Allan Dixon is an Irish traveller and photographer whose selfies with animals went viral in late 2015, when he was 29. British newspapers nicknamed him a "real-life Dr Dolittle" because kangaroos, quokkas, camels, cockatoos and even a sea lion seem to pose with him, often grinning as widely as he is. Most of the pictures were taken during his travels around Australia, with a few from elsewhere, and he shares them on Instagram as @daxon.
The secret is less magic than patience. Dixon told Bored Panda that a single shot could take "anywhere between five minutes to three hours" while he waited for an animal to relax around him, usually lying in the dirt with a wide-angle camera held at arm's length. His advice to anyone tempted to copy him was to stay calm, never provoke the animal, and, as he put it, "make sure it's not a crocodile".
Below are 13 of his best-known selfies, with a note on each animal, followed by some practical guidance on photographing wildlife without harming it. The picture at the top, with a white kangaroo, appears again in the gallery.
Kangaroos and wallabies
A white kangaroo
Dixon's most famous selfie shows him laughing next to a white kangaroo that seems to be grinning back with its eyes closed. White kangaroos are rare in the wild; most are either albino, with pink eyes, or leucistic, with normal eye colour, and many seen by visitors live in wildlife parks. Pale fur makes them easy targets for predators, so wild white kangaroos seldom survive long.
Leaning on the fence
Here a curious kangaroo props its front paws on a wire fence just behind Dixon's shoulder. Kangaroos often approach people in parks where they are used to visitors, but they are strong wild animals, and males can kick and scratch hard if they feel threatened.
A wallaby's kiss
A small wallaby appears to nuzzle Dixon's cheek, a shot that took real patience. Wallabies are close relatives of kangaroos, generally smaller, and more than 30 species live across Australia and New Guinea.
A rock-wallaby reaching out
On rocky outback terrain, a rock-wallaby rests a paw on Dixon's outstretched hand. Rock-wallabies live on cliffs and boulder slopes and are remarkably agile climbers. Several species are threatened, so tourists are asked not to feed them, as human food can make them ill.
The quokka and other land animals
The "happiest animal in the world"
The quokka, a cat-sized marsupial found mainly on Rottnest Island off Perth, is famous for its smiling expression, and it was made for selfies like this one. Quokkas are protected and listed as vulnerable. On Rottnest it is illegal to touch or feed them, and visitors can be fined, so the right way to get this shot is the way Dixon did it: lie down, keep your hands to yourself and let the quokka come closer.
A camel mid-yell
On a beach where tourist camel rides operate, a camel opens its mouth wide at exactly the same moment as Dixon. Australia has the world's largest population of wild dromedary camels, descendants of animals brought in during the 1800s for transport in the outback.
A friendly pony
A shaggy dark pony pushes its head alongside Dixon's in an olive grove. Horses are naturally curious and often come to a fence to investigate, but it is always best to ask the owner before touching or feeding someone else's animal.
Sharing bread with a duck
Dixon and a duck each hold the same piece of bread in their mouths, one of his funniest photos. As a gentle caution, bread is junk food for waterbirds: it fills them up without much nutrition and leftovers foul the water. Wildlife groups suggest oats, peas, sweetcorn or special waterfowl pellets if you want to feed ducks.
A road-trip dog
A black-and-white dog pokes its head out of the back window while Dixon grins from the front seat on a mountain road. Dogs enjoy the smells rushing past, but vets recommend a harness or seat restraint so they are not hurt by sudden braking or flying debris.
Birds and sea creatures
The priceless parrot
The "parrot" that made this series famous is a black cockatoo perched on Dixon's shoulder, its beak right next to his ear. Black cockatoos belong to the parrot family, and several Australian species, including the red-tailed and Carnaby's black cockatoo, are threatened by the loss of the old trees they nest in.
A sulphur-crested cockatoo
A white cockatoo with a yellow crest stands on a railing beside Dixon, and both pull the same wide-eyed face. Sulphur-crested cockatoos are loud, clever and can live for decades. They are common in Australian cities, where many have learned to open rubbish bins.
Swimming with a sea lion
Snorkelling in clear blue water, Dixon is joined by a sea lion that glides towards his camera. Australian sea lions are endangered, and the safest way to swim with them is on a licensed tour, keeping your distance and letting the animal decide how close to come.
A green sea turtle
A sea turtle cruises past Dixon in shallow water. Turtles are protected throughout Australian waters, and touching or chasing them is discouraged because it stresses them and can damage their protective coating. Watching quietly from a few metres away, as here, is the best approach.
How to photograph animals without harming them
Dixon's photos are joyful, and part of their charm is that the animals look relaxed. That is the key test for anyone trying something similar. Animal welfare charities, including World Animal Protection, have campaigned against "wildlife selfies" that involve holding, baiting or restraining wild animals, which became a booming tourist business in some countries.
A few simple rules keep a photo kind:
- Let the animal choose. Sit or lie still and wait. If it walks away, let it go.
- Do not grab, hold or chase. Wild animals that are handled can be stressed, injured or bite.
- Avoid food as bait. Feeding changes animals' behaviour, can make them sick and is illegal in some places, such as with quokkas on Rottnest Island.
- Be wary of paid photo opportunities with wild animals in chains, cages or on leads; they often come from cruel trade.
- Use a wide-angle lens or selfie stick rather than getting closer than the animal is comfortable with.
Done this way, an animal selfie becomes what Dixon's best pictures are: a record of a brief, friendly encounter on the animal's own terms.
Sources: Photos by Allan Dixon (Instagram, Facebook); interview by Bored Panda; My Modern Met; Daily Mail; Wikipedia: Quokka.
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