Last weekend I visited Richmond Park in London for the first time. I'd heard stories of the red deer rut there and was keen to see it for myself. Given the park is so close to central London, I was amazed by how wild and beautiful it was. I spent Friday afternoon exploring and getting to know the layout, then got up early on Saturday to experience it at sunrise.
Arriving in the pre-dawn darkness, I spotted the faint silhouettes of deer foraging between the trees. As the sky got brighter, the silhouettes became more defined. I crouched down and positioned myself to create a tight frame using the surrounding tree trunks. This female deer was feeding with her head down, but she looked up at just the same time as her fawn. I really like the similar shapes of their faces and bodies, and the way their woodland environment frames them on all sides.
After about half an hour of beautiful light, the sun disappeared behind a grey sky and it started to rain. Getting there for this brief glimpse of golden light really was worth it!
P.S. Thanks to everyone who has bought a calendar so far!
Technical details: Canon 7D MKII + 100-400mm lens at 263mm; 1/160 sec at f/5; ISO 4000.
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