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Jill Greenberg: What's in a Face?

Portrait photographer Jill Greenberg gives her subjects that glossy sheen with the help of special lighting and a touch of Photoshop. Known for her work with celebs and crying babies, Greenberg has also moved into the animal kingdom, photographing monkeys and capturing their humanlike features.

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Most of them were showbiz kids accompanied by their parents, who knew that their children were going to be crying for the 15-minute sitting. Greenberg got them to bawl by having her assistant or the children's parents give them lollipops and then snatch them away.

One of the photos, which she took right after President Bush's reelection, is titled "Four More Years," to suggest that the child is pained over politics. The series title, "End Times," is also intended as a political statement.

Months after the photos debuted in New York City, a blogger wrote about Greenberg's lollipop method. He said it was child abuse. Other media picked up the story, and before she knew it, she was on "Good Morning America" explaining herself to Diane Sawyer.

"It ended up being a good thing for me," she says. "It's making me famous, which I guess is good. I wanted them to be powerful, provocative images. I didn't foresee the level of nonsense that came along."

Sometimes, Greenberg says, the toddlers would "cry for no reason. I mean, take your kids to the Sears portrait studio and they cry. Is that child abuse? They don't want to be there in a silly Sunday outfit. . . . It made me reflect, though. 'Wait a minute, did I do something wrong?' "

Greenberg included her own children, now ages 2 and 4, in the series.

Her parallel career paths of celebrity shooter and animal photographer collided last week at a Los Angeles Times photo shoot of actor Casey Affleck. She says Affleck, a vegan, had some questions about the treatment of animals she photographs. There was no PETA-style smackdown; the Oscar nominee and Greenberg just had a "mellow conversation." (She wouldn't reveal any Hollywood gossip except to say that actor Philip Seymour Hoffman likes her bear portraits.)

Most of Greenberg's animals are celebrities in their own right, with portfolios that include greeting cards, commercials, appearances on late-night shows and in such movies as "Bruce Almighty" and "The Jungle Book." A capuchin named Katie played Ross's pet monkey, Marcel, on "Friends."

Greenberg figures that if scientist Jane Goodall doesn't have a problem with her work, then she's off the hook. Goodall wrote an article in October 2006 in London's Daily Mail about the "remarkable" monkey portraits.

"Study the faces of the great apes in these portraits and you will see just how closely related we are," Goodall wrote. "Look into the eyes of these glorious beings, read their wrinkles, examine their expressions. You will find wisdom, innocence, humour, even moodiness. They are more human than you ever thought."

"Jill Greenberg: Monkey Portraits" at the National Academy of Sciences, 2100 C St. NW, Upstairs Gallery. Through April 1. Free. Gallery hours Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed on holidays. Be prepared to present a photo ID. 202-334-2436.