The Harem
A Red Deer Stag stands watch over his harem of hinds.
A Red Deer Stag stands watch over his harem of hinds.
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Sep, 2018Views
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Magnificent Capture
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Virtuoso
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken at one afternoon at Bradgate Country Park in Leicestershire, UKTime
One of my favourite images of the day (and all time) this was shot was taken around 2pm after a stroll up one of the hills in the park. We were a good distance away so the shot is slightly cropped but I loved the way the stag seemed to be surrounded by his harem of hinds. The trees beyond also helped to give the scene a sense of depth.Lighting
The lighting was fairly soft but not quite flat, due to a little high-level cloud on the dayEquipment
The shot was taken with a Nikon D810, Nikkor 500mm f/4 lens on a Really Right Stuff TVC-34 tripod and a Manfrotto MN393 long lens bracket.Inspiration
This was my second visit to the park specifically to photograph the deer during the rut. I'd captured a reasonable range of shots so far that day but I didn't appreciate how well this one looked until I saw it on the computer screen when I got home, at which point I had a huge grin on my face!Editing
This shot required minimal processing other than a little cropping due to the fixed focal length of the lens used, an not wanting to risk disturbing the deer by trying to move too close. The resolution of the D810 was more than enough to result in a great file.In my camera bag
The lens I used for this shot was actually a rental as I don't often photograph wildlife in this way. Normally I'd carry the "Nikon trinity" of 14-24, 24-70 & 70-200, along with a Nikon D4s for faster action work.Feedback
Rutting season can take a lot of patience waiting for something interesting to happen, or for conditions & subject positions to be just right, and action can be explosive in an instant when the stags come together so being prepared to follow them whilst watching the light will pay dividends in the long run.
