2025, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Bwindi National Park, Uganda

This was my fourth trip to Uganda to observe gorillas. Each encounter has its own special flavor, but this one was even more so because it was my last opportunity to film for my documentary “Mission Hope,” which is dedicated to mountain gorillas. Every morning, I feel a mixture of excitement and apprehension, but it always dissipates as soon as I am in the company of the gorillas.
We didn't walk very far on this trek, and we quickly encountered the gorillas. The path was easy to access and more or less clear for photography, but the light was very strong, which was difficult to manage. The whole family stayed with us for a few minutes before dispersing a little, some of them into the trees. At that point, I didn't think I would come back with any good photos, but I was very happy to be among the gorillas, it's always extraordinary.
That was until Kasiru decided to sit down in front of me. I was crouching near a tree trunk, observing the silverback who was lying higher up, when this female came down towards us and lay down a few meters away from me. She first lay on her side, her hands under her head, and watched me for a long time. We stayed there for several minutes, observing each other, then she began to change positions, switching sides, lying on her stomach, and finally on her back. She lay down like a human, on her back, arms behind her head, as we might do on our bed or at the beach, and I saw the perfect opportunity. I asked the ranger for permission to raise my arms above my head so I could hold the camera as high as possible, shifting them slightly to give the impression that I was above her.
He agreed, and after adjusting my camera settings, I quickly took the photo blindly. When I viewed it on my camera, I had tears in my eyes. Her gaze conveyed everything we had just experienced together, an encounter between two different beings who were nevertheless so close to each other.
The hour had passed and ended in the most beautiful way. Kasiru doesn't know it, but she has left an indelible mark on my heart and will, I hope, be the messenger of her species to the whole world.