Early Morning Sunlight by Mark Simms

Monday, 3rd December 2007

Early Morning Sunlight

by Mark Simms

If you live in, or are visiting the UK during the Autumn (fall), then you owe it to yourself to get down to Richmond Park at first light. The roaring of the deer in rut, the parakeets calling to each other and the wildlife stocking up for the cold winter ahead. This was taken on one such morning.

Equipment: Canon 5D with 70-200 f2.8L IS

Mark Simms

Professional wedding photographer, amateur nature photographer. Live in Essex, England and spend a lot of my time shooting in Epping Forest.

22 Comments

Francis Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:11 am
Stunning!
Wonderful light, nice DOF, great colors, beautiful sunbeams, good timing…

Well done.
Anurag Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:41 am
A magical shot, though at first look it appears rather soft because of the extremely narrow DOF, Its only after a while that you notice the squirrel, and when you do. Boy its great. I only wish that there should have been more backlight falling on it ti give its fur a brim light.
Great Work
Reuben Chircop Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:53 am
That is a great shot I must say. I am not sure if the shot has been retouched , though its a very unique moment.
chamorro 4rm guam. Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:05 am
whoooo. is that a ….na its a squirrel damn almost got lost there. great shot thou.
Pauline Jones Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:46 am
Lovely shot but was it really that red?
Keith Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:58 am
A top shot. Well seen and taken.
poster boy Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:16 am
Impressive shot with nice colours
Alessandra Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:17 pm
This is exactely the place where I long to be…NOW
I can nearly smell the perfume of the leaves and the wet ground, hear the sound of the trees and the whispers of enchanted creatures hiding in the shadows of nature…
Andrea Alexander Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:46 pm
This is stunning! I love the colours. Do you have a website - I’d love to see more of your work?
Scottzozer Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:59 pm
A wonderful mystical forest of amazingness good capture of the beauty our world has to offer
Mark Simms Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:01 pm
In response to Pauline Jones - Yes, it really was that red, it is an amazing place to be in the autumn and can result in complete sensory overload!

Thanks all for the comments!
Renee Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Nice photo Mark! You always have great ones!
laurens Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:57 pm
amazing photo

well done
Lori Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Absolutely mystical! Brings to life the “stories of old”! I half expected to see the wood fairies peeking from the fallen leaves and unicorn entering from the trees to capture the sunlight on thier golden horns!

Perfect choice for POTD, congratulations… Well Deserved!
kml Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Great atmosphere! Love the colors of the leaves - beautiful!
Maarten Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Beautiful, excellent shot !!! BRAVO!

(that tiny squirrel is sooooo cute )
Sue Gagnon Says:
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Wow, wow, wow, I totally agree with LORI, and this was my comment to leave, however, it’s so well choreographed by the photographer…whether intended or not…Good composition, interesting and breathtaking, all done in a mythical genre. You have brought forth the woodland animals in the red forest alight with a halo of mysticism speaking in magical tongues. Great color, well done!! I just enjoyed it…You have brought me from Worcester, Masachusetts, my home,to our foundland in England…of the United Kingdom as it were, the woodland faeries dance with the squirrels in the dancing twinkling rays of light. Love it!
Tom Brooklyn Says:
December 4th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
nice spot. cheers.
Jon Eisenberg Says:
December 6th, 2007 at 5:11 am
BEautiful! You have of course broken a rule by putting the squirrel near the middle but obviously everything else overcomes that. The contrast of the squirrel against the colored back light is splendid!
Heidi Gable Says:
December 6th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Wow!!! Amazing how did you do it??? Stunning beautiful
Pieter -sAner- van der Horst Says:
December 9th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Good picture. Love the atmosphere it breathes.
yasmin Says:
October 19th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Beautiful Colors!!