N-Photo says… Why it works

It isn’t hard to make a connection with the subject of this shot. On the day he took it, Frans was accompanied by one of Diane Fossey’s trackers. He knew every gorilla’s life story, and having that insight enabled Frans to approach the photography from a different angle: “It’s the difference between taking a snapshot of a total stranger in the street or doing a portrait of someone about whom you know a few things.” Technically, it’s tough, too. Frans used a D3X with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, with the sensitivity pushed to ISO1600 to give an exposure of 1/40 sec at f/6.3. Vibration reduction lenses help in low light, but Frans also uses a monopod: “It’s a hindrance to drag tripods with you because you’re in a tight situation in a cloud forest.”