Welcome to Wildlife Beyond the Lens—a digital dumping ground for the stories, scars, and snapshots collected in between potholes, dust storms, and poorly-timed elephant crossings.
I’m Niel Pienaar. Safari guide. Storyteller. Bush philosopher. Occasional overthinker. And, apparently, now a website owner—because what better way to share life in the wild than through something powered by Wi-Fi and the occasional existential crisis?
This isn’t just a blog, or a portfolio, or a “curated experience.” It’s a chronicle of what happens when a man with a camera, a slightly unhealthy obsession with leopards, and a questionable life plan decides to chase meaning through thorn trees and border posts.
Here, you’ll find photo essays of animals who didn’t sign model releases, tales from the road (most of which are true-ish), and travel journals that somehow always involve mechanical failure, spiritual epiphanies, and at least one German tourist yelling at me. There’s also the option to order prints—because even cynics have to pay for fuel—and a corner for anyone curious about joining a private safari where the guiding comes with a side of sarcasm and soul.
Wildlife Beyond the Lens is for those who see beyond brochures. Who know that nature doesn’t always pose, the bush doesn’t care about your schedule, and that real stories—like real photos—happen somewhere between chaos and wonder.
So, if you’re into raw landscapes, unfiltered wildlife, and the kind of commentary that makes PR people nervous, pour a coffee (or something stronger) and stay a while.
Welcome to the wild—my wild.
Wildlife Beyond the Lens 