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THE JOURNEY.
Embarking on this wildlife journey has brought countless awe-inspiring encounters and invaluable lessons.
Immerse yourself in captivating visual narratives that reveal the wonders and adventures of wildlife around us. From the Veluwe to the North of the Netherlands, these galleries will bring you closer to nature.
Dalkilic life.
Who am I?
Deniz Dalkılıç
I am a 26-year-old Turkish software engineer who has been living in the Netherlands since May 2022. My passion is travelling and capturing unique moments in nature and wildlife, and my goal is to raise awareness by using powerful imagery and storytelling.
The Build-Up
1998-2016
I was born in Ankara, Turkey in 1998. I studied at TED Ankara College Private Middle School and High School and graduated with a degree. I have played basketball for around 9 years on a great level and my passion was to become a professional basketball player, however due to my academic success and non-ending injuries, I decided to study computer science at university.
Education & Professional Career
2016-2020
As a computer science graduate, I started working in Defense & Space domain where I helped develop navigation solutions for military software. Then I moved on to working on mobile apps within e-commerce domain where I gained experience on mobile apps and automation.
A Life Changing Decision
2022
Due to economic and social distress in my country, I chose to live in a different country where I can develop my skills and push myself to the limits. On 14 May 2022, I moved to the Netherlands with a sudden decision to work as a software engineer. I started living in a small, green Dutch city called Delft, which was the first time in my life that I lived this close to nature. My responsibility was to develop automated agriculture solutions for european farming industry.
Adapting To a Different Lifestyle
November 2022
The first times were tougher than I expected in the Netherlands and I had various problems with my new life, both causing serious physical and mental issues. I have spent months trying to solve the root causes of these issues, and I still find myself doing it from time to time, however it lead to something beautiful... buying my first camera ever in my life.
A Sad But Promising Mistake
January 2023
After I bought my first camera, I spent countless hours outside, trying to do various kinds of photography. Roof photography, street photography, car photography and more, but none of them gave me the feeling that I was looking for. One day, I decided to make the biggest mistake that I could do, which actually could effect my life in a positive way in the long run. Taking my camera and visiting a zoo... This experience completely changed my vision of how I see wildlife and I decided never to visit a zoo again since the different types of animals packed into small spaces to earn money from public affected me deeply. Therefore, I decided to have a new challenge in my life, which is to raise awareness on wildlife and its value by filming it in its natural habitat, the wilderness.
First wildlife experience
February 2023
My first "wild" experience was in Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen, a national park full of dunes and rivers, where one can find many deer, foxes, and a great variety of birds and reptiles. For the first time in my life, I was filming a large animal (a fallow deer) in its own habitat, and this experience really impressed me. I felt a sense of challenge, freedom and creativity.
Most Exciting (Terrifying) Moment
September 2023
Until this moment, I have had many encounters with small to medium-sized animals like foxes, various birds and fallow deer. However, I would never have imagined that one of the most terrifying and exciting experiences I have had would be with the largest land mammal in Europe, the European Bison. I came face to face with this magnificent giant and I stopped breathing for a couple minutes. It was worth it :)
A Thouching Moment
November 2023
One of my most cherished experiences involves photographing seals for two sisters who lost their sibling to cancer. They believed that whoever passed away first would come back as a seal, and my photographs helped them feel closer to their lost sister. This poignant story underscores the emotional connection we can have with wildlife and the comfort it can bring during times of loss. Seals, with their expressive eyes and gentle nature, often evoke a sense of peace and continuity.
Now
2024
For the last 1,5 years, I have met magnificent animals in their natural habitat and I have seen the healing factor of nature firsthand. I am now sure that I would like to keep contributing to nature in different ways that I can show my skills and inspire other people for understanding the dynamics of nature and preserving the balance. I will keep Discovering, Learning, and Protecting.