Wild Yunnan & Shaanxi, China April 2019

Black Snub-nosed Monkey—the very name of the species is exotic enough to say it all. It is also probably not the first animal that comes to mind when thinking about a photography trip to China.

But let’s start from the beginning: it is early morning in the mountainous region of the Chinese countryside. The warm clothing feels like an excellent choice this morning. It is not very cold, but the thermometer has dropped into the single digits above zero. Warm tea fills the thermos, and a light breakfast has already been eaten.

We are waiting.

Will the monkeys appear?
Where will they appear?
Which equipment will be best to use?

The questions keep circling in our minds for a while. Suddenly, we hear leaves rustling and a branch breaking—we can hear them approaching.

The excitement builds, and then, suddenly, a monkey appears close by. Then another, and another…

Before we know it, the entire family group is there. Monkeys everywhere—up in the trees behind us, on the ground in front of us.

We are in their home, in their world, in their living room. They seem just as curious about us as we are about them. They watch us closely from only a few meters away, completely unfazed by our cameras. It makes you wonder what they are thinking, what their world looks like—because for a brief moment, they are letting us glimpse it.

But I promise, that moment becomes a memory for life—and a reason to return.