European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus)

[Gerald Kelberg]

The location where I got this image has been a hunting estate since the days of the Renaissance in not so distant Florence - so it's not surprising that all the birds and animals in the estate are very wary and difficult to stalk.

But this little doe was more intent on the fresh dewy grass than cautious and stepped out into the open field and yellow flowers - allowing the image that I have long waited for. No more just shots of flashing white rump and high-kicking hooves.

The Roe Deer are quite small, this one being a bit over two feet tall at the shoulder. So this shot was taken from only about fifty feet away. She stopped and stared, unsure of what she was seeing stepped and jumped a short distance and then stopped and stared some more before getting a touch of scent and dashing into the cover again.

Image taken with Canon 1D MkIII, EF 500 f/4L IS, 1/500s at f/4, ISO 1250 on a Gitzo tripod - sitting on the ground with the tripod legs fully in.
Conversion in Lightroom 2.5 included minor adjustments to clarity and vibrance. PP in PS4 included setting black & white points and adjusting in levels, two light passes of Noise Ninja on the background and a little selective sharpening on the deer.

Comments and suggestions appreciated.

Gerald

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Gerald, I really liked the alert posture, the eye contact, and the OOF background, and the colors. It might have been nice to shoot from a few inches higher in order to get the deers head not being cut by the line in the BG, however I am sure the animal may have run off. I would also crop a little from the bottom and the right.
Very pleasing shot
TFS
Grant

[Stu Bowie]

Gerald, with that stance, the doe looks like she's about to bolt, so well done for getting the shot. Good eye contact, and I like the surrounding grasses - although maybe a tad bright. I agree with Grant on cropping bottom and right.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Gerald Very sweet as presented Agree on the little head merge variation if the animal would have stayed, clearing the flowers from head merges would have been great !!! I like it a lot has a good feeling !!!

[Todd Frost]

Good looking animal. Exposure and detail look good. Merge with bg flowers mentioned and is minor. I like the comp as presented. TFS
Todd

[Gerald Kelberg]

Many thanks for your comments and suggestions. I actually thought that the flowers behind the head broke up the line and reduced the impact of the line through the head a little. This was the last in the series and immediately after this, she did bolt and it was difficult to keep the focus point on her :D
Thanks, Gerald.