Amidst the early autumn mist, the powerful voice of the forest rises – the red deer rut. To stand here, silently among the majestic stags, is an incredible privilege.
The First Contact
It is a Wednesday in October, shortly after five in the morning. The Forstenrieder Park is still shrouded in deep darkness as I make my way to my hide. The grass is wet, and the air smells of earth and autumn. And then – a roar. Deep, rumbling, almost earth-shaking.
The stag is not yet visible, but he is there. Close.
Hours of Silence
What follows are hours of waiting. Wildlife photography teaches patience like few other activities. You sit, you listen, you observe. Sometimes hours pass without a single worthwhile encounter. And that is the very essence of this work.
Around eight o'clock, he emerges from the veil of the misty forest. A magnificent twelve-pointer, his antlers still damp with morning dew. He pauses. Scents the air. Turns his head in my direction – and I hold my breath.
The Privilege of Invisibility
The key to wildlife photography is invisibility. Not in the literal sense, but in behavior. No sudden movements. No noise. You become part of the surroundings until the animals forget you – or never notice you at all.
In that very moment, when the stag lifts his antlers and the air trembles with his call, time seems to stand still.