Critique Fallow fawn

Stuart Philpott

Stuart Philpott

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Stu
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I have huge respect for wildlife togs,I guess in many ways I'm about to illustrate why with these three pics. From my point of view I blew the possible chance of a life time,which is seriously hard core because we have really been grafting for this: many many hours spent without even a frame being taken. Trying to get to grips with these incredibly alert wild fallow deer is taxing. These are not living in some confined country estate park,these are guys that that a human means danger too. One sniff one twig cracked and they'll be heading for the next county. We have been chasing them for months now got nowt on the rutt,so I guess this is the next big event in the fallow year: the birth of their little ones,which happens around june.

Always field craft goes hand in hand with wildlife,it's not only the ability to actually get close when one spots the subject but also the bigger picture of building up knowledge of where that subject might be found. A month back I could almost do that within and hour and take a stranger to see a deer,but with the iminant arrival of the fawns all has changed.

First up the doe/ yearling big groups have disbanded second the vegatation and crops are now covering all but the head, of an adult which with the wheat crop has had me utterly perplexed. Simply put and actually I'll add in another pic to illustrate I can't get my damn head around how small these deer really are.

Here ya go here is an adult doe shot against the light last night:

_70F6168 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

So you can imagine even is she had a fawn in tow there is no possible way it could be visible except in a few places,ironically those are where it is essentially too dark for us to take pics. so basically this is needle in a haystack stuff where the needle is fawn sized and the haystack hundreds of acres.

Anyway I'll cut to the chase last week we actually saw one ...OORRAAA,ok a field a way but hope. Sat evening got in close on 4 does 2 fawns I needed to get around 3 yards of nettles and I could maybe get a pic. something on the road maybe 300 yards away spooked 'em game over. Shaz slapped me my 'ead went down so tough not even getting the chance to blow the pic with my incompetance. but we were getting closer,so next day back at it as time allowed.He he I got something sort of nice with a muntjac and young fallow buck but again no fawn joy. That said the effort is slowly starting to pay, I now have some spots marked out where we might get a chance.

As I headed back for home after another blank I though lets just have a brief crack for a hare. The farmer has mowed a strip along the wood edge which is attracting them,so my method was to try and stalk just inside the darkness of the wood along a footpath and I set up with a high shutter speed for that chance. In full camo I crept into the wood not 30yards in and suddenly an explosion from a dark hole to my left. I'd just litterally stumbled into a doe and fawn doe went left fawn spooked in the opposite direction. first in front of and then straight at me. I reckon(and this is why I have so much respect for really good wild life togs) from the explosion to my last frame was 12 seconds absolute max. I took one pic then frantically realised I was massively underexposed and in my haste probably went just a gnats too far. I sadly feel I have motion blur across the board SS to slow iso too low. It probably will be the only time in my life time I'll ever have a baby fallow running at me,SSOOOOOO close. I guess she turned off at somewhere around 4 to 8 yards. Man one has to be so good to nail these pictures,and I'm sadly not yet that guy,bloody going to try though!!!!!!

So here you have an utter sweatheart first a mess up underexposed which I sort of like:pand the best of the rest,3rd is my fav. Critique fun desparately serious stuff all welcome, Lesson learnt the hard way and I damn well know this one with birds and beasties.....always expect the unexpected. !!

SS on first 1/4000 on later two 1/320 yeah I know...tv 4.5 iso 1250 canon 1div 300 f/2.8 extiii1.4 all as framed no crops it really was point blank range wise

Not done yet though;) I am really after some tenderness with mum and little one that's my little dream pic:)

1
_70F6137 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

2
_70F6143 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

3
_70F6149 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr


Thanks for all the help previously
take care

Stu
 
Interesting back story and end day circumstances.

Even though grab shots that is one cute and beautiful young animal. I wish you luck in getting those elusive captures.

Thanks for sharing :)
 
You've got that right, wildlife photography is 99% patience and disappointment, but still worth it when you get lovely pictures
like these.
I once was lucky enough to watch a roe give birth, such a magical moment
 
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Well done on the perseverance Stu and lovely to even be able to see the youngster ... to cope with varying lighting conditions I mostly use Auto ISO and Aperture Priority, have you tried this type of setting on the Canon?
 
Nice write up and well done for getting anything let alone the decent pics you did get. I like the one of the deer in the wheat. Good luck on getting your dream photo, I'm looking forward to seeing it!
 
Thanks every one, Box brownie could i have your first name please same with WWA: it would be cool to address both of you by name,after all this is a shared passion with all of us ,so it's cool to be friendly. :) Thanks for the kind words both,we'll keep trying as time and energy allows hopefully I'll get there, my togging skills are very much in, hopefully, their infancy,so i'm probably need a bit of a hand from lady luck. WWA cheers on my "field doe" again we tripped over a small group.But this time I was more ready setting wise and also that effort learning about them played it's part: sometimes, quite often actually, a deer will spook and stop, turn and have a look at what has spooked her. this is exactly what happened. Another went in the exact opposite direction and as this turned so did I to grab a pic at 180degrees to this Sadly focus landed on the hedge behind her,even though my focal point was smack between her eyes. again probably because I shoot in a mode where the surround points are active.

I still can't figure how her back isn't standing above that wheat though:rolleyes:

Ingrid you are so so lucky I'd have loved to see that maybe one day, but wow anyway. I know we share a passion with these deer.It's ironic that you mention roe...we saw our first roe at this site last week sadly the wind was wrong so no pics,but nice to know they are there along with the fallow and muntjac. It is, at times very difficult,and challenging trying to get pictures of these really wild animals, You can see why I have so much respect for the pros, but the learning is fun being with them cool even if I do get disappointed at times really it just makes me want to try harder but by god are they sharp especially right now,so little room for error thanks mate

Roger cheers mate. No I haven't as of yet,it might have got me something here though and certainly I'll explore this.Chances like this are so rare and so hard won it's a real shame to fail at the last step when one has only seconds. It just didn't occur to me this would happen,I'd ramped the shutter as i'm still trying for a grooming hare and was really looking to freeze motion. i've have to have a read mate and see what my options are. Roger, i've really tried to stay in manual and basically graft it out feeling i'd learn faster in the long run by making all the calls regarding settings myself But at times like this though one really wants to nail it..... that chance might be a long long time in coming again !!!! Many thanks for the advice

take care all

Stu
 
I've watched the fallows in my local park give birth, but it's not the same as seeing it in the wild is it ?
Somehow never seem to remember to take pictures,you just get lost in the moment and watching the first wobbly steps
 
No Ingrid it utterly isn't although i've not seen any deer births ha pulled a few goats and lambs out though lmao. But yes totally understood and actually your wobbley legs comment triggered something. please forgive a bit of a ramble but you'l see why I just need a bit of context first

Ingrid I was a carer until last year (nine years same guy)
.Part of what I did with him was show him nature. I took him to see a very old very small church. so damn small we drove past it twice:rolleyes:,he loved old stuff. We pulled up by a farmer and before I could speak he put a finger to his lips and went shhhhhhhhhhhh. We got out to see mum roe and as you say a completely wet wobbly thing trying to suckle.My mate had a brain injury ingrid all the time I was saying look at this rodders none of us will probably ever see this again this is so special.

Ingrid that's the power of nature: a guy in a bad way took that(and his little church:)) home told everyone about HIS baby deer he had seen and even with all the problems remembered it until the end Most of the time he'd forget what he was saying before a sentence was complete,but he remembered his baby deer FOR YEARS

Yes mate not one pic( I just stood there smiling) so yes I completely understand ,we are both offically hopeless;)
hey ho:D

stu
 
know l am :) but sometimes the pleasure is in just watching as your friend showed.
l do have a picure of a newborn fallow if l can find it.
I was sat on a tree in the park just watching the herd and the doe gave birth very nearby.
 
What some fabulous Images ....
 
Lovely story (both of them) with great pictures. I am amazed the effort people put into their photography and this is often lost if only the pictures are shown. Thanks for sharing
 
Ingrid if ever you do find that i'd love to see it.
Carl, Stephen many thanks guys. Steve i'd put more in if I only had time and figure in the big scheme I only scratch the surface of the graft put in by some guys. I guess in many ways though as Ingrid and I have mused it's not just the picture for me ,it's being there with these fascinating wild creatures in some wood or field that has always been a draw,really the pics just allow my to share my joy at that. Sure I want those pics,sometimes just a chance to mess up would be nice,but I feel it's really important to love the beasties as a priority first the pics will come sooner or later....honest...lmao Jeepers they are hard to find at the mo,harvest will be interesting might make things a bit easier,but the little guys will grow quick ,so maybe time is running short for what i'm really after

thanks guys sorry slow in replying

take care

Stu
 
very cute well captured Like the lighting
 
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