The Golden Couple

About Marsel Van Oosten

The golden snub-nosed monkey is a rare breed that’s hardly been acknowledged by the world until now. Today, these primates attract an appreciative audience with growing interest thanks to the stunning and internationally awarded… Read more

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The golden snub-nosed monkey is a rare breed that’s hardly been acknowledged by the world until now. Today, these primates attract an appreciative audience with growing interest thanks to the stunning and internationally awarded photographs by Marsel van Oosten. The Dutch photographer brings out the animal’s unique beauty to the absolute fullest by capturing them in their most special moments. Their spectacular fur shines against lush green backgrounds, creating striking contrasts that captivate the viewer. These works demonstrate that Van Oosten is undoubtedly one of the best nature photographers in the world. When he captures his photographs, he patiently waits for moments that reveal a painterly composition. He carefully avoids any unwanted elements so that the photo composition is completely aligned with the golden snub-nose.


The golden snub-nose’s native habitat is in the Qinling Mountains in central China. There they live at altitudes up to 3,300 meters, in coniferous and mixed forests which are covered with snow for several months of the year. The monkeys survive the bitter cold winters thanks to their fur, which is not only marvelously colored but also surprisingly quite long. Urban expansion increasingly threatens the golden snub-nose’s habitat. Marsel van Oosten’s work brings awareness to the animal’s extraordinary beauty, but also to their endangerment. The photos remind us of how fragile the magnificence of wildlife can be, which is why the work earned him the Grand Title Wildlife Photographer of the Year award.


The Dutch photographer’s photos of red-crowned cranes expand his wildlife series. For these works he takes a minimal approach, using only a white background. That way he emphasizes the graceful shapes formed by the crane’s bodies and the red dots on their foreheads. Their dots shine most vibrantly during mating season, when the cranes collectively dance and strengthen their family bonds. Van Oosten photographs two cranes doing that very dance, depicting how their heads rhythmically move up and down as they approach one another. He captures the very moment where the cranes both bend their necks and prepare to leap.


Marsel van Oosten began his career in the advertising industry. He won many awards while working as a creative director of an agency, including two Golden Lions at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes. Despite all his successes, he was eventually drawn to follow his one true passion, nature photography. Today he is one of the most respected names in his field. His works are featured in countless publications and are exhibited and honored all over the world.  Time and time again Marsel van Oosten has been recognized as the best nature photographer.

VITA

Born in the Netherlands

Lives and works in the Netherlands and South Africa