#003 - Zen

Hell's Valley, Japan - 2023
 
In early 2023, I led a group of enthusiastic photographers on a photographic safari to Japan with the aim of capturing images of Japanese winter wildlife. One of the most iconic species we sought to photograph was the Japanese macaque, commonly known as the snow monkey. This trip offers a perfect opportunity to explore fine art wildlife photography in a truly unique environment.
 
Native to Japan, some Japanese macaques are famous for their unique behavior of soaking in hot springs to stay warm, a phenomenon popularized by media worldwide. Interestingly, they only exhibit this behavior in one specific location in Japan. Watching them interact up close, it is easy to see reflections of human behavior in their gestures and expressions, a reminder of how closely we are connected to primates like gorillas, chimpanzees and macaques.
 
Anyone who has visited this site knows it can be quite hectic, with crowds of both monkeys and people. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, the monkeys often manage to “zoom out” in the warm water and enter an almost zen-like state. One of our main goals on this trip was to capture that mesmerizing moment of tranquility amidst the chaos, resulting in one of my favorite snow monkey wildlife prints. The scene later inspired a limited edition Japanese macaque print, a piece of wildlife wall art that celebrates calm, connection, and the quiet intelligence we share with these remarkable animals.