September Photographer of the Month: Meet Dearbhaile

Our Photographer of the Month feature is back! This month, we’re featuring the work of a very talented wildlife photographer with ties to Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) – Dearbhaile Ní Dhubhghaill!

Dearbhaile has been interested in photography since childhood – starting with her first disposable cameras she used on family holidays. As her interest in photography continued, she transitioned to point-and-shoot cameras as a teenager, and earned her first DSLR camera in the early twenties.

“Looking back, it’s no surprise that my interest in photography and my passion for animals in general have merged to become a particular interest in wildlife photography. I’ve loved animals my whole life, and studying them in university gave me a deep appreciation for their behavior and the environments they inhabit,’ says Dearbhaile.

Connecting with Cheetah Conservation Fund

A few years ago, while at university in Sweden pursuing her Masters in Animal Behavior, Dearbhaile’s interest in wildlife and conservation, particularly animal behavior, led her to Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF). For her second year, she had to take on a research project and immediately knew she wanted to study cheetah behavior. After reaching out to a few cheetah research projects around Africa, she connected with Dr. Marker, who suggested coming to CCF in Namibia for three months to study the behavior of some resident cheetahs – and Dearbhaile jumped at the chance!

“One of my favorite things about studying animal behavior in general is that it gives you the chance to learn about animals as individuals, not just as a species. Because my project was focused on a small number of CCF’s cheetahs, I got to know those particular cats really well. Discovering their individual personalities and quirks, their relationships with each other, and how differently they interest, their feeding preferences, being able to see these cats up close was such a great experience,” says Dearbhaile.

During this first study period in Namibia, Dearbhaile also began working with CCF’s social media team.

“Having the opportunity to branch out from the cheetah side of the work they do and record the breadth of what is covered by the organization was eye-opening; there’s so much more to cheetah conservation than just looking after cheetahs,” she says.

Some of her favorite experiences in Namibia have been joining the game counts, especially having the opportunity to photograph wildlife, and seeing rescued cheetahs being returned to the wild. The landscape – and the Namibian sunsets – are another highlight.

“Of course, nothing beats a sundowner in the reserve, with the stunning Waterberg Plateau turning pink as the sun dips toward the horizon through hazy clouds. In those moments, when the world feels still, I always feel more at peace than anywhere in the world,” says Dearbhaile.

A Singular Shot

While Dearbhaile has had plenty of memorable moments capturing wildlife on film, she admits cheetahs are her favorite animal to photograph.

“They’ve been my favorite species since long before I got the chance to work with CCF, due to their beauty, incredible speed and the African landscapes they inhabit. Their famous speed is such a great challenge to my camera skills – getting the right angle, just at the right moment, with the right focus!”

In fact, Dearbhaile’s favorite photograph from her time at CCF was a shot of a cheetah being rehabilitated before his return to the wild.

“Every time I went with the cheetah keepers to check on him pre-release, I was happy to see how evident it was that his wild instincts were wild and true, despite his time rehabilitating in captivity. I could see that wariness of us humans in his eyes, his behaviour cautious, untrusting – which is exactly how a wild animal should behave. He crouched down, his face half-hidden by long, dry grass as he watched us move about. I’ll always love this photo because of that,” she says.

Beyond cheetahs, she also loves photographing primates because of their behavior – especially capturing their playfulness, the bonds between family members, and their agility when traversing their ecosystem.

During this first study period in Namibia, Dearbhaile also began working with CCF’s social media team.

“Having the opportunity to branch out from the cheetah side of the work they do and record the breadth of what is covered by the organization was eye-opening; there’s so much more to cheetah conservation than just looking after cheetahs,” she says.

Some of her favorite experiences in Namibia have been joining the game counts, especially having the opportunity to photograph wildlife, and seeing rescued cheetahs being returned to the wild. The landscape – and the Namibian sunsets – are another highlight.

“Of course, nothing beats a sundowner in the reserve, with the stunning Waterberg Plateau turning pink as the sun dips toward the horizon through hazy clouds. In those moments, when the world feels still, I always feel more at peace than anywhere in the world,” says Dearbhaile.

A Singular Shot

While Dearbhaile has had plenty of memorable moments capturing wildlife on film, she admits cheetahs are her favorite animal to photograph.

“They’ve been my favorite species since long before I got the chance to work with CCF, due to their beauty, incredible speed and the African landscapes they inhabit. Their famous speed is such a great challenge to my camera skills – getting the right angle, just at the right moment, with the right focus!”

In fact, Dearbhaile’s favorite photograph from her time at CCF was a shot of a cheetah being rehabilitated before his return to the wild.

“Every time I went with the cheetah keepers to check on him pre-release, I was happy to see how evident it was that his wild instincts were wild and true, despite his time rehabilitating in captivity. I could see that wariness of us humans in his eyes, his behaviour cautious, untrusting – which is exactly how a wild animal should behave. He crouched down, his face half-hidden by long, dry grass as he watched us move about. I’ll always love this photo because of that,” she says.

Beyond cheetahs, she also loves photographing primates because of their behavior – especially capturing their playfulness, the bonds between family members, and their agility when traversing their ecosystem.

From Ireland to Italy

Dearbhaile has bounced between continents for over a decade, and used to spend her time between trips in Ireland, where she grew up. But last year, she relocated to Italy, and now lives beside a medieval castle! Amongst all her travels, she acknowledges southern Africa, and especially Namibia, have provided some of her best wildlife experiences. But, she was also captivated by the landscape and wildlife of Antarctica, and the uniqueness of Northern Vietnam.

“Northern Vietnam blew me away with its incredible landscapes, some unlike any

I’d ever seen, as well as its rich history and culture that is so fun to explore through my camera

lens. I also love the cities of Italy for their beautiful architecture and vibrancy,” she says.

Telling Conservation Stories

Dearbhaile’s career goal was always to work in conservation full-time, but for now, spends her time traveling between photography assignments. However, many of these projects have a conservation angle. Many of her travels have involved seasonal or short-term work with wildlife organizations in the past, working as sea turtle field assistant in Cape Verde and Costa Rica, studying nesting birds in Spain, and helping to rehabilitate orphaned and injured wildlife in both Malawi and Canada.

“Working as a content creator for CCF is a different kind of conservation work that

combines both my studies and my passion for photography,” she says, “and its something I’d like to expand upon in the future with more organisations. Telling the stories of people and the animals they’re trying so hard to protect is very rewarding work.

📷 You can see Dearbhaile’s photography on Instagram (@thiswildlifeofmine) or by checking out her travel blog, www.thiswildlifeofmine.com, where she posts travel and wildlife stories, advice and itineraries, along with photography. She hopes to sell photography prints on her website soon too.