Golden in the snow: China's most spectacular monkey up close (China series: Part 3)
A king surveys his snowy realm. The dark, monotonously colored forest background makes the colorful monkey stand out beautifully.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/1250 sec | F4
Photo: Erez Marom
In the first two articles in this series, I shared stories about photographing black and white snub-nosed monkeys in Yunnan province and mammal species in Tangjiahe Reserve and Wawu Mountain. In this third and final installment, I want to tell you about a very unexpected visit to shoot another species of snub-nosed monkey: the golden snub-nosed monkey.
The golden snub-nosed monkey is one of the most visually striking primates in the world, native to the high-altitude forests of central and southwestern China. It is instantly recognizable by its vivid golden-orange fur, pale blue face, and small upturned nose – an adaptation that may help reduce frostbite in cold mountain climates. These monkeys live in some of the harshest environments inhabited by non-human primates, enduring snowy winters at elevations of up to 3,000 meters, with thick fur and complex social behavior helping them survive.
I don't usually do many close portraits, as I feel anyone can do them, and I can't take a shot that shows both the animal and its surroundings in a compelling way. This was an exception, and the nice thing is that you can see the interesting details in the monkey's face, especially the nose. How cool is the pale blue skin?
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 1600 | 1/320 sec | F4
Photo: Erez Marom
Golden snub-nosed monkeys are highly social, forming large, multi-level groups that can include hundreds of individuals divided into smaller family units. They spend much of their time in trees, feeding on leaves, bark, fruits, and especially lichens during winter when other food is scarce. Despite their resilience, they are classified as endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation, though conservation efforts in protected areas, particularly in regions like the Qinling Mountains, have helped stabilize some populations. Their survival is closely tied to the preservation of China’s temperate mountain forests, making them a flagship species for conservation in these ecosystems.
Golden snub-nosed monkeys eat tree bark to aid their digestion. A positive outcome of this is that the orange colors in the tree are fully exposed, which complements the golden monkey's fur. With the contrasting green leaves, I like the color palette in this image, as well as the interesting behavior and overall composition.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/200 sec | F6.3
Photo: Erez Marom
This shoot was highly unexpected because the area leading to the golden monkeys' habitat had been destroyed last year by a huge flood (the aftermath of which was clearly visible on the road there), and so we had absolutely no assurance we could get there or that the monkeys would be there. It was thus not at all in the plans to even attempt to photograph this species.
After massive floods, not much was left of a bridge that used to be part of the road leading to the valley where the golden snub-nosed monkeys are visible. We were only able to get there by driving on makeshift dirt roads.
Photo: Erez Marom
The monkeys are usually fed by rangers as part of their conservation program, and since the feeding stopped, the monkeys were not supposed to be reachable. But as we were photographing the Yunnan monkey, we got word that, due to snow on the mountains, the golden monkeys were coming down to the valley for the first time in weeks, which meant we might just be able to capture them. And capture them I did.
A wider shot of a golden snub-nosed monkey traversing the canopy. The warm-colored monkey against the forest's cooler green/blue hues in the background, along with the vastness of the mountainous forest, make this shot interesting and fun to look at.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM | ISO 6400 | 1/400 sec | F5.6
These young brothers were inseparable. The white fur color will gradually change to the golden-orange of the adults.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/6320 sec | F4
Photos: Erez Marom
The fact that the monkeys are habituated and used to being fed played to our advantage. I could go super close and shoot them with my 24-105mm and even my 10-20mm(!), which led to really unique perspectives and shots with a level of interest I didn't expect. It's quite different being inside the action and seeing these beautiful animals interact and go about their business without much regard for my presence.
The extreme proximity I was able to achieve to the monkeys resulted in extreme perspectives and really cool images. Getting up close and personal with these beautiful creatures was a very special treat, only possible because they are habituated to human presence. The backlight adds a lot to the image. Not only does it highlight the animals, but it also separates them from the background, creating compositional depth.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 100 | 1/640 sec | F4
It doesn't get much cuter than this!
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM | ISO 1600 | 1/200 sec | F5
The monkeys often quarrel, but those quarrels are short-lived.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 400 | 1/1000 sec | F6.3
Photos: Erez Marom
The best golden monkey shoot was when we followed them to a slightly higher elevation, where snow was still on the ground, and the background was astounding. I even got a few jump shots when the monkeys were hopping between the snowy rocks.
The secret to shooting jump-shots such as this one is being able to expect the direction the monkey will jump. Then, all that is left is to frame the composition, spray and pray. After a few attempts, I successfully nailed the shot. The snow flying around really adds character and an Asian wintery feel.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/1000 sec | F4
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/1000 sec | F4Some more fighting, this time in the snow. This scene looked a bit like an 80s video game, for the Gen-Xers among you.
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM | ISO 1600 | 1/800 sec | F4
Photos: Erez Marom
Imagine how grateful I was to go from expecting not to be able to even see this species to being able to shoot it at such close range, in the snow. Sometimes, the universe smiles upon you, and the rest is up to your shooting ability.
I highly recommend China as a destination for wildlife photography. My trip was nothing short of fantastic, and I plan to go back next year to lead a photography workshop and do some more shooting.
Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveller. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates.
If you'd like to experience and shoot some of the world's most fascinating landscapes and wildlife with Erez as your guide, take a look at his unique photography workshops in Zambia, China, Colombia, Vietnam, Madagascar and more.
Erez has recently published his first e-book, Solving the Puzzle, thoroughly explaining his views about composition in landscape photography and beyond.
Selected Articles by Erez Marom:- Lava Frenzy: Shooting Fagradalsfjall Volcano
- Behind the Shot: Tambora Sandwich
- Parallelism in Landscape Photography
- Black Hole Sun: Shooting the Total Solar Eclipse in Argentina
- Winds of Change: Shooting Changing landscapes
- Demon of the Deep: Shooting Kawah Ijen Volcano
- Shooting Kīlauea Volcano, Part 1: How to Melt a Drone
- Whatever It Doesn't Take
