PRIMATE EYE CONTACT

Over the last nine years, I’ve taken more than 70,000 portraits of wild primates in the jungles and mountains of Asia, Africa, and Madagascar. I’m deeply fascinated with these highly intelligent and social close relatives of ours, in particular with their engaging facial expressions that show their rich emotional life and unique personalities. The below selection of portraits is the result of countless hours of sitting patiently and quietly close to primates in their natural habitat, documenting how their faces and eyes change expressions as they observe each other, interact or become introvert.

Winner of the Animal Portraits category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 56 (2020). A young bachelor proboscis monkey posing with closed eyes. Borneo.Buy the photo as fine art print.

Winner of the Animal Portraits category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 56 (2020). A young bachelor proboscis monkey posing with closed eyes. Borneo.

Buy the photo as fine art print.

‘THE SCEPTIC’ / BLACK CRESTED MACAQUE, SULAWESI

‘THE SCEPTIC’ / BLACK CRESTED MACAQUE, SULAWESI

‘SCOWL’ / MANDRILL ALPHA MALE, GABON

‘SCOWL’ / MANDRILL ALPHA MALE, GABON

‘BLEEDING-HEART MONKEY’ / GELADA, ETHIOPIA

‘BLEEDING-HEART MONKEY’ / GELADA, ETHIOPIA

‘CHEEKY’ / GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY, SHAANXI, CHINA

‘CHEEKY’ / GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY, SHAANXI, CHINA

BLACK-AND-WHITE SNUB-NOSED MONKEY MALE, CHINA

BLACK-AND-WHITE SNUB-NOSED MONKEY MALE, CHINA

‘MEDITATION’ / PROBOSCIS MONKEY BACHELOR, SABAH, BORNEO

‘MEDITATION’ / PROBOSCIS MONKEY BACHELOR, SABAH, BORNEO

‘CATCHING SNOWFLAKES’ / JAPANESE MACAQUE, JAPAN

‘CATCHING SNOWFLAKES’ / JAPANESE MACAQUE, JAPAN

‘LADY OF THE FOREST’ / ORANGUTAN FEMALE, KALIMANTAN, BORNEO

‘LADY OF THE FOREST’ / ORANGUTAN FEMALE, KALIMANTAN, BORNEO

‘ALMOND EYES’ / RED-SHANKED DOUC, VIETNAM

‘ALMOND EYES’ / RED-SHANKED DOUC, VIETNAM

‘THE PHILOSOPHER’ / BLACK CRESTED MACAQUE, SULAWESI

‘THE PHILOSOPHER’ / BLACK CRESTED MACAQUE, SULAWESI

‘THE YOUNG KING’ / MANDRILL YOUNG, GABON

‘THE YOUNG KING’ / MANDRILL YOUNG, GABON

‘PINK THREAT’ / GELADA ALPHA MALE, ETHIOPIA

‘PINK THREAT’ / GELADA ALPHA MALE, ETHIOPIA

GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY MOTHER AND YOUNG, CHINA

GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY MOTHER AND YOUNG, CHINA

BLACK-AND-WHITE SNUB-NOSED MONKEY FAHTER AND YOUNG, CHINA

BLACK-AND-WHITE SNUB-NOSED MONKEY FAHTER AND YOUNG, CHINA

PROBOSCIS MONKEY YOUNGSTER, SABAH, BORNEO

PROBOSCIS MONKEY YOUNGSTER, SABAH, BORNEO

‘SPA MONKEYS’ / JAPANESE MACAQUE MOTHER AND YOUNG, JAPAN

‘SPA MONKEYS’ / JAPANESE MACAQUE MOTHER AND YOUNG, JAPAN

‘MOTHER’S ARMS’ / ORANGUTAN MOTHER AND BABY, BORNEO

‘MOTHER’S ARMS’ / ORANGUTAN MOTHER AND BABY, BORNEO

‘THE COSTUME MONKEY’ / RED-SHANKED DOUC, VIETNAM

‘THE COSTUME MONKEY’ / RED-SHANKED DOUC, VIETNAM

‘THE CHARMER’ / BLACK CRESTED MACAQUE, SULAWESI

‘THE CHARMER’ / BLACK CRESTED MACAQUE, SULAWESI

‘THE POSE’ / MANDRILL ALPHA MALE, GABON

‘THE POSE’ / MANDRILL ALPHA MALE, GABON

‘KING OF THE MOUNTAINS’ / GELADA ALPHA MALE, ETHIOPIA

‘KING OF THE MOUNTAINS’ / GELADA ALPHA MALE, ETHIOPIA

‘FOCUS’ / GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY, SHAANXI, CHINA

‘FOCUS’ / GOLDEN SNUB-NOSED MONKEY, SHAANXI, CHINA

‘BABY YETI’ / BLACK-AND-WHITE SNUB-NOSED MONKEY, CHINA

‘BABY YETI’ / BLACK-AND-WHITE SNUB-NOSED MONKEY, CHINA

‘THE THINKER’ / PROBOSCIS MONKEY MALE, SABAH, BORNEO

‘THE THINKER’ / PROBOSCIS MONKEY MALE, SABAH, BORNEO

‘VIGILANT MOTHER’ / JAPANESE MACAQUE FEMALE, JAPAN

‘VIGILANT MOTHER’ / JAPANESE MACAQUE FEMALE, JAPAN

‘MAN OF THE FOREST’ / ORANGUTAN MALE, KALIMANTAN, BORNEO

‘MAN OF THE FOREST’ / ORANGUTAN MALE, KALIMANTAN, BORNEO

‘THE ZEN MONKEY’ / RED-SHANKED DOUC, VIETNAM

‘THE ZEN MONKEY’ / RED-SHANKED DOUC, VIETNAM

‘LIGHT IN THE EYES’ / CHIMPANZEE YOUNG MALE, UGANDA

‘LIGHT IN THE EYES’ / CHIMPANZEE YOUNG MALE, UGANDA

‘THE DAYDREAMER’ / CHIMPANZEE ADULT MALE, UGANDA

‘THE DAYDREAMER’ / CHIMPANZEE ADULT MALE, UGANDA