145mm, 1/250s, f/5, ISO400
Rwanda’s mountain gorillas understandably steal much of the country’s headlines as far as wildlife tourism goes. But Akagera National Park in the country’s east is a wonderful experience of the more “typical” kind with plenty of the usual suspects: giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, zebras, lions and rhinos (though the latter two can be a bit tricky to find). The landscape is anything but typical, however, and that’s one of the reason I enjoy it so much. I took this photograph up on the hills of the park’s western side, facing east towards Tanzania.
After years of photography — and hundreds of thousands of photos — you start to develop an instinctive feel for how to frame a photograph. Framing (and soft light) are what makes this photograph work. The grass provides a nice lower frame, and the two pairs of giraffes help create a nice balance in the image; without the “smaller” giraffes in the distance, that balance would be different, though I think the image would still work.
🖋️📸 written & photographed by:
Marcus Westberg is a multiple award-winning photographer and writer from Sweden whose work — covering conservation, wildlife and travel — appears regularly in several global publications. He has made several trips to our region specifically to volunteer for Gorilla Highlands Experts. When not globetrotting, Marcus lives with his wife and daughter close to Lisbon, Portugal. Click for our interview with Marcus. [bio updated: 2026-03-05]
Comments
One response to “Giraffe Gyrations”
Wonderful picture 😍