Co Rentmeester and the Snow Monkey

In 1970, when I saw Co Rentmeester's photo in LIFE Magazine of the Japanese Snow Monkey, I knew I wanted to be a photographer. Somehow the incongruity of what I thought was a jungle animal in the snow was beyond belief.

I did became a photographer and I have traveled the world. But I still have not seen the Japanese Macaque Monkeys which are just seven hours from Tokyo.

Much to my chagrin I recently saw a post in THE FRAME from The Sacramento Bee that spoiled that sense of wonderment I felt as a 18 year old wannabe.

Somehow the hordes of tourists made me wonder if the mammals were going ape over all the high end digital cameras?

Photo by Koichi Kamoshida

Photographer Co Rentmeester