Standing among the moss covered hummocks of Petworth Park, this fallow buck looks back over his shoulder, his broad, palmate antlers catching the morning sun. The surrounding parkland provides a natural setting, with rust-coloured bracken and mature trees stretching into the distance.

The low autumn light brings warmth to the scene, illuminating the buck’s back and the edges of his coat while highlighting the distinctive shape of his antlers. These golden tones contrast with the deep greens of the moss and the darker browns of the surrounding vegetation, creating a rich but natural colour palette. The softly blurred background keeps attention on the deer while retaining a sense of the landscape around him.

I wanted to capture the buck with enough of his surroundings to give the photograph a sense of place. His backward glance adds interest to the composition, drawing attention to his profile and antlers without relying on movement or action. The eye-level perspective also brings the viewer closer to the subject, allowing the finer details of his coat and features to stand out.

Petworth Park is home to a long established population of fallow deer and encounters like this offer an opportunity to observe them within their natural surroundings. Here, the combination of the buck’s distinctive features and the soft autumn light makes the photograph as much about the atmosphere of the morning as the animal itself.