GOLDEN HOUR

Deer mating or rutting season in Richmond Park, London. I had been waiting for a clear sky and a sunrise free of clouds to photograph the red deer rutting, so when I arrived in the dark, pre-dawn, I was delighted to make out a thick deep mist covering the open meadows. With little to no wind, Richmond Park's microclimate, as a large open green space acts as a cooler, less polluted area compared to the urban area of Central London, which on that morning had delivered it's misty canvas. I couldn't believe how the light conditions transformed as the sun began to rise, turning the thick morning mist into a blazing golden haze. This stag was very possessive of his female hinds, keeping them gathered tightly together whilst seeing off any male competition that got to close. I just managed to make out this stag walking out to defend his herd, when he stopped in the brightest part of golden haze. I knew then that I had only seconds to capture the moment of this stag in isolation and his impressive antlers aligned in a silhouetted profile against a magical golden hour.

Richmond, London, UK