Czech Republic-based photographer Lukas Holas captures stunning portraits of exotic animals in his series titled Portraits of Animals II. The detail and poise of each monochromatic image is impressive, and what's also notable is that all of his work was shot in a zoo. He didn't have any sort of special access, either. Holas was working with smudged glass, steel bars, and heaps of tourists passing him by.
Despite these challenges, the photographer created a portfolio that brilliantly showcases texture. His up-close pictures feature fine hairs, long whiskers, and the leathery-skin of an elephant. They highlight beautiful markings on each animal, and the zebra's stripes give Holas the liberty to play with abstraction as the subject and background are intertwined.
Holas states that his images have no specific message, but he believes that the dark background is appropriate for the animals. This format portrays them in a more dignified environment than the normal zoo enclosures do – in his photographs, they are free.
