertained and the 3 weeks flew by. There were other options for Antarctica, but I’m so glad I chose this one and it’s a memory of a lifetime!
I’ve been fortunate enough to use ORYX on four separate occasions for trips to various countries. It’s relieving knowing they’re present throughout the entire process because it can become overwhelming quickly when encountering places, you’ve never been, people you’ve never met, language barriers etc. They provide peace of mind and security while also providing world-class hospitality. They have carefully and purposefully selected the right staff and photo guides for their company all of which want your adventure to be nothing short of extraordinary
Thank you for another great photo safari! It was a fantastic time in India, and although I’m very glad to be home, I already miss it.
It was great getting the opportunity to meet the other clients, and Dale did a wonderful job as our guide. I really appreciate all of his hard work and dedication both in and out of the field, and I loved his willingness to engage in personable conversations at the dinner table. He was very willing to listen and learn about the world from someone else’s perspective. He also taught me some new tricks with my camera that I had no idea about, but they made life so much easier.
Thanks again for everything!
We are writing to provide some feedback on our short trip to India with ORYX Photo Tours, to visit several game parks with Tiger spotting a priority. We had a small group of 4, ably led by Dale Morris, a genuinely friendly and helpful leader. Dale is a skilled and award-winning photographer whose enthusiasm for photography was infectious. Dale was a delight to travel with and ensured that everything worked as planned. We managed to see quite a few tigers and also enjoyed the classic sights of the Taj Mahal.
Andries and I would like to thank the ORYX team for a memorable India photo tour. The tour was exceptionally well planned. The only hassle we as guests were left with was to try and get the best photo of a tiger. We can only highly recommend ORYX Photo Tours and will not think twice about using their services again in the future.
Dale Morris was an excellent tour leader. Apart from being a very pleasant person, he also went out of his way to share his wealth of knowledge on photography with us. We started the tour with our photos looking like normal holiday snapshots, and ended up taking some pretty professional images. Thank you, Dale, for your patience and willingness to help us.
My trip to India with Oryx was great. When traveling to a far place with such a difference in culture, it is always worrisome especially for photographers, carrying so much equipment. Oryx helped me have a smooth experience in this matter.
In the reserves, it was a great experience.
Dale Morris is an experienced guide that is always concerned for the client’s enjoyment, comfort, and photographic needs, going way beyond the usual.
I have traveled with ORYX twice, Pantanal and India, both trips were amazing, well run, and organized, Dale Morris was the guide for both trips, he works very hard to make sure you are getting the “shot”.
I Highly recommend ORYX.
“Learning about shutter speed and aperture can be done in the classroom, but when you walk with Dale you’ll learn how to see subjects creatively and capture those images in their native environment in a way that will change how you see photography.
And you’ll learn about shutter speed and aperture, too. When you’re spending days and weeks away from home, Dale is an ace traveling companion, having a sense of humor, humility, and consideration”
For the past twenty years I have annually engaged in at least one photographic seminar or tour. I have never been disappointed in a tour leader. However, I write with all candor that no leader has been more inspiring than Dale Morris.
Dale’s photographic talent is broad and deep and he generously imparts his knowledge to each member of his group. From Dale I learned better ways to do everything from cleaning a lens to metering to composing a shot. As a tour manager he sees to the smooth operation of every detail of the trip.
It’s inevitable that glitches occur when traveling in remote areas of the globe but Dale’s adeptness in the third world keeps the tours on schedule and on track. Dale bursts with enthusiasm and humor and his passion for wildlife and the wilderness is contagious. I look forward to my next tour with Mr. Morris.
Our private trip to Ethiopia was remarkable in so many different ways, an inspiring journey to different landscapes, beautiful people, ancient cultures, incredible food and so much more.
Yet it was Dale that allowed us to relax and enjoy these special moments: it felt like being accompanied by a professional photographer and guide who was also a long lost friend.
Thank you Dale, to the next one…
Dale and I ended up doing a solo trip together (my traveling partner had to turn back unexpectedly due to a family health issue) in Madagascar, which he planned from beginning to end. I asked to see the country, as thoroughly as I could in 10 days, and to further hone my photographic skills.
I can honestly say that it was one of best photographic trips of my life – and I’ve taken quite a few. Dale’s teaching skills, patience, expertise and willingness to go the extra mile to ensure I got great shots was unparalleled. But perhaps more important than any of that is that he was a great travel partner.
I looked almost as forward to our nightly discussions as I did with our daily adventures! If you’re looking to get great shots while having a ton of fun, Dale is your man! I could not recommend him more highly and I look forward to taking many more trips with him and Oryx in the future.
“We arrived home two days ago after a most incredible and wonderful trip. The highlight of our trip was the Kings Camp safari but everything was fabulous!! We really appreciate Dale for so many reasons. He was excellent in teaching us, being personable, sharing his knowledge, expertise and passion for wildlife photography.
We learnt so much. It has been busy trying to catch up after our vacation but this weekend we hope to start applying some of the ‘editing’ that Dale taught us. We would highly recommend this experience and DALE!!
An absolutely wonderful experience!! We really hope that we can do something similar in the future and would definitely be calling ORYX (and Dale).
“Hi Marius
Currently overnighting in Paris on our way home from Madagascar. It was an excellent trip. We are thrilled with the images we are now in the midst of sorting. We got all of our targets and have some wonderful photos. It’s a tough place, but ORYX and especially Dale handled everything with aplomb.”
“I am back home after an inspiring tour with ORYX once again. As before the practical arrangements were flawless, and the guiding superb.
First time I travelled with Dale, but it came as no surprise that he is first class.
Thanks to ORYX and to Dale for a great experience!”
“The trip was one of the best photo trips I have had in recent years. Although the landscape was challenging as well as the ability to get clear shots of the animals in the rainforest, your representatives in the field made the trip.
Do not lose this group. Dale Morris is a real pro. Not only did he organize the photoshoots to optimize our ability to get the right shots, but his expertise in the field as it related to the more technical aspects of photography (flash, exposure comp, lens selection etc.) made the trip. Do not lose him. I would have no trouble recommending your organization to my camera friends in Toronto, and I look forward to dealing with your organization in the future.”
“Without Dale and the Oryx team it would have been impossible to travel in the country. The help was exceptional in dealing with the changes and I never worried we wouldn’t get to where we wanted to go. Dale works very hard to ensure everyone has the best possible angles for shooting and helped me with flash settings and tips at the start. Shooting in Madagascar is different than other destinations I have been to and the assistance in getting started was appreciated. I appreciated the fact that Dale, while taking shots, got us in position first before “firing”. That doesn’t always happen with guides, especially when there is a special moment. Thanks again for an introduction to the wildlife of a very unique and challenging country. I’m sure most first time travelers to Madagascar don’t have such a rewarding photo experience!”
“Thanks, the trip was excellent. Got some great photos, and also learned a lot from Dale on techniques very useful in Madagascar, macro and night photography. Discussing with other guests, I think we all expected to be put in good photography locations to see what we could do, but the effort Dale put in teaching us all new techniques was beyond expectations.”
“Hi all,
This trip completely exceeded my expectations and was exactly what I was looking for (wildlife all day every day). You were all extremely responsive, professional, and courteous.
Accommodations were all nice and the food was always good. Internal flight delays were handled so smoothly that they didn’t have an impact on the trip overall.
Dale was definitely the best photographer-guide I’ve ever travelled with. His photos were gorgeous and he was incredibly generous, patient, and enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge. He kept us entertained all day with new photographic opportunities, and involved us in experiments with new techniques, usually with amazing results. As a guide he had excellent natural leadership ability, and as a person he was warm, friendly, interesting, genuinely nice, and fun to be with.
Everything we did was so much fun, and I will always have wonderful memories of this trip. Would definitely travel with you again.
Thanks so much!!”
“We had a GREAT time with Dale. Everything was as expected as we have learned to expect the unexpected. We would go with Dale and your company without any hesitation. We have NOTHING to complain about. Olive learned a lot of things from Dale. How not when you get such a crazy guide.”
“We are writing to provide some feedback on our short trip to India with Oryx, to visit several game parks with Tiger spotting a priority. We had a small group of 4, ably led by Dale Morris, a genuinely friendly and helpful leader. Dale is a skilled and award winning photographer whose enthusiasm for photography was infectious. Dale was a delight to travel with and ensured that everything worked as planned. We managed to see quite a few tigers and also enjoyed the classic sights of the Taj Mahal.”
“Andries and I would like to thank the ORYX team, especially Dale, for a memorable India tour. The tour was exceptionally well planned. The only hassle we as guests were left with was to try and get the best photo of a Tiger:- And we did, thanks to Dale’s input and expertise. We can only but highly recommend ORYX and will not think twice about using their services again in future.”
“Dale Morris was an excellent tour leader. Apart from being a very pleasant person, he also went out of his way to share his wealth of knowledge on photography with us. We started the tour with our photos looking like normal holiday snap shots, and ended up taking some pretty professional images. Thank you Dale for your patience and willingness to help us.”
“I second all of what Shobha has said. We had such an amazing time. Dale was fabulous, as were all the rest of the team. We always felt well taken care of, and safe.
Dale was not only generous with his knowledge but also his lenses. He truly has a wealth of information and we really learnt so much from him. His wicked sense of humour was also much appreciated 🙂
We are sure to be doing more photo tours with ORYX in the not too distant future!”
“I thought I should write to you of the amazing trip we had to the Omo Valley with Dale. The trip was well organized and we were well taken care of.
Dale was a wonderful leader. He was generous with his knowledge and we learnt a lot from him. He was kind, considerate and a lot of fun!
You can be sure we will be recommending ORYX to our friends!”
“We want to thank you and the entire ORYX team for providing an absolutely fabulous photo vacation. We would particularly credit Dale for his care and attention in making this such a memorable holiday. We are especially pleased that he managed to convince the jaguars to show up for us on six of the nine outings on the river portion of the trip. You can rest assured that we will be recommending the ORYX team to all of our travel and nature photography friends.”
The Brazil trip was excellent. The wildlife sightings every day were amazing, beyond my expectations. Dale was great as the photo tour leader, he made sure everyone knew how to use their equipment for every situation, and made sure we were in the right place for best photo opportunities.
Dale Morris is the consummate professional, and during our Borneo trip, was always there for us when we needed advice and assistance to properly frame a photo, whether it be a telephoto, wide angle or macro shot, taking into account such factors as subject positioning, lighting and background. He made sure we were in the ideal position to get a photo, meaning that he himself, unselfishly, was often outside of that sweet spot until he made sure we had gotten our memorable shot.
His patience was appreciated as I sometimes fumbled getting all my settings correct during the multitude of photographic conditions we encountered, from the intense daylight of the midday sun, to the deep shadows under the forest canopy. Never overbearing, truly unflappable, always helpful and just plain fun to be around. Dale is an unpretentious and likeable guy.
Dale was an excellent guide. His enthusiasm is infectious and knowledge of the wildlife and environment is outstanding. He was a pleasure to be with and we all gained from his photographic expertise. All four of us would travel with Dale on another ORYX trip without hesitation.
Dale was tour leader on our recent ORYX trip to the Pantanal of Brazil. His love of nature and passion for photography were obvious and the knowledge and experience he shared with us were a huge part of making this an outstanding and unforgettable trip. His photography lessons and advice nudged us into new ways of taking and composing photos and led to the best collection of photographs we have ever taken on any trip. He was a real asset to this trip and his lessons will be remembered and applied. And he also tells great stories.”
“We had a wonderful time with Dale who is flexible, thoughtful, and understood all our interests and needs. The Pantanal and Dale exceeded our expectations. Dale was tremendously helpful and so enthusiastic. He is also just a terrifically interesting person with a wide variety of life experiences for one so young. He is a pleasure to be with. We found him to be a very good teacher, seeming to know what level of information each participant might need. I think he found the right balance of teaching and just being there and soaking it all in. He helped me be much less intimidated by my camera. The whole experience was first rate, thank you very much!”
“This is my 2nd Oryx photo tour with Dale. He is an excellent traveling companion and teacher, and we had a lot of fun in Brazil. I’m looking forward to our next photographic adventure together with both Dale and Oryx Photography Tours”
This was one of the greatest trips we have taken. The wild life was spectacular and I got better pictures than I ever have before, due to Dale’s teaching. I admit to being lazy and intimidated in the past and though I have excellent equipment, I never went beyond the programmed and automatic functions. Dale convinced me to start using other functions and to consider the subject from other angles and completely changed the way I will do things in the future. I learned a lot. Everything was well done and the house boat was especially wonderful; it was a 5-star experience with friendly people, wonderful food and skilled boat drivers. We will certainly recommend ORYX to all our friends.”
“I want to reiterate Sue’s comments about the extraordinary quality of our Pantanal experience. Having Dale and as our mentor on this trip made it just outstanding. Accommodations were also excellent, especially the houseboat. Just to reemphasize: Dale’s photographic expertise and teaching skills were outstanding, matched with naturalist’s skills and a great rapport with all of the personnel and staff we encountered at the various venues. Our friends and co-tourists on the trip were equally impressed, and we are still drinking caiparinhas and savoring wonderful memories.”
The trip was amazing.
Everything was well planned and organized, the lodges were very pleasant, and the local guides were excellent. We saw every animal on the list and got great photos. I hope you know how lucky you are to have Dale, because he’s a star among photographer tour leads.
He’s not only an extremely talented photographer for wildlife, macro, landscapes, and people, he’s a fountain of interesting knowledge about flora and fauna, and he has an innate ability with animals that’s a big advantage when photographing them. Even if we don’t see what we’re looking for while searching for wildlife, he can always find something cool and unusual to photograph in an interesting way, so it’s fun all day long and never boring. When it comes to non-photography guide-related tasks, he takes charge and is competent in every way.
Thanks again for everything and I look forward to traveling with Oryx again in the future.
Nancy and I had an absolutely fabulous time travelling and photographing with Dale in Borneo. We came home with some spectacular images of primates, and with so many of them it’s going to take us weeks to get through them all and process all the ones we want to. We were very impressed with all of the arrangements ORYX and Dale made to assure that this was a very high quality trip.
Absolutely first class.
Thanks again for such a superb trip. We look forward to traveling with ORYX again soon
Graham and I learnt so much from Dale, not only about cameras, but also about new and varied angles for photographing wildlife! This was also our first photographic tour and we look forward to many more. My husband’s passion for birdwatching and photography was more than fulfilled– he has so many amazing shots and our bird count tally was increased by 50 new species!
It is difficult to relate to others what you experience in Antarctica – the stillness, purity, abundance of wildlife, pristineness, the ocean in every shade of blue, the privilege of being there…
I will recommend our overall experience with you (Oryx and Dale) all in a heartbeat!
Thank you again for helping us to achieve this bucket list item in such a memorable way.
I recently got back from Antarctica and it was absolutely spectacular. Out of about 10 photographer-guides I’ve traveled with in the past, Dale is the best overall. He’s a wonderful teacher, has almost no ego, and is always concerned about his clients getting great shots. I never fail to be impressed by his talent in photographing animals and landscapes, his technical ability, attention to detail, and aesthetic sensibility. He’s highly attuned to the animals and their behavior, which is one reason why his photos are so successful. My photos are much better when I travel with him.
There were other options for Antarctica, but I’m so glad I chose this one and it’s a memory of a lifetime!
I only have positive things to say about the trip, Antarctica was a fantastic experience, Dale was perfect (as always) and the rest of group very easy to get along with.
There is no doubt that I will join another ORYX expedition, I don’t know when, but soon I hope (and with
In every respect, we truly did have a wonderful time in Antarctica. I do not know where to start… comprehensive and regular communication from the time of my initial inquiry, the friendly tone of all your emails, your promptness in responding to inquiries, and your care and concern.
I only have positive things to say about the photo tour as Antarctica was a fantastic experience, Dale was perfect (as always) and the rest of the group very easy to get along with.
It’s late in Geneva and I’ll be brief: there is no doubt that I will join another ORYX photo tour, I don’t know when, but soon I hope (and with Dale again for sure).
My wife and I had a wonderful experience with Dale Morris in Madagascar.
We had been to all 7 continents with guides, but non better than Dale! He is a guide for ALL seasons, well rounded in almost all aspects of his trade
Everything about our trip was as expected as we have learned to expect the unexpected. We would go with Dale and your company without any hesitation. We have NOTHING to complain about. Olive learned a lot of things from Dale. How not, when you get such a crazy and fun guide as Dale.
I just wanted to thank Oryx for organizing the Madagascar tour for 2017 which was led by Dale Morris; an exceptional and exemplary guide who really demonstrated a passion for teaching photography and for being totally committed to ensuring the best possible experience for all the tour participants. It was my first tour with Oryx and certainly my best tour ever. I was so very impressed with the high level of professionalism and integrity that Dale displays.
Dale patiently taught me how to use my macro lens and flash and this introduction opened up a whole new and exciting world for me! I never knew that macro-photography was so interesting and it is only just the beginning! He was constantly trying to find the best angles for all the tour participants to photograph the lemurs. He taught me how to use my wide-angle lens to take the lemurs from a low angle with a sunburst effect! He taught me how to get down and dirty on the ground to obtain wonderfully low angles for photographing the narrow ring-tailed mongoose and the nightjar. He taught me how to pan fast-moving subjects. He taught me to take note of the background when taking photos. He even set up a mini studio in the forest for photographing the colourful frogs and magnificent chameleons. Everyday brought a new learning experience!! I was so grateful for some of the images which I obtained – something I never dreamt I would ever achieve. Dale even introduced me to fine art photography and night photography of the majestic baobab trees, and suddenly, the artistic potential of photography became so exciting! Dale has my highest respect as a guide. He was able to control the pace of the tour, ensuring that all participants were well taken care of. He has the innate ability to anticipate problems and, in fact, overcame all the problems with the internal flights in Madagascar, remaining calm, unflustered and in complete control throughout. He even anticipated that the final internal departure flight might be a problem (it was eventually canceled) and, in so doing, he averted a disaster by alerting Oryx, which then chartered a flight for our group. This speaks volumes for the entire Oryx team led by Marius, who must be a visionary leader to have hand-picked such a good team.
In summary, it really has been a singular honor and a privilege for me to have traveled with both Dale and Oryx. I hope to do so many more times in the near future. Thank you once again for making one of my childhood dreams to visit Madagascar come true.
“Great and very patient teacher/instructor with awesome knowledge of wildlife. Had a great & very funny time with him and will definitely travel again with him.”
I’ve done two tours with Oryx — one to Madagascar, one to Brazil’s Pantanal — both with Dale Morris, and both were fabulous. The tours themselves are well-thought-out and offer plenty of in-depth photography time. Dale spends time with each client, giving them the tips — if needed — to get a killer shot or just talking technique. He shares creative ideas for lighting and framing and won’t move on from a photography opportunity until everyone has gotten what they need. I love the small-group size and can’t wait to travel with Oryx, and Dale, again.
Dale kept an eye on all the logistics and worked nonstop to get us up early and get us on location. If there was a good photo shot to be had, he always made sure we had plenty of opportunity to get the pictures we wanted and made many helpful suggestions for making better shots, whether it was an alternative angle or tweaks to the camera. Some tour guides tend to get caught up in the moment and shoot a lot of pictures themselves but Dale never shot photos for himself unless to test the lighting or if we clients were all done; and I appreciate this because it’s hard to resist in such a location.
Would I do another trip with Dale and Oryx? Definitely.
This trip completely exceeded my expectations and was exactly what I was looking for (wildlife all day every day). You were all extremely responsive, professional, and courteous.
Accommodations were all nice and the food was always good. Internal flight delays were handled so smoothly that they didn’t have an impact on the trip overall.
Dale was definitely the best photographer-guide I’ve ever traveled with. His photos were gorgeous and he was incredibly generous, patient, and enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge. He kept us entertained all day with new photographic opportunities, and involved us in experiments with new techniques, usually with amazing results. As a guide, he had excellent natural leadership ability, and as a person, he was warm, friendly, interesting, genuinely nice, and fun to be with.
Everything we did was so much fun, and I will always have wonderful memories of this trip. Would definitely travel with you again.
Thanks so much!!
We had an absolutely wonderful time on the Pantanal photo tour in Brazil, with great service and a truly amazing time.
Dale was great and I would like to commend him in particular as he taught Clarissa and I so much on that trip and enabled us to take some good shots despite our cameras.
I have travelled with Oryx several times including Madagascar and Japan. Their photography trips are excellent. Dale Morris was one of the best photography guides I have been with. He ensured that all the group had an equal opportunity with subjects and he was one of the few guides that always put the group’s photographs before his own photography.
He was not only helpful if asked photography questions but was also a good teacher.
The wildlife of the Pantanal photo tour, as well as my tour extensions, provided fabulous wildlife spectacles and photographic opportunities!
What a delight it has been to enjoy Dale’s guiding company
His patience and instruction have totally profited my relationship with my camera. I think that knowledge will stay with me forever.
I had been impervious to advice in the past but Dale was truly able to guide me and it shows in my images of our time together. He made himself really available to all of us; he had designed the program so we went from highlight to highlight; he was always wryly self-effacing, considerate and courteous.
It was a testament to his leadership that the trip went better than I anticipated.
Dale, I do hope we catch up again whether on one of your recommended trips or if you ever were to visit my neck of the woods. You will be welcome in my home.