And too (2) Bigger Bucks

Peter, it is a bit soft, but I think it is mostly from OOF plants. I like the position you caught this guy in. Thanks for posting.

Peter. I can appreciate the effort to get these guys, gear timing, lighting etc. This image doesn't really work and I have a few points why. Maybe a few things to keep in mind for next time. 1. Watch for foliage in the foreground which will obscure your subject. 2. angle of the subject is unsettling (unbalanced). 3. Lighting is less than optimal leading to flatness throughout the image. 4. Saturation is low. colour can help draw in the viewer. 5. Watch for distractions like the green leaf upper right corner. 6.Crop to get intimate with your subject and eliminate distractions. These are some of the issues I can point out with this image. Of all of the things I mention....Light is most important. Hope some of these help for next time.

Hi Peter. Looks like you are really enjoying this wonderful place. I like the view through the grass, which helps us place the buck in the environment and gives us a sense of hiding in the tall grass to get a peek at the animal. (Of course it might help if the oof grass was not in front of his face, but it's hard to give these guys modeling directions.) I think the lighting shows us some overcast weather, which can present challenges in white balance. Since most of us don't shoot wildlife in a studio, or control the weather or the rotation of the earth, we are left with post processing to adjust for the limitations of the camera. In this case, I think I might try (1) warming up the white balance a bit with a shift from blue to yellow, and perhaps a touch more red; (2) increasing the saturation all around; and (3) adding a little contrast. In the field, we are at the mercy of nature, but in the digital darkroom, we can take control and turn documentary shots into eye-catchers. Of course, that's all mechanics of handling an image. You have already done the important parts -- getting out there, finding great subjects, and getting close enough for shots like this!

This is a fine subject, but photographically I find the oof grasses in front of the buck to be a distraction, cutting across the main viewing area. I would also prefer to not be looking down on him, whenever possible.