Capturing the unique faces and personalities of these complex individuals has become very important to me. I like to photograph them as I would take human portraits. I think it helps people see how similar we are to our distant cousins. As an endangered species, chimpanzees need our help. Showing their “human” side is important to connect with people who might otherwise have no interest. I’ve met almost 100 chimpanzees and no two have been the same. They can be incredibly kind, curious, intelligent, friendly, and generous. My portraits are an attempt to share that with the world.

Food peering is one of my favorite chimpanzee behaviors. If a chimpanzee is eating something special or new or high value, others will gather around and put their faces right up in the face of the one who is eating. They are either inspecting the food or begging to share depending on the situation.

Chimpanzees nap a lot. One of my favorite things was quietly photographing them as they drifted off to sleep. I don’t think people really get to see sleeping chimpanzees when visiting zoos or watching them on TV. It’s a special moment when their guard is totally down. Chimpanzees often sleep with their friends, sometimes with arms thrown over each other, or with this subject, in a quiet spot by herself.