Can I take photographs of the gorillas?

What is a safari without photography? One of the best ways of keeping safari memories is by photographing and filming the magical moments in the wild. Just like all other African Safaris, Mountain gorilla trekking only gets better when you capture your moments with the giant primates in the wild. If you are wondering, Can I take photographs of the gorillas? Yes you can take photographs of the gorillas during safaris in both Uganda and Rwanda.

A gorilla trekking journey into the tropical bushes of Africa is an extraordinary journey that allows you to experience the with awe-inspiring moments in the wild. An encounter with mountain gorillas is always magical, with most travelers referring to it as life-changing. At this time in the jungle, you can live the moment, feel the moment, but you will definitely need to capture the moment for future memories.

You can capture your iconic moments with the mountain gorillas in the wild by filming them or taking photographs. Whether you are an experienced photographer or just a curious traveler, Gorilla photography is permitted and easy if you follow the basic practices.

Photographing mountain gorillas is really remarkable, not so many encounters in the world bring you face to face with wildlife like mountain gorilla trekking. To make these moments last, you need to film them and take photographs during the encounter.

Unlike other normal African safaris, where you can photograph animals in whichever way you find fit, mountain gorilla photography in the wild is usually done in an ethical way, respecting the gorilla habitat and promoting gorilla conservation. Although most of us might have seen documentaries or photographs of mountain gorillas, a few of us have been able to see them live. To get the best gorilla photographs at a technical and storytelling level on your gorilla photography safari tour, it requires patience and a lot of shots from where you’ll be able to choose the very best to keep.

Guidelines for gorilla photography during safaris

Be it a seasoned photographer or a curious traveler, photographing mountain gorillas will surely unleash your imagination of the wild jungles of Africa. This experience is really awe-inspiring, and a must-do during your Gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda. Although photographing mountain gorillas in the wild during gorilla trekking tours is an exciting experience, it is, however, important to keep in mind the regulations and ethical guidelines of the practice to protect both the gorillas and the visitors. In this next section of this Article, we discuss the gorilla photography guidelines, etiquette, and best practices for photography.

Essential gorilla photography practices to follow

Maintaining a respectful distance

During both the trek and gorilla photography, one of the must do things is maintaining the required minimum distance as recommended by the authorities (at least 7 meters). Photographers are required to maintain a minimum distance of about 7 meters from the gorillas when taking their photographs.

The distance helps avoid spreading communicable diseases to gorillas and also the likelihood of a direct attack to visitors during the trip. We recommend carrying along zoom lens that can help you capture close-up shots without breaching the set minimum distance. This guideline does not only apply to photographers but generally to all visitors on the trek.

Minimum disturbance (Maintain Silence During the trek)

During gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, visitors are required to keep their voices low at all times, to reduce the level of disturbance at all cost. In case you need to inquire about something from your Ranger guide, we recommend asking in a low voice. This is done in effort to preserve gorillas and their natural habitat, it is best recommended to follow these guidelines while on a trek.

No flash photography is permitted

Unlike most other photography in Africa, Gorilla photography generally prohibits the use of flash lights. The sudden burst of lights from a camera flash can cause stress to the mountain gorillas and may make them agitated and aggressive. Before you start taking pictures, we recommend checking whether you disabled the flash light function on your camera before you approach the gorillas. This is one of the strict rules to follow while doing gorilla photography in Uganda and Rwanda.

 

Best Gorilla Photograph Tips

1. Get Low for the best Gorilla Shots

One of the best kept secret to good gorilla photographs lies in capturing their raw essence – from their perspective. While taking gorilla photographs, we recommend position yourself at lower angles, even if it means getting on the ground for the best shots of these gentle giants. You might even find yourself siting down or kneeling while photographing the gorillas in the wild.

To Capture the gorillas expressions and their natural habitat with stunning scenery, we best recommended to position yourself at eye level or lower. Gorilla portraits taken at a low level give a raw expression of gorillas, their face, and the nearby surroundings.

 

2. Use a Wide Aperture

In order to get the best results, we recommend using a wide aperture setting on your camera, such as f/2.8. This setting will help blur the background and foreground elements, such as leaves and vines, creating soft, colorful smudges and and thus capturing the best gorilla photos that resonate with emotion and allure.

3. Focus on Their Eyes for the best photos

The best gorilla portraits always capture the facial expression of these gentle giants so we recommend focus on the eyes while taking your photographs. You can always lowly and gently direct your focus to the gorillas’ eyes, as they serve as the entry points of your photos. Sharp, well-focused eyes create a strong impact, while out-of-focus eyes diminish the desired effect making your gorilla photos less impactful.

 

4. Look out for the perfect backgrounds

Just like any other photography, the background is always the backbone of a good photograph.. It is always important to focus on the subject using a harmonious environment to create a sense of balance and contrast with the background to highlight the gorilla’s presence. Portraits with a good background are likely to draw attention to and an impression to the viewer.