Fallow deer in the oak landscape

Fallow deer in the oak landscape

The fallow deer has a special place in my nature photography heart. The nature of this mammals are for me associated with the oak landscape. If you are interested in wildlife photography and have missed out on the fallow deer you should read this. Maybe you then will pay them a visit.

Fallow deer in the oak landscape: by Niklas Virsén

The oak landscape close to home

Where I live I am surrounded by a beautiful oak landscape. These trees carrying a piece of the history and are home for many different species. For example the stag beetle and perhaps under a very old oak there is a home for a badger family. But it is not about oaks or stag beetle this blogpost is about.

In these landscapes of massive oaks, small lakes, rivers and meadowland there is also beautiful ungulates, the fallow deer (Dama, dama). Fallow deer exist in most of Europe and in southern Scandinavia. In the oak landscapes around Östergötland, Sweden, there are lots of them. I am happy and privileged to live just in one of these places.

Fallow deer in the oak landscape: Close to home

A magical season

When I write this it is October and here in southern Sweden autumn has come with cold mornings and evenings. If you are lucky you can early in the morning see and experience the fog over small hills and oaks as silhouettes against the sky.

October and November is also the time when fallow deer will mate. It is often a very dramatic and fantastic thing to see when the harts clash together in a battle for the doe. In the morgning mist you can hear the bellow of the harts. It almost creates a fantasy landscape and feeling when you as a nature photographer explore their territory at this time.

Fallow deer in the oak landscape: A magical season

Fallow deer

Fallow deer is a beautiful mammal and is often seen in a large group of animals. Here in southern Sweden you can find them both in the day, morning and night. You are not only restricted to photograph early in the morning or late in the evening. However I as a nature photographer prefer the mornings or late evenings due to the soft light and atmosphere.

All of the fallow deer I photograph are wild animals and not in captivity. I am usually not that interested to take documentary images of mammals or birds. However many times you also have to take the documentary pictures and capture special behavor of the mammals you photograph. The same as for the fallow deer. I try to get both documentary and more artisticle images of them.

Fallow deer in the oak landscape: Waiting to photograph the fallow deer

Waiting to photograph the fallow deer

When I look out from the window today and the leaves are turning yellow and orange I think about the fallow deer in autum environments. Tonight I will spend some time in there lands. How about you? Do you have fallow deer where you live? Or is it some other animal you really like to photograph? Please share this information with me and if you have some questions about photographing fallow deer, leave a comment below.

Feel free to comment on this post, share your thoughts with the NPP Community in the comment box.

Check Niklas’s biography in WIKI and portfolio in SHOWCASE or Niklas’s website

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