Love bites: This powerful wildlife photo, taken with a Sony A1, captures the beautiful chaos of motherhood

One baby fox knows exactly how to get mom's attention; by biting her nose. It's a split-second moment of beautiful chaos that photographer Janet Gustin captured with her Sony A1, creating an image that speaks to the universal dynamics of motherhood across species.

Gustin's photograph, titled Ouch!, recently won the non-professional category of the Exposure One Awards Nature Photography Contest, selected from submissions spanning more than 82 countries.

Rendered in striking black and white, the striking image captures both the mother fox's instinctive squint and the youngster's bold demand for attention – in competition with their siblings, outside the frame – distilling family dynamics to their essence.

Technical approach

Gustin's kit choice proved crucial for capturing this decisive moment. The Sony A1 paired with a Sony 600mm prime lens has become a favorite combination among wildlife photographers, offering exceptional autofocus performance and image quality that enables photographers to maintain respectful distances while achieving intimate detail.

Her settings reveal someone who understands the demands of unpredictable wildlife. The 1/2000 second shutter speed freezes the action completely, while the f/4 aperture (the prime lens' maximum) provides both subject isolation and optimal sharpness.

At ISO 400, she was able to maintain clean image quality while ensuring sufficient speed for the rapid movements of her subjects.

The Sony A1's 50MP sensor and advanced autofocus proved instrumental for this shot. The camera's ability to track and maintain focus on animal eyes, even during rapid and erratic movement, freed Gustin to concentrate on composition and timing rather than wrestling with technical concerns.

Composition

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that this was Gustin's first time photographing foxes. "I was incredibly fortunate to witness and document this intimate family moment," she explains.

"What struck me most was how universal the scene felt; it could have been any family anywhere, with siblings vying for attention and a mother navigating the beautiful chaos of it all.

"You can see the mother's instinctive response in that squint, that unmistakable 'ouch' expression," she adds. "Yet what moves me most is what she doesn't do: she doesn't pull away, doesn't scold or reject. She simply endures, with the patience and selfless love that defines motherhood across species."

Ouch! also represents Gustin's first foray into black-and-white photography. "I entered this competition without any confidence in my ability," she admits. Having primarily worked in color throughout her photography journey, the decision to work in monochrome proved transformative.

"What I've come to appreciate most about black-and-white is how it lends a timeless feel to the moment," Gustin explains. "It removes the distractions of the background and draws the viewer directly to the heart of the story; standing still but still living."

In other words, the monochromatic palette does more than simplify; it amplifies. Texture becomes more pronounced, from the soft fur of the young fox to the mother's alert expression. Without the influence of color temperature or saturation, the emotional resonance only strengthens.

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