Berani sleeps in the arms of his mother by Marie Lehmann. All Rights Reserved.

If you look into an ape’s or monkey’s eyes, you can discover a personality that is as vibrant and unique as ours. Most animals start to ‘open up’ and play with you only if you stay long enough with them, if you arouse their interest and interact with them in a respectful way - just as you would with a fellow human. Once you have gained their trust, they let you see what others cannot see if they just give the monkeys a casual glance. The trustful, silent conversation that ensues and that lies at the heart of my ‘monkey portraits’ is very rewarding to me and makes me happy. Photography and the monkeys themselves have taught me to look closer, to be as curious as they are, and to appreciate the little things in life. I will be forever grateful for the change of perspective and for the happiness they effected, and I hope that one day my photos will be used to motivate people to care about monkeys and apes and to protect them.