red deer calf

taken on the quantock hills, somerset canon 40d Canon EF 70-300mm IS USM Lens 1/400 f5.6 ISO 400

Sorry Mike but this doesn't do anything for me. The viewpoint is not particularly good, it looks soft and also a bit washed out (at least on my screen).
Robert

I hope you don't mind me saying, but I notice you've posted 32 images that you would obviously like others to pass comment on, but you've never offered a single comment yourself in return.
It'd be good to get your opinions too!!!

As for the image. It's a very appealing subject but I'm afraid it doesn't work for me. The deer appears very out of focus and the downward shooting angle isn't a viewpoint I find works particularly well.

hi Mike, I agree with the above comments. what white balance did you use ?? Auto.?. you might want to set that to get your pictures a little warmer. it is a little out of focus too. at 400th and with USM you should have been able to get a sharper picture. what focus mode are you using.?

The only other thing i can also add is its a little concering as the calf looks disurbed, its well known that close human contact can cause the parents not to return.. its looking directly at you so i presume you got fairly close. I am not preaching or anything. just my observation.

Cheers
Mark

mark av mode, as regards to the mother returning to there calfs i try not to make them get up and run off ,if they do i will stay around all day,to see the mother return to the calfs, my concern is for the calf not the shot. mike

cool i think field craft is so important.. and i agree animal welfare is far more important than the shot .
Mike Play around with your WB , especially when in dark woods, try cloudy for example.
i presume you have IS turned on. its hard to tell from the jpeg but the back of the calf looks more infocus to me.
did you select the focus point for the head, or is this a cropped image.

Cheers
Mark.G

mark g is, is turn on slight crop

Hi Mike, like the subject but it does appear slightly out of focus. I might be questioning my lens if I'd taken this With the settings you used anyway!

Scott

as regards to the mother returning to there calfs i try not to make them get up and run off ,if they do i will stay around all day,to see the mother return to the calfs, my concern is for the calf not the shot

IMHO it'd be a far more satisfying experience to photograph it from a safe distance where no disturbance is caused. You would also have the benefit of obtaining far more natural and relaxed behaviour.
If photography isn't possible, then forget it and enjoy the moment with binoculars.

Just my opinion for what it's worth and hopefully it doesn't come across as too harsh.

no i do not think your opinion is to harsh at all, over the last few years i have seen a few red deer calf being born from a distance with my binoculars like you said and enjoy ever second, no pictures as yet. mike

I'm uneasy about being so intrusive just to get a photograph. There's always a risk of the calf taking flight and injuring itself. And a poor image as others have pointed out.

Paul