Chilling before the rut

[Mike Poole]

With the annual deer rut just starting this handsome chap decided to conserve as much energy as possible. I've never see a male adult this relaxed at this time of year.

He gave me plenty of time to walk round him at a safe distance, but this is full frame width with just a bit off the top and bottom to suit which shows how content he was with me around. He was still there when I finished the shoot and showed no signs of moving.

Although this is a park deer, he is not exactly enclosed, he has around 2000 acres to roam and command.

Canon 5d3
500mm f4is
ISO 1250
1/250th f7.1

[haseeb badar]

Hi Mike -- What a Handsome looking animal ! Those ruts just looks brilliant against a lovely , vibrant BG . I liked the relaxed pose with good sharpness and details due to good choice of DOF .
HL in the grass behind the deer looks quite blown out and so as on its hump. I would crop a silver bit from the bottom also .
TFS !

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hey Mike - which park was this?
Having just been to Bushy and Richmond with a friend for the first time, I can appreciate the settings and the relaxed nature given his rack.
I like the low angle, but think you can tone down overall bright tones and yellow channel a bit?

[Mike Poole]

Hey Mike - which park was this?
Having just been to Bushy and Richmond with a friend for the first time, I can appreciate the settings and the relaxed nature given his rack.
I like the low angle, but think you can tone down overall bright tones and yellow channel a bit?

Hi Morkel, hoped you enjoyed Bushy, you can get some nice sunrise stuff there if the weather is kind. This one is from Tatton Park in Cheshire, not far from Manchester airport.

I've tried a repost with the suggestions raised by Haseeb and yourself - any better?

[gail bisson]

The repost is excellent Mike.
You have a beautiful animal with lots of detail and a terrific POV.
Well done,
Gail

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Mike!

RP better although I would go even further with toning down the bright bits. Others might disagree but IMO 1/250s a bit risky, I would have sacrificed some DOF and upped the ISO to get at least 1/500s. Or just pushed the ISO big time and dealt with the noise later

Beautiful deer, love the pose and the way the subject fills the frame with those impressive antlers. Perfect framing and great POV. That mottled green/yellow BG is just lovely.

Thank you dear Mike, happy to see you post again in Wildlife, hope the weather is kind and you get to capture more deer images this week-end, I love this one

Kind regards,

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Mike

Hope you don't mind- just my take on this stunning image...

Did not touch the deer, only FG,BG and global adjustments.....

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Mike - Beautiful portrait of this bull. Great low pov, details and sharpness. Never realized how much lighter in color yours seem to ours over here. Obviously you were there and I can be way off but decided to darken the greens of the fg and bg while masking the elk/deer in hue/sat layer. I started with your rp and then went darker by -30 in lightness for greens only.

TFS,
Rachel

[Mike Poole]

Hello Mike!

RP better although I would go even further with toning down the bright bits. Others might disagree but IMO 1/250s a bit risky, I would have sacrificed some DOF and upped the ISO to get at least 1/500s. Or just pushed the ISO big time and dealt with the noise later

Beautiful deer, love the pose and the way the subject fills the frame with those impressive antlers. Perfect framing and great POV. That mottled green/yellow BG is just lovely.

Thank you dear Mike, happy to see you post again in Wildlife, hope the weather is kind and you get to capture more deer images this week-end, I love this one

Kind regards,

Thanks Gabriela,

The star was very very relaxed and was holding his poses for quite a time, so I just rested the lens on my camera bag and took plenty of frames - got to love digital!

Wouldn't normally risk 1/250th!

[Mike Poole]

Hi Mike

Hope you don't mind- just my take on this stunning image...

Did not touch the deer, only FG,BG and global adjustments.....

Hi Andre,

Of course I don't mind - I'm here to learn! Nice RP, just pushing it that bit further than mine, thanks for taking the time

Mike

[Mike Poole]

Hi Mike - Beautiful portrait of this bull. Great low pov, details and sharpness. Never realized how much lighter in color yours seem to ours over here. Obviously you were there and I can be way off but decided to darken the greens of the fg and bg while masking the elk/deer in hue/sat layer. I started with your rp and then went darker by -30 in lightness for greens only.

TFS,
Rachel

Thanks for taking the time do so an RP Rachel - always appreciated. This particular stag was quite light in colour. I have another site quite close by where the stags have a bit more colour to them. I'm working nights next week, so if the weather is favourable I'll be going for some early morning shots of that herd, if I get anything, I'm sure you'll notice the variation.

Mike