Uganda Primate and Wildlife Safari Photography

Lifetime Experience Safaris

Most safaris.

Photography of the mountain gorillas

The Gorilla Habituation Experience is one of the best wildlife photography encounters in the world – it offers more time to capture the perfect shot, however taking photographs of gorillas can still be challenging, due to the light conditions and the unpredictable distance between you and the gorillas.

You should ensure that you’re as prepared as possible to get the best photos. Make sure that your batteries are fully charged and you have plenty of space on your memory cards. Bring waterproof bags or covers for your camera as the rainforest climate means it can rain any time of year.

Your choice of camera is completely up to you – we’ve seen some excellent photos which were taken with an iPhone 6s, however a DSLR that can shoot at a high ISO is recommended.

As you’re required to be at least seven metres from the gorillas, a 70-200mm lens is ideal. A 2.8 lens is even better as the light in the forest can be very poor at times.

Flash photography is not allowed so make sure that you disable the flash on your camera or mobile phone before you get to your group of gorillas.

Your time with the gorillas is precious so you should plan your shots rather than shooting wildly. We recommend that you find a balance between absorbing this incredible experience and taking photographs of these fascinating creatures.

Don’t spend the whole time looking through your camera lens – you should focus on the experience as well as taking your photographs.