While mining what seems to be a never-ending archive of photos, I stumbled on this photograph of a deer from a park about 30 minutes north of me. And while keywording the image in Lightroom, filling in other metadata, and then doing some slight finishing development in Photoshop – I couldn’t get over the intensity of the stare this deer gave me. It kept interrupting what little task I was undertaking to get the image finished. Honestly, it made me a little uncomfortable. 🙂
It is difficult to determine if the look is one of concern, curiosity, or contempt. The park has a large network of trails making it easy to be the only human around for such encounters, and given the time of exposure is 6:34 a.m., that is likely the case. Normally when I encounter wildlife while hiking I try to calm any initial instincts they may have about me being a foe. I’ll look at my feet, tie and untie my shoes, and perhaps act like I am foraging in the grass, or playing with a nearby rock. Anything that can communicate to them that I am some non-threatening, perhaps a bit loony, intruder.
For deer, if that’s still not working, they will usually let me know by a few hoof stomps. I don’t recall if that happened here. Her tail isn’t up, so she isn’t quite that alarmed yet. So I am going to assume curiosity or contempt in this look, maybe with a touch of “Don’t F$%& with me human – it’s too early.”
I’ll never know what was going on in that brain of hers at the time. I did my best to communicate friend. It is probably in her best interest to not completely be trusting of that. For all I know, she is blaming me for the subdivision that just went up, destroying 10 acres of farmland or woods nearby. As the only species representative present, perhaps justifiably. Or perhaps that is her mind game here, to provoke my inner guilt.
But I am going to file you now, friend or foe doe, in the finished folder. Consider the message unnervingly received.
We never know what’s going on in those brains. I appreciate your leaving it at that and not trying to attach a human meaning to her. It’s a very nicely written post…the overall softness of the image is beautiful. Thanks, Mark!
Oh, how I envy your handling of the DOF here. It’s just perfect. And the lovely setting with flowers doesn’t hurt.
Well, thanks, Linda. Truth is I normally botch a lot of situations like this for DOF.
It’s neat what we find tucked away in our Lightroom catalogues. I really like the high key look of the surroundings. It frames the deer very nicely. And the state. It’s really a gem to have found!
Stare not state 🙂
I’ve actually been playing with developing more images in this way – a bit brighter than my habits tend to pull me towards. Thanks Howard.
I’ll go with contempt! But for sure not exclude a loony intruder. I also wonder at times what wildlife is thinking or saying. These magpies at one of the natural areas will fly up to the fence in front me and squawk like crazy, leave then return and repeat. Are they telling me to leave or telling on their buddy or complaining about the increasing encroachment of construction noise? I also have noticed the ability of animals to stare as if they can penetrate deep inside of me and maybe they can. By the way I do like this image. She looks beautiful in that setting.
Ha, I think you may be right. And that stare – like lasers. Thanks Monte.