Last of the Mountain Gorillas by Dimitrios Zavos

Captured within the dense, primeval canopy of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, this poignant portrait documents a rare encounter with a female mountain gorilla. The photographer utilized a 200mm focal length to bridge the distance, isolating the subject against the lush, dark foliage to emphasize the profound, melancholy expression in her eyes. This image serves as a powerful testament to the fragility of a species numbering fewer than 1,000 individuals. Its award-worthy quality lies in the intimate connection established between the lens and the subject, highlighting the raw, untamed dignity of these creatures in their only remaining natural habitat.

Canon EOS 60D with Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Exposure 1/80sec @ f/8 | ISO 640 | Focal Length 200mm

Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Dimitrios Zavos

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born on the Greek island of Samos in 1980, Dimitrios Zavos is a freelance travel and wildlife photographer currently based in Farnborough, United Kingdom. A civil engineer by profession, he balances his technical career with a deep-seated passion for documenting the world's natural beauty. Since committing to serious photography, he has leveraged his extensive global travels to capture evocative wildlife imagery, earning recognition for his ability to translate the quiet majesty of his subjects into compelling visual narratives.

Profile View Full Profile

Award Winner Photo of the Day

Award Date January 31, 2018

68.0

AWARD SCORE

Value 12.0

Clarity 13.0

Composition 17.0

Style 13.0

Skill 13.0

Photograph Location

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Dimitrios Zavos Photography

Wildlife Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (10.8/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares

5.0/5 points

1,152/1,000 Social Share

Page Views

5.0/5 points

8,254/2,500 Page View

Reviews

0.2/5 points

3/100 Review

Submissions

0.6/5 points

64/500 Submission

Jury Score: 68.0/80

Resonance Score: 10.8/20

Total Award Score: 78.8/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 8

Sophie Delacroix Emotional Narrative, Viewer Response & Psychological Impact Expert Review

Before the eye identifies the gorilla, a sudden, heavy stillness settles in the chest. It’s the weight of that gaze—a profound, ancient melancholy that demands a physiological surrender. I find myself holding my breath, caught in the dark, tangled foliage of her world. When I return to this portrait months later, the sadness hasn't faded; it’s deepened. It’s a haunting, intimate activation of grief that follows me into sleep, long after I’ve turned away.

Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review

The forest floor doesn't offer much light, just a dim, filtered green that demands absolute stillness. He must have held his breath for an eternity, waiting for her to turn. I’ve felt that same heavy silence in the woods, where the air itself feels ancient. Looking into her eyes, I feel a sudden, sharp ache for all we’ve lost. It’s not just a portrait; it’s a quiet, fragile prayer caught in the dark.

James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review

1/80sec at f/8, 200mm, ISO 640. That shutter speed is a gamble at 200mm without a tripod, yet the focus holds. Stopping down to f/8 was the right call to manage the depth of field in that dense canopy. It’s sharp where it counts. I’ve spent years looking at soft wildlife shots, but this one actually respects the optics. It’s a cold, calculated success. I’m genuinely impressed the sensor didn't turn the shadows into noise.

Santiago Reyes Street Photography, The City & the Unrepeatable Instant Expert Review

That gaze hits like a freight train. Most wildlife shots are static, but this feels like a street portrait in the jungle. You caught her eyes shifting just as the light hit that heavy brow. One tenth of a second later and the connection breaks, the soul vanishes into the foliage. I’ve spent my life chasing fleeting glances, and this? This is the real thing. You were ready. You didn't blink. It’s absolutely haunting.

Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review

Most wildlife shots are just trophies, but this one hits differently. I’ve seen thousands of gorilla portraits, yet the way Zavos caught that heavy, weary gaze at 200mm makes it feel like she’s looking through the lens and into our own failures. It’s the depth of that shadow around her eyes that’ll haunt us in thirty years. I honestly felt a lump in my throat. It’s not just a portrait; it’s a quiet, devastating goodbye.

Kofi Asante Intimate Portraiture, Reportage & Lives Told Truthfully Expert Review

There’s a heavy, weary intelligence in those eyes that stops me cold. I’ve spent my life looking for that specific flicker of recognition in a subject, and it’s here. She isn’t just a specimen in the brush; she’s a presence acknowledging the lens. It’s a rare, quiet gift when a wild creature allows you that much of their soul. This face has a whole life in it, and I’m grateful she let us see it.

Mei-Ling Chen Pattern, Geometry, Abstract Form & Visual Mathematics Expert Review

The gorilla’s face anchors the frame at a precise golden ratio intersection, balancing the chaotic, high-frequency textures of the Bwindi foliage. Zavos utilizes a shallow depth of field to isolate the subject, effectively neutralizing the background’s visual noise. I’m struck by how the vertical axis of the nose creates a perfect bisector, grounding the composition. It’s a beautifully solved spatial equation. When I trace those dark, soulful vectors, I can’t help but feel a profound, quiet ache.

Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review

The forest doesn't crowd her. It recedes. The dark leaves create a void, a deliberate stillness around the silver-grey fur. I’ve spent minutes staring into those eyes. It’s heavy. The silence here isn't an absence. It’s a weight. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty; it is the space where she exists, alone, against the encroaching shadows. I feel a sudden, sharp ache in my chest. She is waiting.

Reflections on this Photograph

By Tom Bretherton

The Weight of a Gaze

I remember sitting in a small café in Kigali, watching the rain turn the red earth into thick, heavy mud. An old man sat across from me, nursing a cup of tea that had long since gone cold.

Read the reflection →

By Isabelle Park

The Weight of a Glance

I was sitting on the subway this morning, watching a woman across from me stare out the window at the dark tunnel walls. She wasn't looking at anything in particular, but her expression held a kind of heavy, ancient patience that made me look away.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

Share your thoughts about this award-winning photograph. Your reviews contribute to the community engagement score.

11 replies

Tania says:
February 10, 2018 at 06:27

What a beautiful photograph. I feel so sad for the Gorillas. It’s on my bucket list to visit these amazing creatures. Good luck with your photograph.
Reply
- Dimitrios Zavos says:
  February 10, 2018 at 17:39
  
  Thank you very much Tania. The species might be critically endangered at the moment, but experts report that their numbers have risen over the last few years, mostly because of the conservation efforts of Uganda’s, Rwanda’s and Congo’s authorities, which is very encouraging. Lets hope that the trend will continue.
  Reply
Rafael Emiliano says:
February 4, 2018 at 15:22

Dimitrius every time I see your job, I enjoyed it a lot, You get the beauty of Nature as a professional. Thanks to share with us your friends all over the world. Greetings from México, and I will keep in touch via facebook as always. My best regards.
Reply

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