Name: Dewald Tromp
Picture title: Greeting a Friend
Category: People’s Choice
Nationality: I was born in Windhoek, Namibia. I live in South Africa.
Occupation: I am an orthopaedic surgeon by profession and have been doing wildlife photography for the past 24 years.
Technical information
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: 14-24mm f/2.8
EXIF: ISO 1250, F/8.0, SS 1/320
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Dewald Tromp | Greeting a Friend
Name: Dewald Tromp
Picture title: Greeting a Friend
Category: People’s Choice
Nationality: I was born in Windhoek, Namibia. I live in South Africa.
Occupation: I am an orthopaedic surgeon by profession and have been doing wildlife photography for the past 24 years.
Technical information
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: 14-24mm f/2.8
EXIF: ISO 1250, F/8.0, SS 1/320
Dewald Tromp says:
The conservation of the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda is one of Africa’s rare success stories and serves as a beacon of hope for the continent. Fewer than 1,000 individuals remain in the rainforests that border Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC. During gorilla trekking, visitors are allowed to approach within 7-10 meters of individual gorilla families, though maintaining a safe distance is not always easy for the gorillas themselves.
The dominant Silverback casually flopped down directly in front of me, observing his reflection in my lens. Surrounded by thick vegetation, I had nowhere else to move and adopted a submissive posture, keeping my eyes downcast. He reached out his hand to touch his reflection, and for the briefest moment, I imagined him extending his hand to greet me as an old friend—a moment in time I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Image taken in Rwanda at Volcanoes National Park
Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)
Dewald Tromp
South Africa
As a child, my family holidays were always spent either at Kruger Park or Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, where my love for nature was cultivated. Wildlife photography has been my passion for the past 24 years, and I have a deep affinity for the African continent, its vast open spaces, and its diverse cultures. Together with my wife, I have traveled extensively across Africa and around the world to photograph rare and fascinating wildlife in the last remaining wilderness areas. Through my images, I aim to inspire people to actively engage in the conservation of our beautiful planet.