World-renowned photographers Dieter Schonlau and Sandra Hanke are bringing their extraordinary rainforest documentation to the CongressCentrum Pforzheim (CCP), offering audiences unprecedented glimpses into one of Earth's most biodiverse ecosystems. The photography duo, who have spent over 30 years documenting rainforest wildlife, will present a live reportage on Friday, November 7, sharing their spectacular images and experiences from life among the forest canopy giants, including intimate encounters with orangutans.
For more than three decades, Schonlau and Hanke have made the rainforest their second home, spending over 13 years living beneath jungle canopies. Their childhood dreams of exploring pristine forests and capturing the breathtaking diversity of life through their cameras have become reality. National Geographic magazine describes the pair's adventurous live presentations as captivating audiences with "the beauty and virtually limitless biodiversity of rainforests," while raising awareness about the vital importance of protecting these unique regions for humanity's survival.
The photographers' approach sets them apart from typical wildlife documentarians. They immerse themselves completely in their environment, seeking to learn, observe, and avoid disturbing the delicate ecosystem around them. This philosophy allows them to capture spectacular images that fascinate even seasoned scientists. "When I press the shutter, I want to trigger enthusiasm for the rainforests," Schonlau explains. "You only protect what you know. And what you not only know but also value, perhaps even more so."
Their presentations transport audiences directly into the heart of the jungle experience. Through vivid descriptions without exaggeration or pathos, they become compelling witnesses to a landscape constantly changing due to exploitation and profit-driven destruction. The duo regularly ventures into equatorial rainforests, living independently for months at a time, sleeping in hammocks, enduring thousands of mosquito bites with stoic patience, and navigating through dense undergrowth day and night with heavy camera equipment.
The photographers reveal the rainforest's most closely guarded secrets, from glowing fungi and flying frogs that wave to giant anacondas and the complex social lives of orangutans in the forest canopy. Their patience is legendary – weeks, months, and sometimes even years can pass before the rainforest reveals some of its well-kept mysteries. "You have to learn to see through the tricks of camouflage specialists," Schonlau notes. "After initial struggles, you must learn to read the forest somewhat fluently."
Indigenous peoples played a crucial role in teaching Schonlau and Hanke to see behind nature's "green curtain." During months-long expeditions with native guides, they learned essential survival and observation skills. Thanks to this visual training, they eventually developed the ability to independently spot "branches with legs" and "walking leaves" – creatures that master the art of natural camouflage. They discovered how to recognize the scent that signals nearby howler monkeys and learned the specific calls that attract spider monkeys' attention.
The Gasometer Pforzheim initiated this special evening event to complement its current 360-degree panorama exhibition "Amazonia" by Yadegar Asisi, which has already attracted over 100,000 visitors and continues to draw enthusiastic crowds. The Parkhotel Pforzheim (which operates the Gasometer) and the Pforzheimer Zeitung newspaper are joining as co-presenters for this extraordinary journey into the tropical rainforest, aiming to foster greater awareness about rainforest protection and significance.
The evening presentation begins on Friday, November 7, at 7 PM in the CongressCentrum Pforzheim's middle hall and runs approximately 100 minutes with an intermission. Tickets are available at the ticket office in TurmQuartier on Poststraße, as well as through online portals reservix.de and ADticket.de. Adult tickets cost 18.50 euros, while youth tickets for those 16 and under are priced at 10 euros. Reduced admission is available for people with disabilities. All guests from the VPE transport network can travel to and from the CCP free of charge using their event tickets. Additional information is available on the Gasometer's website at www.gasometer-pforzheim.de.
