The dune valleys of Noordwijkerhout have been declared as a nature park and “Silent Area (in Dutch: Stiltegebied)”, meaning an area where it is allowed to walk but not allowed to make noise and to hunt. There is a stable population of fallow deer living in this dune valley and with a little bit of luck they can be seen at the edge of the forests. This male fallow deer is watching out for potential danger while the rest of the herd is grazing nearby.
Making of: On the late afternoon a herd of fallow deer was grazing, but they were too far away to capture with my 300mm Nikon lens. The deep evening sun was nicely lightening the deer and the forest gave an perfect dark background. In the shadow of a hedge I moved closer until the tip of that hedge was reached. So far the male herd was also grazing so I made a little noise, which made him watching out in my direction and gave me this picture.
Michael Emmerich 