Lars Beusker German , b. 1973

Literature

I heard that there are countries in Africa that are not dry and parched almost all year long. Uganda is nicknamed "The Pearl of Africa" and that for a good reason. It is a year-round green country full of vegetation in great biodiversity. About one third of the 800 (!) mountain gorillas still living free and wild live here. Their habitat is mountain forests between 2200 and 4000 meters above sea level. I was looking for a straight portrait with eye contact. The best focal length for a portrait with a human is between 85 and 135 mm - so I thought it must also work with a silverback. 
What I underestimated (or forgot? It's only been 1 year since I have photographed a human being last) is that I have to get pretty close to the wild animal for that. My adrenaline level rose violently, even 4 meters was still too far away for a format-filling picture. I could hardly hold the camera steady, many pictures blurred just because of my tension. But then, on the 2nd evening after a 7-hour always soaking wet gorilla tracking, I was rewarded when I looked at the pictures of the day in my camp with a glass of wine ... King Loui - an almost full-grown silverback looks me straight into my lens, as if he would know what I wanted him to do - what a gift!