Hot Monk

[Giphsub]

eys! :D

As promised, I went to the Nagano snow monkeys again this year. Got lots of pics. They just love sitting in the hot springs to warm up. Comments welcome. You might like to see the rest of the pics in my gallery here (http://giphsub.smugmug.com/gallery/3281434/1/241012488#P-1-20).

1.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241013903-XL.jpg

2.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241007494-XL.jpg

3.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241009058-XL.jpg

4.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241008011-XL.jpg

5.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241009140-XL.jpg

6.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241636398-XL.jpg

7.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241013059-XL.jpg

8.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241010294-XL.jpg

9.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241010768-XL.jpg

10.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241010997-XL.jpg

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http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241011807-XL.jpg

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http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241012097-XL.jpg

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http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241012859-XL.jpg

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http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241013735-XL.jpg

15.
http://giphsub.smugmug.com/photos/241013245-XL.jpg

[PrescottPhotog]

eys! :D As promised, I went to the Nagano snow monkeys again this year.

BRAVO Mike !!!. Absolutely beautiful pictures of such gentle looking critters. I tried to pick a favorite but that was almost impossible (at least for me). #1 and #5 have to rank right up there as favorites but the expression and eyes in #6 are almost mesmerizing.

Wow is all I can say, they are all wonderfully captured..:clap :clap :clap Congratulations on a great set of photos.

[JenGrace]

I really love the blissful expressions on their faces as they soak in the hot water. These are some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.

[saurora]

I really love the blissful expressions on their faces as they soak in the hot water. These are some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.

Blissful is a great description! What expressions! Hard to pick they are all wonderful, but I love the eyelids and the pose in #8 and the two that are face to face #1 and #14. :clap

[riddim_maker]

:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
Awesome series Mike:thumb
It's really hard to pick a favorite here
I'll pick all of them:barb :ivar :barb

[Harryb]

:super

Your best yet

[jwear]

you done good Mike:clap ---you did shows us how the hot tub works :thumb

[schmoo]

Thatsa lotta monkeys!

They look so much like people. Great captures!

Are their faces always that pink or is it from the heat and fur coats? :D

[Elaine]

Incredible! My son and I sat here ohhing and ahhing over them...their expressions and interactions and fuzziness and cuteness. Your shots really show them off well. GREAT job!

[Giphsub]

BRAVO Mike !!!. Absolutely beautiful pictures of such gentle looking critters. I tried to pick a favorite but that was almost impossible (at least for me). #1 and #5 have to rank right up there as favorites but the expression and eyes in #6 are almost mesmerizing.

Wow is all I can say, they are all wonderfully captured..:clap :clap :clap Congratulations on a great set of photos.

Thanks Chris! The comments are much appreciated. This was my second time round going to the snow monkeys, so I was a bit better prepared and had thought a bit more about how to shoot there.

[Giphsub]

I really love the blissful expressions on their faces as they soak in the hot water. These are some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.

Thanks Jen! That is a great compliment :D They weren't all quite so blissful though! Periodic domination contests and the odd "root and run" were also part of the show! :rofl Not to mention one monkey we caught enjoying his own juices, so to speak.:puke1 :puke

[Giphsub]

Blissful is a great description! What expressions! Hard to pick they are all wonderful, but I love the eyelids and the pose in #8 and the two that are face to face #1 and #14. :clap

Thanks saurora. I love those face to face shots too. And yes, the eyelids are amazing eh!

[Giphsub]

:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
Awesome series Mike:thumb
It's really hard to pick a favorite here
I'll pick all of them:barb :ivar :barb

:rofl Sweet! Cheers Russ. Much appreciated. I think all those smilies are making me dizzy!

[Giphsub]

:super

Your best yet

Cheers Harry! Glad you like them. I'm still working on getting great bird shots like you guys in here, but I was very pleased with these pics.

[spechtal]

I concur with everyone else Mike :clap

[Giphsub]

you done good Mike:clap ---you did shows us how the hot tub works :thumb

Thanks Jeff! :D The monkeys certainly made good use of the hot tub. There was even some monkey business going on in there!

[Giphsub]

Thatsa lotta monkeys!

They look so much like people. Great captures!

Are their faces always that pink or is it from the heat and fur coats? :D

Thanks Schmoo! Yeah I am amazed at how human-like they are. The way they sit and soak up the heat looks just like how the people here sit and soak it up in the onsens (hot springs). And the expressions are just so similar to us. I think their faces are quite pink naturally, but the heat is most likely beefing the pinkness up a notch or two.

[Giphsub]

Incredible! My son and I sat here ohhing and ahhing over them...their expressions and interactions and fuzziness and cuteness. Your shots really show them off well. GREAT job!

Thanks Elaine! That kind of reaction makes all the effort of getting out there worth it! Glad you and your son could enjoy them :D

[Giphsub]

I concur with everyone else Mike :clap

Thanks Angela :D

[raptorcaptor]

Excellent set Mike! I don't think I could pick a favourite out of this bunch, they are all so good! :clap

[samuel wong]

nice work , good timing and compo ...

[Giphsub]

Excellent set Mike! I don't think I could pick a favourite out of this bunch, they are all so good! :clap

Thaanks Glen :D

[Giphsub]

nice work , good timing and compo ...

Thanks, appreciated :D

[Vickster]

Such enjoyable shots . . . I could just look at them for hours. :bow

How long do you stay when you go to shoot? Do the monkeys mind that you are there? Can you get in the water with them?

[cmason]

Holy National Geographic! Those are some incredible photos.

[Maestro]

Have to agree...these are your best yet. Love the expressions on these handsome monkeys! Question: These are wild monkeys, correct? This not a wildlife park in Nagano.

[Giphsub]

Such enjoyable shots . . . I could just look at them for hours. :bow

How long do you stay when you go to shoot? Do the monkeys mind that you are there? Can you get in the water with them?

:D Thanks Vickster! Please do look for hours! :D
This time round we were there a couple of hours, excluding the walk in and out of the place. The monkeys are completely used to people being there, so the will brazenly walk right up to and past you. You could get in there with them, but I think the stinky water is probably littered with monkey poop and whatever else!

[Giphsub]

Holy National Geographic! Those are some incredible photos.

:rofl :rofl I wish it was for National Geofraphic! Thanks for the comments cmason.

[Giphsub]

Have to agree...these are your best yet. Love the expressions on these handsome monkeys! Question: These are wild monkeys, correct? This not a wildlife park in Nagano.

Thank you Stpehen :D :D They are, indeed, wild monkeys, in the sense that they come and go as they please.

Years ago these springs were used for bathing by the local people in the area (actually, it is quite away from the nearest town, up a small mountain road). But the monkeys decided that they liked the warmth and basically took over the hot springs which the people had built rock pools to capture and use. The town decided it was a good tourist attraction and started feeding the monkeys daily to keep them coming back. Now they come down from the mountains in the morning, and pack up and go home late afternoon. No fences, cages or anything like that (other then fences to keep tourists out of some areas).

[ShepsMom]

Wow, what a set!!! I enjoyed everyone of them, you captured their personalieites to a T! Love all the expressions and feelings of these funny creatures. Excellent work! :bow:clap:clap:clap

[ian408]

These are amazing.

[dbaker1221]

very well done:ivar

[DsrtVW]

Ditto on all said above :clap :clap :clap

[Giphsub]

Wow, what a set!!! I enjoyed everyone of them, you captured their personalieites to a T! Love all the expressions and feelings of these funny creatures. Excellent work! :bow:clap:clap:clap

Thanks Marina. Much appreciated.

[Giphsub]

These are amazing.
Thanks for looking Ian.

[Giphsub]

very well done:ivar

Thanks Dave. Glad you liked them.

[Giphsub]

Ditto on all said above :clap :clap :clap

Thanks DsrtVW :D

[leaforte]

Superb!

[BigAl]

Very nice set Mike :thumb They are all super, but I really like #2

[Giphsub]

Superb!

Thanks Leaforte :D

[Giphsub]

Very nice set Mike :thumb They are all super, but I really like #2

Cheers BigAl :D That fella was very cool. Just sitting in there like an old man in a hot spring. Arms out and just chilling.:seamus

[creekboy]

Cheers BigAl :D That fella was very cool. Just sitting in there like an old man in a hot spring. Arms out and just chilling.:seamus

Those buggers are cool as! I heard theyre pretty disgusting though :flush
Very cool pics though giphsub :ivar

[Giphsub]

Cheers Creekboy! Hehe, good to see you on here mate :thumb You got a few good shots of the monkey business though eh!

[jonh68]

Can't add anything else than what has been said.:thumb

[Giphsub]

Thanks John :D

[Froggy]

That's it I'm hooked I'm going there, Fantastic captures, love them all

Steve

[Ric Grupe]

Wonderful work! :thumb

The eyes can really invoke emotion and contemplative thought to the viewer.

Here's one I shot awhile back at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

http://rickay.smugmug.com/photos/74490496-L.jpg

[Giphsub]

Wow! Great shot Ric! Especially being so close to humans, I find them just intriguing to watch. As you say, their eyes convey so much.

[Skippy]

eys! :D

As promised, I went to the Nagano snow monkeys again this year. Got lots of pics. They just love sitting in the hot springs to warm up. Comments welcome. You might like to see the rest of the pics in my gallery here (http://giphsub.smugmug.com/gallery/3281434/1/241012488#P-1-20).



Ohhhhhh my goodness look at the fur on those guys :huh
I gotta ask.... do they ever drown?
Falling asleep in a hot tub is not a clever thing to do even for humans.

The faces on those in Image #7 is just priceless :clap :ivar
What a beautiful series Giphsub, and what a wonderful experience even for you :thumb .... thanks for sharing .... Skippy :D
.

[Giphsub]

Thanks Skippy! :D Comments appreciated. I have never heard of them drowning, but it seems likely that it probably has happened! Even to a baby in there. The pool is fairly shallow though, and they swim through the deeper sections pretty well! It was certainly a special experience for me and and my mate who went with me (Creek Boy)