Pierre Williot
December 2025 - White-tailed Stag standing tall
About the Image(s)
Title: White-tailed Stag standing tall.
Location: Nature preserve in Buffalo, NY
November 19th, 2025
Equipment: Olympus E-M1X camera, OM System 150-400mm lens, Hand held. 356mm(Full frame equivalent 712mm)
Set-up: ISO 800, 1/640 sec, f/6.3, EV -0.30
Post-processing: slight cropping, light adjustments, denies and very slight vignette using ON1PhotoRaw.
8 comments posted
Nice frontal image of a large male with a large (for a deer) rack. The background is kind of in-between to my eye - not really soft bokeh and not in focus either. Not sure if there is anything that could be changed now. Posted: 12/05/2025 17:47:24
I like this! I think the background would be better with less focus and maybe there's a way to do this using a mask gradient? His antlers compete a little with the background as sharp as it is and I think his head and antlers are the most impressive part of this image. Posted: 12/05/2025 21:09:55
My eye doesn't really know where to travel. I'm finding the sharpness & his stance a contrast to the head & antlers. As Cindy suggested a crop of shoulders up would make a stronger image Posted: 12/07/2025 02:01:34
You have shown the stag in a graceful and proud pose. I think if the background was darker, it would provide better contrast and the stag would stand out better.
Adding a sunlight filter in Nik Color effex might also help as the main light is on his rump. Posted: 12/09/2025 15:12:10
Adding a sunlight filter in Nik Color effex might also help as the main light is on his rump. Posted: 12/09/2025 15:12:10
Thank you for all these constructive comments. I opted to select the background, decrease its sharpness and exposure. Posted: 12/10/2025 20:11:56
Really nice redo! Posted: 12/16/2025 21:51:28
This is an amazing photo. The forward stare really adds to it. I agree with what the others said, and I think it would help. I think the lighting works a little against the subject but you seem to fix that in your final post. Great photo! Posted: 12/15/2025 02:58:16
Thanks Jacob. He was really standing tall and sniffing the air.... mating season! Posted: 12/18/2025 20:40:36