Fawn at Three Weeks
I've been photographing this fawn since its birth three weeks ago. On this occasion I was taking pictures of a wren in the backyard when the fawn walked up on m...
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I've been photographing this fawn since its birth three weeks ago. On this occasion I was taking pictures of a wren in the backyard when the fawn walked up on me. How lucky am I?
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Jun, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I called this photo "Fawn at Three Weeks", but it may be more aptly called "Serendipity" because that is what it felt like when I shot it! I was in my back yard taking pictures of a mother wren feeding its babies when I heard some rustling in the woods next to me. I looked up and saw the fawn just as it stepped into a clearing in the wooded area my neighbor's yard. It paused and watched as I fumbled with my gear to get a few shots before it walked off into the shadows. The fawn wasn't the least bit bothered by me.Time
After a full day at work (photography is my hobby), I decided to relax in the evening by taking my camera to the backyard to see what I could find. It was mid-June and new things had begun to emerge in the yard, from baby birds to peonies in bloom. At about 8pm the sun was getting low. I planned to get up early for work in the morning so I was about to wrap things up when the fawn approached me. Needless to say, I stayed out a little longer.Lighting
Mother Nature takes all of the credit for lighting this scene. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. The sun was setting to my left casting some nice shadows in the wooded area. The fawn helped me the rest of the way by stepping into the dappled sunlight streaming through the trees at just the right moment. Since the fawn was between me and the sun, the back light was shining through its whiskers and fur quite nicely.Equipment
This was taken with my Canon EOS 60D and 100-400mm lens at 285mm, f/6.7, 1/45 sec., ISO-1600, no flash, hand held. I would have preferred to use my tripod with the low light conditions, but unfortunately the tripod was set up close to the ground when the fawn showed up. I had to take the camera off the tripod to compose the shot and I raised the ISO to increase shutter speed. In my haste I forgot to switch on image stabilization on the lens, but I think I was holding my breath so it all worked out in the end.Inspiration
I was secretly hoping the fawn would stop by on this perfect evening as it had on several prior occasions. I first photographed it three weeks earlier when it was left in our yard by its mother after birth. I spent a few minutes with the fawn as we stood and watched each other. I was thrilled to be able to capture the moment.Editing
I increased exposure and contrast on the computer and adjusted clarity and saturation. I changed the white balance to shade and shifted luminance of green, yellow, and orange. Finally, I cropped to place the fawn’s face in the upper third of the image and slightly off center so it had space to look into.In my camera bag
I generally shoot nature and wildlife so my go-to lenses are a 24-105mm and 100-400mm. Recently I added a 100mm f/2.8 macro for flowers and insects and a wide angle 10-22mm for landscapes. I usually have a polarizing warming filter to increase saturation. For landscapes I keep my graduated ND filters handy. I use a Gitzo GT-2531 tripod with ballhead and quick release mounts. When I venture out at night I have a remote release cable for shooting the moon and stars.Feedback
There is an element of luck involved in getting a shot like this, but you can certainly improve your chances by observing animal behavior over time. Wildlife is usually more active in the early morning or late evening. It just so happens there is also good natural light during these hours so take advantage of it. Be prepared by keeping a long lens on your camera and a battery nearby in case something shows up unexpectedly. Be patient and remain still. Keep your ears open for sounds of animals approaching. If you need to readjust yourself or your camera for the shot, move very slowly and quietly. Since animal movement can be unpredictable, you may have to hold the camera instead of using a tripod. If you are using a long lens, bump up the ISO and turn on image stabilization.
