BEAUTY: Photography--James Mollison

I have seen James Mollison's extraordinary portraits of primates for a while but have not posted them until now. He captures the dignity and ultimate cosmic essence of each living being, the life force that connects and flows through us all. Look at their faces, look in their eyes...how could anyone destroy one of these creatures without destroying a part of themselves?

Mollison's statement:
"While watching a nature program on primates I was struck by their facial similarity to our own. Humans are clearly different to animals, but the great apes inhabit that grey area between man and animal. I thought it would be interesting to try to photograph gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans using the aesthetic of the passport photograph- its ubiquitous style inferring the idea of identity.

I decided against photographing in zoos or using ‘animal actors’ but traveled to Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia to meet orphans of the bush meat trade and live pet trade."

These stunning, awe-inspiring photos are from Mollison's book JAMES & OTHER APES, available from his website. Take a look at his other incredible photo books, especially the heartbreaking WHERE CHILDREN SLEEP.

http://jamesmollison.com/