Captured By Dani

Directions Website Contact the business

Captured By Dani I'm Dani, a Hertfordshire photographer capturing quiet moments, wild ones, festivals & theatre and everything in between.

🌼 **A Little Springtime Colour!** πŸŒΈπŸ“ΈSometimes you just can't beat a wander around a beautiful garden with a camera!These...
04/11/2026

🌼 **A Little Springtime Colour!** πŸŒΈπŸ“Έ

Sometimes you just can't beat a wander around a beautiful garden with a camera!

These photographs were taken at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, and what a lovely selection of spring flowers.

πŸ’› **Daffodils** – Those gorgeous yellow blooms that always make me think spring is finally on its way! Did you know that daffodils are part of the Narcissus family and have been cultivated for thousands of years?

🀍 **Spring snowflakes** – These beautiful little white bells are often mistaken for snowdrops, but look closely and you'll see the tiny green markings on the tips of their petals. Aren't they gorgeous?

πŸ’œ **Blue squills** – These delicate, star-shaped flowers create lovely little patches of blue and purple. They might be small, but they certainly know how to put on a display!

One of my favourite things about flower photography is getting close enough to appreciate all the little details. The shapes, colours and patterns are incredible when you really stop to look.

And sometimes, it's the simplest subjects that make the prettiest photographs.

πŸ“ Cambridge University Botanic Garden

**Which is your favourite spring flower?**

Are you a daffodil person, a snowdrop fan, or do you prefer something a little more colourful?

πŸ“Έ Captured by Dani

🦚 **A Little Bit of Peacock Perfection!** πŸ’™πŸ’šThere's something rather spectacular about a peacock, isn't there?Those incr...
02/11/2026

🦚 **A Little Bit of Peacock Perfection!** πŸ’™πŸ’š

There's something rather spectacular about a peacock, isn't there?

Those incredible shades of blue and green, the little crown of feathers on its head and, of course, that magnificent tail!

But did you know that a peacock's beautiful colours aren't simply caused by blue and green pigments?

Much of that amazing colour comes from tiny structures within the feathers that interact with light, creating something called *structural colour*.

It's why their feathers can appear to shimmer and change colour depending on the angle you're looking from.

And here's another little fact...

🦚 Technically, a peacock is the male. The female is called a peahen, and together they're known as peafowl.

The male's famous display feathers are actually part of an elongated upper tail covering, known as a train, rather than his true tail feathers.

I could happily spend ages photographing these beautiful birds. Even without their magnificent feathers fanned out, they're absolutely stunning!

πŸ“Έ **Which of these three photographs is your favourite?**

I'm rather fond of the close-up showing all those tiny details around his face.

πŸ“Έ Captured by Dani

Some memorials don't need a name to make you pause.This beautiful figure sits in quiet reflection beneath the trees, her...
01/11/2026

Some memorials don't need a name to make you pause.
This beautiful figure sits in quiet reflection beneath the trees, her hands clasped in prayer beneath the words:
"Thy Will Be Done."
It's one of the most familiar inscriptions found in Victorian cemeteries, expressing faith, acceptance and hope in the face of loss. Those four simple words have comforted grieving families for generations.
Walking through Highgate Cemetery, I found myself standing here for a while. The sunlight filtering through the leaves, the peaceful expression on her face and the silence of the woodland all seemed to work together.
Not every visit to a cemetery is about finding famous names.
Sometimes it's simply about appreciating the incredible artistry, symbolism and craftsmanship that has quietly stood for more than a century.
Every memorial has a story.
Even when that story has been lost to time.
Stories in Stone by Dani

30/10/2026

πŸ“· FAQ FRIDAY
How many photos do you actually take at an event?
Usually? A LOT more than you ever see! πŸ˜‚
At the last festival I photographed, I took over 5,000 photos.
Around 300 made the final cut.
That might sound slightly ridiculous, but there's a reason I take so many.
Photographing people naturally, particularly when they don't know you're taking their photo, can be surprisingly difficult. I might spot a lovely group together, but at the exact moment I press the shutter one person covers their mouth, another looks towards the stage out of the corner of their eye and somebody else blinks.
So if people don't know I'm photographing them, I'll often take four or five shots of the same moment. It gives me a much better chance of catching the one where everyone looks natural.
Then there's everything happening in the background.
You can have the PERFECT photo of a group… only to discover someone standing directly behind them picking their nose. πŸ˜‚
I've even had to delete a genuinely lovely photograph because a woman had decided to get changed in the background. She was completely topless and unfortunately positioned directly behind the lady I was photographing. To make matters worse, her skin tone was almost exactly the same colour as my subject's hair β€” there was absolutely no separating the two and rescuing the photo! πŸ˜‚

Once I'm home, I go through every single photograph. Duplicates go. Blinks go. Unflattering expressions go. Missed focus goes. And yes, sometimes perfectly good photographs go because of the unfortunate nose-picker in the background!
So when you receive 300 photographs from me, there's a very good chance I've taken thousands to find them.
Taking the photos is only the beginning. πŸ“·β€οΈ

🏝️ **Eel Pie Island – A Little Island With a BIG Personality!** πŸ“ΈTucked away in the River Thames at Twickenham is a rath...
29/10/2026

🏝️ **Eel Pie Island – A Little Island With a BIG Personality!** πŸ“Έ

Tucked away in the River Thames at Twickenham is a rather unusual little place called Eel Pie Island.

And what a fascinating place it is!

It's an island with a colourful history, particularly when it comes to music. Back in the 1960s, its famous hotel was a legendary music venue, hosting bands including The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Yardbirds.

These days, the island is known for its creative community, with artists' studios and all sorts of wonderfully quirky sights.

And quirky really is the word!

From a giant ice cream apparently having a bit of a lie-down on a roof, to a headless mannequin amongst the plants and a notice thanking you for noticing the notice... there's certainly plenty to look at! πŸ˜‚

I absolutely love places like this. Places where you can wander around with a camera and never quite know what you're going to find next.

Sometimes it's not the grand buildings or famous landmarks that make the best photographs. Sometimes it's the wonderfully weird little things that catch your eye.

πŸ“ Eel Pie Island, Twickenham

**Which of these four photos is your favourite?**

Personally, I think that notice deserves a round of applause! πŸ˜‚

πŸ“Έ Captured by Dani

πŸ•·οΈπŸ¦‹πŸͺ² **The Little Things in Life!** πŸ“ΈSometimes, some of the most fascinating things to photograph are also some of the s...
27/10/2026

πŸ•·οΈπŸ¦‹πŸͺ² **The Little Things in Life!** πŸ“Έ

Sometimes, some of the most fascinating things to photograph are also some of the smallest!

From spiders with their long, spindly legs to beautifully patterned butterflies and beetles that look as though they've been painted with metallic colours, the insect and arachnid world really is rather amazing.

And you don't always need to travel miles to find something worth photographing. Sometimes it's right there in the garden, on a flower or hiding amongst the leaves.

I love getting up close with my camera and discovering all those little details that we might otherwise walk straight past.

Of course, not everyone shares my enthusiasm for creepy crawlies! πŸ˜‚

So here's a question for you...

**Which one would you happily photograph, and which one would have you running in the opposite direction?**

πŸ•·οΈ The spider
πŸ¦‹ The butterfly
πŸͺ² The beetle

Me? I'd happily photograph all three!

πŸ“Έ Captured by Dani

Nicol – George Garden Nicol – 16.01.187Some graves shout for attention. Others quietly wait for someone to stop and ask,...
25/10/2026

Nicol – George Garden Nicol – 16.01.187
Some graves shout for attention. Others quietly wait for someone to stop and ask, "Who was this person?"
George Garden Nicol was one of those discoveries.
Born in Scotland, he spent much of his career trading in China and Singapore before becoming a director of several major companies in Victorian Britain. Most notably, he helped oversee companies responsible for laying the undersea telegraph cables that connected Britain with India, China and Australia.
In many ways, he helped build the communications network of the 19th century – allowing messages that once took months to travel by ship to be sent across the world in minutes.
When he died in 1897, he also left a remarkable charitable legacy, donating what would now be worth millions of pounds to universities, hospitals and funds supporting people who had fallen into hardship.
I was drawn to his grave before I knew any of that.
The ivy climbing the weathered cross, the peaceful setting among the trees and the feeling that nature was slowly reclaiming the memorial all made me stop and take a photograph.
That's one of the things I've loved most about visiting Highgate Cemetery. It isn't just about famous names. It's about discovering people who quietly changed the world, even if history has almost forgotten them.
Sometimes all it takes is stopping for a moment... and asking, "Who was this person?"

πŸ“Έ **Old Meets New in London!** πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§A cheeky little trip to Borough Market, and naturally, the camera came along too!Whilst...
23/10/2026

πŸ“Έ **Old Meets New in London!** πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§

A cheeky little trip to Borough Market, and naturally, the camera came along too!

Whilst wandering around, I spotted this lovely view of The Shard, with the beautiful spire of St George the Martyr Church and the Borough War Memorial also making an appearance.

I love how London manages to squeeze so much history and modern architecture into one view. One minute you're looking at a historic church, the next there's a giant glass skyscraper towering above everything!

But now I need your help with a little photography debate...

πŸ“Έ **Which photo do you prefer?**

❀️ The one featuring the Borough War Memorial?

πŸ‘ Or the one with the good old London bus stop?

I genuinely can't decide which works best, so over to you!

πŸ“ Borough, London

🌊 Why Isn't the Thames Blue? πŸ“ΈWhen we're children, we draw rivers and seas in blue. Blue waves, blue oceans, blue rivers...
21/10/2026

🌊 Why Isn't the Thames Blue? πŸ“Έ

When we're children, we draw rivers and seas in blue. Blue waves, blue oceans, blue rivers. It's just how we imagine water to be.

But then we grow up and realise that reality is often a little different!

Take the River Thames, for example.

I took this photo looking down from The Shard in London, and one of the things that really stands out is just how brown the river looks.

But why?

Well, the Thames is a tidal river, and the movement of the tides constantly stirs up tiny particles of mud, silt and sediment from the riverbed. These particles remain suspended in the water, giving it that familiar muddy brown appearance.

It's not necessarily a sign that the water is dirty or polluted. Much of that colour is simply down to the natural movement of the river.

And here's another interesting little fact: water doesn't actually have to be blue! Its appearance depends on several things, including how light interacts with it, its depth, what's suspended in it and even the conditions above it.

It's amazing how something we learn to colour blue as children can look so different in real life.

πŸ“ The River Thames, photographed from The Shard, London.

Here's a question for you: When you picture a river, do you still imagine it being blue? πŸ’™

πŸ“Έ Captured by Dani

πŸš‚ A Little Step Back in Time... πŸ“ΈThere's something rather lovely about an old-fashioned railway station, isn't there?The...
19/10/2026

πŸš‚ A Little Step Back in Time... πŸ“Έ

There's something rather lovely about an old-fashioned railway station, isn't there?

These photos were taken at what I believe is Kidderminster Town Station, part of the Severn Valley Railway, not far from Birmingham.

From the old railway carriages and vintage suitcases to the Station Master's office, there were so many little details just waiting to be photographed.

I decided to keep these images in black and white. Sometimes removing the colour really brings out the character of a place, and I think it works particularly well with these.

I do love exploring places like this, especially when there's a little history thrown into the mix!

Are you a fan of old steam railways? Or do you have a favourite heritage railway you've visited? πŸš‚

πŸ“Έ Captured by Dani

Address

Swain's Lane
London
N6 6PJ

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Captured By Dani posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Captured By Dani:

Shortcuts

Share