Snow Monkeys in Japan where I spent a little time doing a portrait shoot with a Nikon 100-400 and 135 Plena and Z8
So expressive, portraits of the monkeys in the hot spring mist just a small sample of the images from three days. These Monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑, Jigokudani Yaen Kōen) are all from a single troop that dominates the pool under the rule of an alpha male, the dragon king. There are hundreds of other monkeys in the park, but the hot spring pool is special and so the best portraits are these monkeys. They are quite individual, a lot of animals are cookie cutter, but some like these monkeys, or dogs for instance are both very individual and expressive making them fun to shoot as portraits and activity. I usually shoot the dogs at the Iditarod and like these monkeys it is a great portrait shoot of individuals. More fun than a barrel of monkeys.........
I want to thank all of you for your nice comments. Some animals have a lot of personality in their faces and portraits, so very individual. These are only one small troop with an alpha maile, called the dragon king, quite few females, the very old one is the matriarch that Greg pointed too who is equiv to 90 human years and it shows in her face with the weight of life, one of the females shown is really scary looking looked almost insane.. like a monkey from the movie Congo. The baby monkey had other peers but one of the younger monkeys disliked this one and chased, hit, and bit the baby several times. There are the befuddled looking monkeys and some that seemed bland just did there thing and like some people just went about minding their own business. I could go on with captions and little stories, shooting these animals is different from most because of the individual behavior. Dogs are like this when I shoot the iditarod so much individual behavior, and bears in Alaska at places like Brooks and Lake Clark so much individual behavior and differences in their faces. Capturing these situations is almost street photography. It was quite the 3 day shoot and something my Alaska background proved useful. The Plena lens is wonderful the 135mm 1,8 gives a little working distance for animals and the ability to do subject isolation.
all my life I have been wondering why these human looking like creatures don't develope and improve. If they can go to schools they should be able to live a life like human. I bet we or they will have to discover what really the difference. Yes I Guess it is some where in the brain.
Bob
It's a toss up between 3 and 4 for me favorites. 