Delaney's Journal: Stories from the Wild
Step behind the lens and into the narrative of each photograph.
Discover the rare moments, raw emotion, and artistic vision that define these timeless black and white artworks.
Is Contemplation the best Chimpanzee Portrait?
Discover “Contemplation,” an award-winning chimpanzee portrait from Uganda’s Kibale Forest. Available as a black-and-white fine art wildlife print.c
What chimpanzee photo won Wildlife Photographer of the Year?
My black-and-white image, Contemplation, was named Winner of Animal Portraits, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 — one of the most respected competitions in global wildlife photography.
But this moment wasn’t captured in comfort. It came after days of exhausting trekking in Uganda’s Kibale Forest, a place of tangled roots, constant humidity, and near silence.
I’d spent hours searching for wild chimpanzees. As time ran out and doubt crept in, the forest suddenly erupted in chaos — a hunting party of chimps dropped from the canopy with bone-shaking force. Then, just as quickly, the rainforest fell silent again.
That’s when I found him.
Contemplation-Award-Winning Chimpanzee Portrait
A Silent Yearning in the Forest" -Bring Wild Emotion Into Your Home
Why is this chimpanzee portrait considered iconic?
In that quiet moment, I saw a chimpanzee named Totti, an alpha male, staring up at a female high in the trees. He had displayed, called out, and postured — but she ignored him.
Then he did something extraordinary.
He lay down on the forest floor, stretched his arms above his head, and looked skyward in silence. His hands were clasped. His body relaxed. His eyes filled with longing.
It wasn’t a display of dominance. It was rejection. Vulnerability. Emotion.
As a photographer, I knew I had just seconds.
I breathed, composed, and pressed the shutter.
What I captured was not just wildlife — it was a moment of shared emotion between species.
Step into the heart of Kibale National Park, Uganda.
In this behind-the-scenes footage, experience the haunting sounds of the forest and fleeting glimpses of chimpanzees high in the canopy — the same wild apes that inspired my award-winning portrait Contemplation.
A moment of calm before the chaos…
A rainforest alive with anticipation.
Where was this chimpanzee photo taken?
This image was made in Kibale National Park, a 766 km² rainforest in southern Uganda. Home to 13 species of primates, it’s one of Africa’s last remaining strongholds for chimpanzees.
The park also shelters forest elephants, buffalo, giant forest hogs, crowned eagles, and hundreds of species of birds, insects, and amphibians. But it offers no guarantees. There are no paths. No hides. Just dense, humid forest and a slim hope of an encounter.
That’s what made this image so powerful — it was earned.
🎥 Behind the scenes in Uganda’s Kibale Forest. A brief glimpse into the moment I encountered Totti, the alpha chimpanzee who inspired my most personal and awarded work.
Can I buy this chimpanzee image as a fine art print?
Yes — Contemplation is available as a museum-grade black-and-white print, crafted using archival materials to last generations.
You can choose from the following finishes:
Loose archival Hahnemühle prints (ideal for custom framing)
Acrylic glass prints with slimline aluminium frames (gold, silver, black, or white)
Canvas prints on solid wood with optional floating frames (black oak, brown elder, natural or white maple)
Available Sizes:
90 x 60 cm (35.43 x 23.62 inches)
105 x 70 cm (41.34 x 27.56 inches)
120 x 80 cm (47.24 x 31.5 inches)
135 x 90 cm (53.15 x 35.43 inches)
150 x 100 cm (59.06 x 39.37 inches)
Contemplation —
A Soulful Presence in the Room
Let Stillness Speak from the Walls, Transform Your Space with Emotion and Elegance
Why I believe this is the best chimpanzee photo ever taken
There are sharper photos. Louder moments. More dramatic light.
But this… this is the truth. Emotion. Soul.
I believe Contemplation captures something rarely seen — a moment of silent connection that speaks across species.
That’s why it won Wildlife Photographer of the Year. That’s why collectors connect with it.
And that’s why, to this day, I believe it’s the most iconic “Chimpanzee Portrait” ever made!
Why I Choose Acrylic: Presenting the Soul of the Wild in its Truest Form
For me, a photograph is not complete until it's presented in a way that honours the moment. Discover why museum-grade acrylic is the definitive finish for my black and white wildlife photography.
Why I Choose Acrylic: Presenting the Soul of the Wild in its Truest Form
For me, a photograph is not complete when the shutter closes. It is complete when it is presented in a way that honours the moment it captures. After years of working with various mediums, I have found that for my black and white wildlife and landscape photography, museum-grade acrylic is the definitive finish. It is not merely an option; it is the logical extension of my artistic intent.
Elephant Oasis | Masterprint Edition
Let the timeless beauty of Africa’s gentle giants inspire your space
This is why.
To Honour the Light and Shadow of Africa
The African landscape is defined by its intense, raw light and deep, velvety shadows. My goal is to transport you into that light, to feel its warmth and mystery.
Unmatched Depth & Luminosity: Acrylic glass acts as an optical layer, giving the image a three-dimensional quality. When you look at a tusker in the Shingwedzi riverbed, the acrylic finish makes the water on his skin gleam and the cracks in the mud appear tactile. It doesn't feel like a picture on a wall; it feels like a window through it.
The Purest Blacks and Whites: The glossy surface intensifies contrast, rendering the profound blacks and brilliant whites essential to monochrome photography. This ensures the dramatic tension and emotional weight of the scene are preserved with absolute fidelity.
Eye to Eye: A Triptych of Raw Power
This commanding three-panel acrylic artwork holds its own in an industrial loft. The lion's intense gaze becomes the soul of the space, contrasting with exposed concrete and piping, yet harmonising with rich velvet and a zebra rug.
Feel the raw power of Africa’s king with every glance at your walls.
The Pinnacle of Craftsmanship: The Masterprint Edition
For clients seeking the ultimate statement piece, I offer an exclusive Masterprint service. This is a world-premiere printing technology, developed to realise artwork on a truly monumental scale, perfectly suited for grand interiors.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
A Seamless Masterpiece:
Traditional large-format prints are pieced together. A Masterprint is produced seamlessly up to 500 x 240 cm (196 x 94 inches), including a statement-making 290cm x 145cm size. This guarantees an utterly immersive, uninterrupted view of vast landscapes or intimate animal portraits, preserving every detail with razor-sharp clarity.
A Collaborative Art Process:
Commissioning a Masterprint is a collaborative journey. It includes individual file inspection and consultation to ensure perfection. For absolute confidence, we can arrange a professional test print—a large, mounted section of your image—before the final piece is produced.
The Heirloom Standard:
Each Masterprint is a testament to permanence. Using a specially engineered Fine Art paper and thick, crystal-clear acrylic glass (4mm or 5mm), it is mounted with a permanently elastic silicone on a sturdy aluminum backing. The result is a legacy piece of unparalleled quality, delivered with a secure, professional hanging system.
Camelopard | Connect with Nature
Celebrate the delicate grace and quiet strength of Africa’s gentle giants.
A Tender Moment in Manhattan
High above the city that never sleeps, a moment of pure calm.
Embrace the wisdom and strength of elephants in every piece of art.
A Statement of Permanence and Legacy
The animals and landscapes I photograph represent ancient lineages and timeless cycles. The presentation of their portrait must reflect that permanence.
An Heirloom, Not a Decoration: The combination of archival materials, UV-resistant acrylic glass, and robust backing ensures your artwork is built to last. It is designed to be a legacy piece.
A Luxury Aesthetic for Discerning Spaces: The final piece—whether a standard acrylic or a monumental Masterprint—has a profound, commanding presence. It is a statement of quiet confidence, designed for interiors that value minimalist elegance and powerful storytelling. It doesn’t just fill a space; it defines it.
Mintlangu: Nkuma | A Triptych of Earthly Power
This monumental three-panel portrait brings the raw, ancient soul of the savanna into a contemporary retreat.
Transform your home into a sanctuary with the power of elephants
The Final, Collaborative Step in My Process
From the moment I compose a shot, I am thinking about the final presentation. The crisp detail of a leopard's gaze, the vast sweep of a baobab landscape—these details demand a medium that does not compromise.
Ready for Your Journey:
Our standard acrylic prints are crafted to order and arrive ready to hang, typically in 12-14 days. The Masterprint edition, due to its meticulous, handcrafted nature, requires a 30-day creation and delivery period to ensure absolute perfection.
When you acquire an acrylic print, you are not just buying a photograph.
You are investing in a moment of wild, profound silence, presented with the permanence and luxury it deserves.
Mirrored Souls | A Sanctuary of Calm
A serene triptych of two white rhinos, their horns gently crossed, creates a sanctuary of quiet connection above the bed.
This piece brings the grounding spirit of the wild into a modern sanctuary, blurring the line between a curated courtyard and the untamed soul of nature.
Quiver Tee | Choje Among the Giants
"Where the San once spoke to the spirits, silence now listens."
In a grove scattered across ancient volcanic rock, one quiver tree rises in quiet authority.
Experience the Acrylic Difference on Your Wall
The true impact is best understood when you see it in your own space. I invite you to request a complimentary custom mockup of your favourite artwork, scaled perfectly to your wall.
How Black & White Photography Reveals the Soul of African Wildlife
Award-winning photographer Peter Delaney explores the emotional power of monochrome. Discover the stories behind the lens and learn how stripping away color reveals the raw texture, emotion, and timeless soul of Africa's majestic wildlife.
Weathering the Tempest Fine Art Print
Seeing in Monochrome
It was on a solitary lunch break, escaping the relentless hum of London's financial district, that I first truly understood the power of monochrome. In the quiet, dusty confines of a second-hand bookshop, I stumbled upon a copy of Don McCullin's “Retrospective”.
As I turned the pages, his portraits of raw, human truth—not of war, but of soul—seared themselves into my mind. In that city of numbers and noise, his images were a silent, devastating shock.
They spoke in a language deeper than colour, a dialect of light, shadow, and gut-wrenching emotion.\
In that moment, a seed was planted. From that day forward, I didn't just see in black and white; I began to feel the world through its stark, honest contrast.
Weathering the Tempest
"Bring a touch of the wild into your space.
A Lesson in Seeing: Weathering the Tempest
This philosophy was put to the test with “Lions - Weathering the Tempest.”
We happened upon this lion and lioness in the heart of the Masai Mara, and my body went into overdrive. The heart-pounding euphoria told me this was a moment to translate into art.
But raw emotion is not enough. I calmed myself to see the scene not as it was, but as it could be. The lions would play the lead roles, but the supporting cast—the savannah, the brooding storm clouds, the lone tree—would make or break the story. I chose a wider lens to include it all, to give a profound sense of place and scale.
The lion looks out of the frame, asking a silent question. The lioness meets the viewer’s gaze directly, a moment of intimate connection amidst the vastness. The tempest in the sky mirrors the quiet drama on the ground.
But capturing the image is only half the story. The real magic happens in the digital darkroom, where I once more follow my heart. Converting this scene to black and white was an act of translation. Without colour to lead the eye, I used a full tonal range of light and shadow to walk the viewer through the photograph. I sculpted the light on the lions' fur, gave weight to the clouds, and used the tree to anchor the composition, ensuring every element plays its vital role in creating an engaging, timeless art print. It is a perfect example of seeing the monochrome potential before the shutter is released.
Contemplation Winner Animal Portraits Wildlife Photographer of The Year
Intimacy and Contemplation
This process of reduction reveals profound intimacy. In “Chimpanzee Dreaming,” colour would distract from the quiet poetry etched in the alpha male's skin. Black and white invites you to see the intelligence and vulnerability in his soulful eyes, the story told in every wrinkle and worn nail on his hands.
Heart of Darkness | Confronting the Wild
It also creates a powerful confrontation. In “Heart of Darkness,” the Kalahari lion’s gaze is stripped bare of its golden hue. Rendered in monochrome, every shadow in his mane deepens the sense of power and mystery. His eyes become portals into a wild, unfiltered consciousness. This is not a portrait; it is a moment where you don’t just see the lion—the lion sees you.
Bigfoot | Winner Nature In Black and White Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The Details That Define Us
And it celebrates the defining details. “Big Foot” focuses on the raw texture and immense weight of an elephant’s foot. In black and white, every wrinkle and crevice becomes a word in a story of strength and endurance, a monument to the unseen details that define a life in the wild.
Own a Piece of the Soul
Each of my prints is handcrafted to museum-grade standards, using archival papers like Hahnemühle Photo Rag®. This ensures that every glance, every breath of the wild is preserved with depth, clarity, and permanence. There is no digital manipulation to 'enhance' nature—just tonal truth and tactile honesty.
These are not merely photographs. They are soul portraits.
For the collector, this means owning more than an image; it is an experience. These limited edition pieces are available in custom sizes and finishes—from elegantly floated frames to archival loose prints for bespoke framing. Each one is signed, numbered, and accompanied by its own Certificate of Authenticity.
Collectors often tell me these prints don’t just decorate their walls—they anchor them. They evoke silence, presence, and a profound connection to the natural world. A lion’s stare can make a boardroom pause. A chimpanzee in thought can turn a hallway into a conversation. They become future heirlooms, carrying the spirit of the wild into a home.
I believe anyone can operate a camera. But it is vision—forged in experience and feeling—that separates a photographer from an artist. It is the vision to see the story in the shadows and to translate the soul of your subject into a form that can, in turn, speak directly to the soul of the viewer.
If one of these images resonates with you, it is not a coincidence. It is recognition.
Make a Powerful Statement
*“Sons of Rosetta” commands attention in a contemporary setting. This 180x120cm museum-grade print transforms a space, merging the untamed spirit of the wild with modern elegance.*