Sun bathing stag

Nikon D7000 300mm f4 + 1.7 TC 1/800 at F8 ISO 800 handheld on a rock for support. Approx. 80% of full frame

Driving over Rannoch Moor today and saw this stag sat grabbing some rays. Managed to stalk pretty close although managed to get one welly full of water in the process

For those who take landscape pictures the old dead tree in this area of the moor is no longer standing....the recent 80mph winds have managed to topple it and it now lies in several pieces on the moor.
All comments warmly welcomed.
Nick

It doesn't look like the sort of day to get a wellie full, Nick. Well done on stalking so close. I know getting this close with a wild deer is a different kettle of fish to the ones we see in deer parks further south.

David

Good stuff under the conditions. Echo Davids comments.
JohnR

Lovely, touch of snow too... even in Munich we have none!

Magnificent looking beast,like the shot a lot.

Nice shot of a cracking stag, saw a few there myself in october though didnt get a shot, the stag could stand some sharpening but as is good job

A lovely composition and the lighting makes the whole scene appear quiet serene. As Phil has mentioned, the point of focus seems to be just about on the far side of the stag as the heather in background does look a little sharper. An extra bit of selective sharpening may help.

Thanks for all your comments. The point of focus was on the stags head but as I was trying to adjust my ISO setting whilst lying flat behind a small rock I managed to change the RAW setting to Jpeg basic! The head is pretty sharp but the rear end of the stag is soft for some reason, shouldn't be as I was pretty square on to the stag. I can only put it down to it being a basic Jpeg with compression to a small picture and then web compression. The joys of photography!
Nick.