Fawn

Old enough to explore, a fawn pauses to check out a potential threat at the edge of its still small world in a swale between dunes near the Sable River. Hundreds of park visitors swimming, fishing, or just sitting on the beach have no idea the nearby swale is the fawn's first home.

Fawn

While my aunt Sheryl was vacuuming her living room, she looked through the large picture window and noticed a fawn sleeping peacefully in her pachysandra bushes right next to the house. She immediately called my dad and me and we rushed over with our cameras. I put my lens right on the glass of the window and made this image. I love the heart shape of the bushes that surrounds the beautiful sleeping fawn.

I arrived at my parent’s farm with a goal in mind. The dogwood trees were in full bloom, and I really wanted to make a great image of them before they were gone for the season. I got out of the van with my tripod and camera in hand. I looked back at the tree, then ahead trying to visualize where I needed to set my gear up. As I looked back a second time I heard and felt something run right past my leg. I was so startled that I screamed, and jumped not knowing what kind of animal it was. When I turned around to take a look, I saw a fawn running through the woods. I got two shots off before it disappeared. I was hand holding a bigger lens, and didn’t have time to change any settings. I was worried that they wouldn’t turn out, but when I looked at them on the computer I was very happy! Success!

The Start of a Legend

Old enough to explore, a fawn pauses to check out a potential threat at the edge of its still small world in a swale between dunes near the Sable River. Hundreds of park visitors swimming, fishing, or just sitting on the beach have no idea the nearby swale is the fawn’s first home.

Sometimes respecting wildlife means leaving it alone. When I spotted this fawn 75 yards below me as I hiked the Piney Ridge Trail, I wanted to move closer. But I knew if I took even a few steps downhill, the fawn might be scared away from the hiding place where its mother had tucked it away. Instead I quickly made this environmental portrait with the 500-millimeter lens Brad and I purchased for making wildlife pictures like this without threatening the wildlife. I was pleased with the image I quickly made. I was even more pleased to see the fawn still in the same spot when I passed by again a couple hours later.

Visitors at the Ludington State Park often give my dad and me tips on where to find certain flowers, birds, and animals. On this hot August afternoon I was busy trying to make a photograph of a robin when I heard someone whistle behind me. When I turned around I was face to face with a spotted fawn. I don't know who was more surprised, the fawn or the photographer. Needless to say, all the helpful hints were priceless.

Pachysandras Surprise

Wednesday Carferry in Fog

Do you see them? Look closely. Do you see them now? Two fawns lying in the wet leaves. I made this image in my Uncle Rod’s backyard. He had spotted them while standing on his deck. He called me and I came out and stood in the rain to make this image.

Spotted Fawn Redone

I made my almost-daily stop at Northside Market near my home today to grab some stuff for dinner. When I came out and looked across Bryant Road, I spotted my first fawn of the season standing with her mom. My guess is this fawn had been born earlier today.

Ed Sanders called me today from Lincoln Hills and told me they found a fawn near the clubhouse next to the driving range. I drove there a short time later and made this image. Using my biggest lens, so I could keep my distance from the fawn, I lay down on my stomach to get eye to eye with the tiny whitetail deer.

One of our workshop students and I stumbled upon this fawn near one of the trails north of the Beechwood Campground inside Ludington State Park this morning. The fog and light rain add to the mood. F2.8 at 1/25, ISO 400, 70-200 mm lens at 200 mm

This fawn was born near my home recently and I have been trying to get a good picture of it for days. Now here it is, right in front of me on the Buttersville peninsula in a beautiful quality of light with a nice wooded background. I savor the view and make the picture. F2.8 at 1/60, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 138 mm

My camera catches a fawn in the morning light. I make the shot and move on so that it can continue to browse in peace with its mother along the west shore of Pere Marquette Lake. F2.8 at 1/400, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

I was awestruck with the beauty of this fawn and its surroundings in my backyard this morning. My dad is always teaching our workshop students to build “layered cake” photographs with distinct foregrounds, middle grounds, and backgrounds. This might be my best fawn “layered cake” photograph.

Memorial Tree Park in Pere Marquette Township is a great place for a family picnic or an evening hike. Tonight, Betsy and I took the kids to Memorial Tree Park and we came upon this family of deer. I loved how the fawn thought the large tree stump hid it from me. I was able to walk within 15 feet of these deer with my wide-angle lens. F2.8 at 1/500, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

I love making story-telling images with my camera. I felt like this scene in my front yard tonight told the story of growing older, bigger, and stronger. I purposely put that large tree in the very center of the image to help cut the image in half and help tell the story better.