Northern Japan, about an hour from Tokyo at the Jigokudani Snow- Monkey Reserve. This is the Alpha ♂ of the group and he rules the roost there......
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Northern Japan, about an hour from Tokyo at the Jigokudani Snow- Monkey Reserve. This is the Alpha ♂ of the group and he rules the roost there...
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Winner in Your Most Awarded Picture Photo Challenge
Zenith Award
People's Choice in Your Most Awarded Top Class Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Monkeys And Apes Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 38
Contest Finalist in Image of the Year Photo Contest 2016
Member Selection Award
Apple Watch or iPad Mini
Contest Finalist in The Battle Of Advanced Photo Contest
Featured
Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 29
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Virtuoso
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Top Ranks
PaulZos
March 14, 2016
This is the best snow monkey photo I have seen to date. Congratulations on a magnificent capture.
PaulZos
March 14, 2016
This is the best snow monkey photo I have seen to date. Congratulations on a magnificent capture.
Picturedtreasures
July 10, 2016
Congratulations on your win! This is just an amazing photograph the color and the light and reflection are all very beautiful. I have never seen a photograph of the snow monkey quite like this one. And you were right it is the wet monkey the water that sets it apart. Great job
LindieK
December 08, 2016
Thank you to all my Peers for making this photo the MOST VIEWED image in my Portfolio ! Much obliged. Lindie
thombarbour
January 26, 2017
Love everything about this. Congratulations on your Image of the year selection!
Mandarin16
March 28, 2017
Thanks for your LIKE on Deep in thought. Jigokudani is quite a little trek along those narrow paths. I took a photo at 1.5m from an adult here once. The splashes from body and hand, the serious face, the depth of field, the pose. A real atmospheric shot. A little thing - Nagano is in Honshu not Hokkaido. A nature mag front cover if I ever saw one.
JayneBug
May 04, 2021
Absolutely stunning. An amazing capture with the water and intense facial expression. Congratulations on your award winning image.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
On the island of Hokkaido, north of Japan. At the Jugokudani Macaque Park on the island, one can bag fantastic photographs of Snow-monkeys or Japanese Macaques. There are many tourists around the Onsen (Hotwater pool), each with some kind of device to record the antics of the monkeys. I must have been there for maybe 5 hours when this Alpha Male (who totally rules the roost in and around the pool, incidentally) decided to get up onto this rock in the pool. I anticipated his move, having studied the comings and goings of the troop. I tracked him as he swam closer to the protruding rock and triggered a rapid fire as he went through the process of clambering on the rock. At the same time, he spied a little 'upstart' who was trying his luck getting into the Onsen. He hit the water with his one hand and gave him the evil look...enough to make the poor innocent scamper to safety..Time
I was there quite early (by Japanese standards) and waited for the Park to open. This photo might have been taken between 12:00-13:00. It was bitterly, bitterly cold that morning, having snowed heavily during the night.Temperatures might have been around -7 or so.. The RAW image almost landed in the Rubbish Bin as the steam from the hot Onsen created by the difference in temperature, obscured much of the picture. I remembered that the image was special to me, and that I have anticipated the light from the side and couldn't bring myself to click delete. I clicked Dehaze instead , et voila! Magic happened...I was stunned...and remembered that I 'saw' something special in this scene with my eyes. And yes, the camera recorded it, I just had to delve a bit deeper and get Lightroom's help.Lighting
I was most fortunate as some professional photographers had set up external flashes on the side of the pond which they triggered via remote control. I must have 'piggy-backed' somehow on their light and got this absolute treasure. But also, right at that point in time, a watery sun broke through the cloud and bathed the pond in soft, diffused light.The snow around the pond helped the light along as well.Equipment
This was shot with a Nikon D600, 105mm f1.8 lens ( my all-time favourite lens...it is magic when doing portraits and at a distance, crops like a champion..) I rested the camera on the side of the pool while the baby monkeys clambered over my hands and camera and dripped water all over my Nikon...lolInspiration
I've seen so many photographs of these Macaques in Magazines before, and really, really wanted to go and see these Snow Monkeys. The fact that they live in those harsh conditions and have adapted by swimming (lazing around would be a better description) in the hot Onsen to counter the cold, I found just totally amazing.So, it was on the Bucket-list for a while.Editing
Lightroom...RAW image..first of all I hit DEHAZE...( and felt that thrill when you happen upon something unexpected...!).then, exposure, contrast, shadows,tweaking the whites a bit and sharpened and denoised, cropped and applied a light vignette...very basic. This one , I got right 'in camera'...as the purists say...In my camera bag
Always, always my 105mm Macro lens. Then my 50mm prime and my 70-200 and my Nikon D500- I now have a Sony A7IV as well with a 100-400mm and 90mm lens. But without my Nikkor 105?...Never...Feedback
Nature photography is called : Hurry up and wait. Be patient, observe, be ready, don't wait for the perfect shot, it won't come to you, begging, you have to grab and bag it. Nature photography is all about opportunity presenting itself. Sometimes, as in Hokkaido, one can be more prepared, better than in Africa, for example. But to do Nature Photography with a specific image in mind you'd like to duplicate, is to set yourself up for failure. Grab what you can get. Nature gives with an open hand to her children, just be there....Of course we all know about the Golden Hour and the beautiful soft Morning Light, but Nature happens all around you , daily 365 . Be ready!