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Lone stag in richmond park
David Brown, Byfleet Says…
I decided to head off to Richmond Park early in October for the deer rut, hoping to photograph some of the impressive males. On arrival, I soon came across this deer lying down in the bracken. I immediately tried to get myself within a good distance to try and fill the frame. Using the 300mm with crop factor, I struggled to get the balance right with head positioning and antlers. I wanted to get all in the frame but as I looked back at the first few pics I felt the face was too low and the frame was full of antlers.
Brian Says…
The long lens has certainly helped to capture the deer in its environment. I do think you can be a little more fearless with the ISO settings. ISO500 would allow just a fraction more depth of field to keep the whole of the antlers pin sharp. I can see your intention, but I think that the close crop with the deer so central in the frame is not quite ideal. You already mention this in your own words, saying the frame is full of antlers, and this is compounded by the stag’s body disappearing out of the lower left corner of the frame. A little farther back and you would include space for the whole of the animal’s back, and this would stop the antlers being so dominant.