Mule Deer kindly posing for a photo in Ramah, New Mexico
At last a mule deer photo opportunity
I am often out in very remote areas from late afternoon until sunset and into twilight times here in New Mexico. I love to photograph wildlife, but despite so much time out in nature, I very rarely have the opportunity to photograph large animals, like the mule deer seen here (learn about mule deer). This is in part because when I am done shooting a piece of rural land real estate, I pack up both cameras into a backpack in the back of my Jeep. So if I do happen to see a deer, or other animal, I have to stop, get out, and then get my camera ready. This always results in the animals taking off never to be seen again.
Keep your camera ready!
From this frustration, I have started keeping my camera with telephoto lens right in my lap, even if it makes for an uncomfortable off road ride back to pavement. This time having my camera ready paid off, as this mule deer kindly raised its head to show off those amazing antlers. Dusk had already fallen, so it was quite dark in the forest already, but thanks to shooting in RAW and the power of Capture One Pro 12 for Sony, I was able to recover detail in both the deer and the forest.