Mule deer buck in the snow

[D. Robert Franz]

I'll get away from Yellowstone for a bit. Getting ready for the mule deer rut. I've been photographing mule deer during the autumn rut for over 30 years.... I just love muleys :S3: This buck was following a doe and she walked right up to me. He stopped not very far away giving me a chance at a tight portrait. Composed for magazine cover... I'll be heading out Friday to photograph mule deer with stops in Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming....

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Copyright: D. Robert & Lorri Franz
Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
Aperture: 4
Exposure mode: Av
Exposure compensation: +2/3
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 800
Lens: EF500mm f/4L IS USM

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Dale, lovely portrait and the falling snow just adds to the scene and atmosphere. The HA works as you just see the LH eye which I feel helps, great 'rack' too. Some may feel there should be more below, with less above, but I think the ratio/relationship works on this one and allows for the falling snow.

Question, why f/4 as you had plenty of ISO, plus the slow SS? Was that to aid the falling snow, although going even slower say 1/160 would have certainly retained more of the falling snow, just interested?

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Dale - Excellent detail and sharpness. I just love the dusting of snow on the deer as well as the ground with the snow still falling. Colors look good too. Another mule deer book in the future?

TFS,
Rachel

[haseeb badar]

Hi Dale -- Very nice feel here , the falling snow is adding so much to this frame . I also feel that the FG and the BKG are both complementing each other with nice soft tones. This completely works for me .

TFS !

[Jonathan Ashton]

Lovely shot, first one I have seen with a wrack. I like the muted colours, it helps convey the (presumably) very cold conditions.
I just noticed he has lost one of his tines, plenty left though. I haven't seen a big buck before, I presume this is about as big as they get?

[D. Robert Franz]

Hi Dale, lovely portrait and the falling snow just adds to the scene and atmosphere. The HA works as you just see the LH eye which I feel helps, great 'rack' too. Some may feel there should be more below, with less above, but I think the ratio/relationship works on this one and allows for the falling snow.

Question, why f/4 as you had plenty of ISO, plus the slow SS? Was that to aid the falling snow, although going even slower say 1/160 would have certainly retained more of the falling snow, just interested?

TFS
Steve

Don't really recall the thought process here.. I do remember it being a dark morning so I probably just had the lens wide open for maximum light gathering. I do know I like freezing the snowflakes and don't like them streaking so I usually go for as high a SS as possible.

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks Dale.