For photographers, “good weather” may not mean warm and sunny. In the case of some stunning wildlife photography coming out of the London area this week, “good weather” meant early morning fog.
The photograph comes from the lens of Getty photographer Brook Mitchell, who spent a morning at sunrise photographing red stags and fallow bucks at Richmond Park in London, England. October is the rut, or mating season for the deer, which tends to make the deer more active.
Foggy conditions can create limited visibility, making wildlife photography with a long lens particularly challenging. Fog can also cause condensation to build up on the camera lens. But while fog comes with its challenges, it can also create streaks of light if that ground fog isn’t mixed with clouds overhead.
The early morning sun combined with foggy conditions to create some dramatic, glowing light. Crepuscular rays are what happens when sunlight hits the fog’s water droplets suspended in the air and scatters. To get sun rays like this, photographers need to adjust their position so that they are shooting towards the sun.
The sun rays will also show up best with a darker background, like with the trees in Mitchell’s photographs. Because those sun rays are strong, photographing them often means using a narrower aperture or faster shutter speed to avoid overexposure.
Crepuscular rays can also be created from mist, dust, and smoke particles in the air – fog isn't the only condition that will create those sun beams.
Michell’s photos – shot with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II and RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM – were featured on Getty’s top news photos of the week, seasonal shots highlighting the deer’s rutting season.
Many types of wildlife, including the red stag, are most active at dawn and dusk – perfect for golden hour wildlife photography.
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