Chinese Water Deer(Hydropotes inermis)

Can't possible describe to you my feelings when I got this shot.
Its taken me two days and 280 miles to get a shot of one of these.
Five sightings on the first day and by 3.30pm on the second I had nothing. Then I struck gold. Sorry to bore you but I had to let off steam.

D3 + 600mm AFS II f4D. + 1.4 Conv.
1/160 @ f7.1.
Ex Comp -0.3EV.
ISO 640.
Gitzo + Wimberley.
Odd distracting light vegetation cloned out.

Major.

you seem to make a habit of nailing difficult to get species.
If it were mine I'd adjust the levels a bit to give it a bit of contrast. Maybe take the black slider into around 25-30?

Hi Major,
First photo I've seen of these, lovely light and complimentary background.
I'm sure I spotted these on my visit last year.

Tim

Thanks for that John will give it a try. This species had become a real challenge for me and I am determined to get more so its at present an ongoing subject. I am starting to find that its better this way rather than doing different subjects willy nilly. Just as I have done Brown Hare shots hopefully I will suceed in these. Over two days I have gathered various bits of info to build up a bigger picture.
Tim if you spotted one it may have been around the Hickling area. They are of course spread fairly wide but there are the odd places with a few more than the odd one. I have seen images obtained at Cley but they can't be that easy there.

Major.

Lovely light love the pov and pose major,very nice

A great reward for your efforts. Nice light and an alert pose and it's good to see that it seems unaware of you.

Tim

Chunky little munky - I can taste the sirloin marinated in madeira just looking at it

Did you get one with a glance in your direction Major - you know, the frame before it vacated the county?

That must have been on heck of a "buzz" - nice capture.........

Good luck comes to those who have patience and good fieldcraft! Beautiful shot, Major. The lighting is perfect, albeit clearly challenging to get a viable shutter speed for a long shot! Well done.

Tom J

Should have spoken to Nigel Major, loads of these about in Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire, especially in and around the surrounding areas of Woburn.....

Nice work....

I'm glad you got this shot Major. As an ongoing project this will be one I shall keep an eye on and hope you get many more opertunities.

Rob

This is a great image, a worthy project. Well done

Beautiful shot Major!! Gorgeous light and lovely subtle colours. Looking forward to seeing more from your project!

Lovely shot, very jealous.

Gosh.... mid tones do look a little bright and I might try to get rid of the dark area that is intersecting the neck... This image pictures the elusiveness (does that make sense)

aaahh, and this I believe is what you mean about getting the subject out in the open.

How did you manage that?!

Are you saying this was in the late afternoon - e.g. after 3.30?

looks good on my monitor - like the shot as is.

Mark

Hello Major.

Very nice feel to this and you should be pleased its a cracker.

I know how you feel just got back form Mull trying to get Sea Otters and it was six days before I even saw one and thought it was going to be a wasted trip, but on the last day it all came together.

Lovely image of this beautiful animal, Major. Nice to see, your efforts paid off. Well done.

Well thank you everyone.
Andy yes I got the evil eye and I have never heard one tell me off so much. Can't they half bark.
Mark that shot was at 3.40 pm. and I was fast running out of time before that light had gone all together.
Have obtained a few more today after arriving at first light and sticking out till 4pm.
I am worn out after walking miles with all my gear.

Major

Apart from the species, it is the soft light that makes this image. Therefore, I would probably refrain from increasing the contrast and/or blak level. Nice one!

Hi Major,

Really like this image. The lovely soft light makes this look great.

Ian

Blimey Fantastic shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Danny

Great shot, Major. How come you've travelled so far for these, I thought you were only up the road from me in Norfolk and I'm surounded by them!! If you need another location for them then drop us an email.

Simon