EOS R1 Captures 12pt White-Tailed Deer Buck and Rubbed Tree, Shenandoah National Park

I love photographing white-tailed deer in fields, where it is easy to find a clean background, foreground obstructions are greatly reduced, and lighting is unhindered. While shooting in the woods adds complication to the composition, that increased challenge brings the opportunity for uncommon results.

On this day, the fog and rain added uniqueness, reducing background distractions and ensuring that lighting was good at all angles. While this gnarly antlered buck was tearing up a tree, I moved into a position that provided blurred trees to frame the buck and rubbed tree.

The Canon RF 600mm F4 L IS USM Lens is my go-to wildlife lens, but finding a clear line of sight for the long subject distance it requires can become problematic in a thick forest. With increasing frequency, I'm carrying the Canon RF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens into the woods.

While this buck was not moving fast, high-speed continuous shooting was still helpful at times, including for avoiding raindrops over eyes.

Speaking of raindrops and eyes, the EOS R1, including the viewfinder, was quite wet. Still, Eye Control AF continued to work impressively well. An occasional wipe was needed when the drops in the viewfinder became large, but I heavily relied on the Eye Control AF feature the entire day and trip.

A larger version of this image is available here.