Langur monkeys playing: One of the greatest challenges of wildlife photography is that you cannot direct your subjects. No matter how beautiful the light, how perfect the setting, an animal will stand just where it wants to, jump when it likes and generally work against the likelihood of a good composition occurring. Despite the most skilled efforts to be in the right place at the right time, the final ingredient in any truly wonderful wildlife photograph is luck. Now look at this image. The two langurs on the ground form a symmetric focus for the attention towards the centre of the frame. The surrounding foliage and foreground create a vignette which further draws the eye to the middle. And the subject of ail this attention? The most magnificent back-lit figure of a langur leaping up playfully to catch a leaf. Luck, my eye! Anup must have a contract going with these primates. It's the only possible explanation for such perfection. Seriously though, this is the result of patience, an eye for beauty and more than a mortal's fair share of skill. Photographer: Anup Shah (UK). Winner at the BBC Photo Contest 1998
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