Stoat

Hi to all,

Stoat, photographed having just emerged from a rabbit run, hence the surrounding vegetation, but what makes the image for me is the great eye contact with this gorgeous little creature, thanks for looking.

Processed in DPP / CS2 ( Slight crop and a couple of daisies toned down a touch )

1D3, 500F4IS+1.4T/c, Gitzo, Wimberley, WWS Bag hide
1/400th @ F5.6 +1/3rd iso400

All comments welcome

Andy...

Looks like a mean chap!

This doesn't quite work for me. A bit too busy, with other elements detracting from subject, including some unfortunate blades of grass crossing the body. Nice record shot though, and as you say, good eye contact.

Greg

I like this, good detail and in a natural setting.

a very attractive shot Andy. I suppose it would be slightly stronger without the horizontal grass stem cutting across the body but it's no big deal for me. A very natural looking image.

Matt

Always a magic mammal for me Andy. The blades of grass(other than the one OOF one) are part of the animals enviroment and yes you have captured the stare very well.

Major.

of two minds with this. first that its good getting the stoat in its habitat but second maybe it is slightly cluttered. Can't decide.

Great capture, Andy. The blades of grass doesn't bother me.

Nit already covered, but personally I'd be dead chuffed to get astoat shot half as good as this.

David

Hi Andy,

lovely shot of a creature in its natural setting

Shame about the blade of grass going across the frame but thats how it was

Great image Andy. Its not as if you can say to the Stoat "Hang on a minute while I remove that blade of grass". I would be delighted to have this in my portfolio.

Great shot Andy, as Maggie just pointed out, sometimes you have to just take what comes along and I'd be more than happy with this, if i were to 'do' anything I would just tone down the bright fg, especially bottom right, but that could just be my screen really. Hope you're well mate.

Any shot of wild stoat would please me, I've only ever seen 3-4 in the wild and have never come close to getting any images. I'd consider losing a little off the bottom just to get rid of the mud in the bottom right corner and lose a slither off the left but that's just me. Good stuff!.

It definitely works for me. The untidyness of the grass contrasting with the sleekness of the stoat makes the image more powerful, IMHO. Excellent.

As far as I am concerned it is an excellent image of a stoat in its natural environment doing what stoats do. The face is the subject and if the grass was across that then it would have been less good imo, but the eye contact more than makes up for a couple of stray bits of vegetation. I think we get a bit too hung up on making everything look like it was shot in a studio. Photographing real wild animals in the wild is very difficult and this is a subject that many would like to get and most don't, so hats off to you.
Eric

Super image, love the alert pose - I think a little off the bottom would improve the composition!

David

Beautiful shot of one of my favourite animals. He doesn't look happy to see you though.

The nits mentioned don't stop this from being a very good shot.

Excellent capture of this very hard to photograph animal.

Keith.

The look makes the image IMO and a lovely imabe in natural settings,very nice

Hi there

We have loads of these running round in garden in Mold, Flintshire - super photo of a mighty quick mammal.

Gail

Another cracking Stoat shot Andy. Blades of grass dont bother me one bit as it is just this animals natural environment. This Stoat image & all the others were well worth several weekends & 2 full weeks of sitting in the bag hide. Great eye contact & nice comp.

Lee

Wonderful shot, Andy. Slight trim off the bottom maybe worth considering. One from this summer?

A nice picture of a fast and difficult animal, Andy. I once tried these at the BWC and was wholly unsuccessful The green is pleasant and in particular the water droplets add a nice touch to the scene

David

Hello Andy.

Just superb for me and I've only ever seen one in the wild so well done.

Thanks very much for the nice comments everybody

Hi Mark, it's one of last years images, I was due to return to the site this spring but unfortunately I was advised by the land owner to steer clear for a few months because he was having big trouble with Hare coursing.

Thanks once again for the comments.

Andy...