ENTRY DESCRIPTION
For four hours I let myself be locked in the enclosure of Indian hat monkeys together with an animal keeper. Our goal was to be accepted by them in order to take relaxed portraits of them. It was a unique and exciting experience.

The Indian hut monkeys are social animals that normally live in groups. It was important that we were under the supervision of experienced professionals to ensure everyone's safety. Through patience and respect, we were able to gain the animals' trust.

I was fascinated by observing the animals up close. It was a challenge to assess their behaviors and wait for the right moment to take portraits. I tried to give the animals enough space and respect their boundaries so as not to stress them.

Time passed quickly while I was in the midst of these fascinating creatures. It was incredible to observe their expressions and interactions and capture these moments with my camera. At the end of the four hours, I felt fulfilled and grateful for this unique experience.

Being able to connect with the Indian hat monkeys and portray them in a relaxed way was a wonderful experience. It is amazing how much we can learn from wildlife when we treat them with respect and mindfulness.

AUTHOR
Born in Málaga, Alexander von Reiswitz moved to Munich in 1982, in order to study history of art at the Ludwig-Maximilians University. Between 1987 and 1994, he completed further studies in architecture at the École d´Architecture de Paris-la-Villette. He additionally worked as a laboratory technician at different Parisian photo laboratories and was also active for architect's offices. In 1994, Alexander von Reiswitz moved to Berlin, where he started to work as an architect. Three years later he founded his own photographic and architecture studio called 'ATELIER A'. One of his most famous artistic projects was executed between 2001 and 2003, when he realized his first series of animal portraits. His works have been exhibited in a number of solo and group exhibitions in Japan, France, Spain and Germany. The photographer still lives and works in Berlin.

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