Red Deer - Cervus elaphus
Canon 800mm f8 for 1/160th @ iso1000
With no real distance between us - this stag on the Conaglen Estate had been resting up on the lower slopes of the hill behind David's house.
He (the stag) was surprised to see me and to be honest I was unsure of what was to happen next and equally surprised by the fact he was so close to me - during the weeks outside of the rut - he would have been off and running straight up the hillside with a stop and backward look when some metres away.
He just stood and stared and stared I clicked the shutter in all honesty caring little for aperture, shutter speed and iso - my sole thought being that there was a good half mile of open space behind me and any "sanctuary". A distance the stag could cover in seconds ! Taking the stance that discretion would be the best policy I sidled away into the scrub oaks putting distance between us.
The stag watched and listened to me making my retreat - he was not for moving on !
With no real distance between us - this stag on the Conaglen Estate had been resting up on the lower slopes of the hill behind David's house.
He (the stag) was surprised to see me and to be honest I was unsure of what was to happen next and equally surprised by the fact he was so close to me - during the weeks outside of the rut - he would have been off and running straight up the hillside with a stop and backward look when some metres away.
He just stood and stared and stared I clicked the shutter in all honesty caring little for aperture, shutter speed and iso - my sole thought being that there was a good half mile of open space behind me and any "sanctuary". A distance the stag could cover in seconds ! Taking the stance that discretion would be the best policy I sidled away into the scrub oaks putting distance between us.
The stag watched and listened to me making my retreat - he was not for moving on !