Pastry Chef for 2 Months, Rainforest Photographer for 10: Meet Dieter Schonlau

Photo: Sharjah Government Media Bureau

Dieter Schonlau, a German explorer and photographer, shared his incredible journey through the rainforest at the International Photography Festival (Xposure) 2025 in Sharjah. Speaking to a packed audience, he gave a glimpse into a life few people could imagine—one spent deep in the jungle for nearly 14 years.

"I work only eight weeks a year making marzipan," he said with a smile. "That allows us to spend the rest of the time in the jungle." His words fascinated the audience as he explained how he and his wife, Sandra, have dedicated their lives to exploring and photographing some of the oldest rainforests in the world.

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Though he admitted this was his first time giving a lecture in English, Schonlau’s storytelling was both raw and powerful. He described his deep love for the rainforest, sharing stories of adventure, discovery, and the urgent need for conservation.

Among his many experiences, one of the most special moments was encountering a wild orangutan mother and her baby in the Sumatran rainforest. "We were 45 meters high on our platform when we saw them in a nearby tree. She looked at us, trusted us, and then fell asleep. Her baby watched us for a while and then also drifted off to sleep. We stayed there the whole night. We knew we would never witness something like that again."

Schonlau also has a deep appreciation for creatures often feared by others. He spoke fondly of leeches, calling them clever and smart. "Many people don’t like them, but I do. They can calculate the walking speed of a mammal in just a second." He then amazed the audience with photographs showing how animals like mantises, geckos, and spiders blend perfectly into their surroundings. "Look at this photo. Do you see an animal? No one? This is a close-up—it’s a perfectly camouflaged leaf frog," he said, pointing to an image on the screen.

However, not all of Schonlau’s stories were happy. He warned about the destruction of the rainforest, showing heartbreaking images of deforestation. "Every year, we see the destruction getting closer. A thousand-year-old rainforest is cut down for palm oil plantations. Palm oil is in 60–70% of supermarket products. If this continues, in 20 years, that young orangutan I photographed will have no forest left to call home."

Schonlau has worked with the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) for over 12 years, helping to rescue and protect displaced and injured orangutans. One of the most tragic cases he shared was of a male orangutan who lost his home when the trees were cut down. "He tried to return to his home, but it was gone. We rescued him, but he was too weak. He did not survive."

Despite the challenges, Schonlau remains hopeful. "The rainforest we see today is over 120 million years old. I hope that in the future, we will still hear the call of the orangutan echoing through the trees."

Xposure 2025 has brought together over 300 world-renowned photographers to the UAE. Each of them has come not just to share their work but also their knowledge, experiences, and the incredible stories behind their photographs. Dieter Schonlau’s journey reminds us all of the beauty of the rainforest and the responsibility we have to protect it for future generations.

Feb. 23, 2025 12:18 p.m. 507

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