In the stillness of a frosty morning, nature comes alive. A group of at least 30 red deer appear out of nowhere, their breath visible in the thin air, vapour rising from their warm bodies. In a pack full of strength, speed and instinct, they storm straight towards me, cloaked in the golden red of the rising sun.
The light is mesmerising - low, warm and full of colour - hitting the contours of their muscular bodies, the antlers, the vapour, the splashing sand. Everything is moving, breathing, alive. For a split second, I feel included in their world: as an observer, but also as part of the moment.
Nature rarely allows itself to be directed, but sometimes there is that perfect confluence of light, movement and presence. This image is an ode to that rare interplay - raw and intense, but also full of beauty and harmony.
A reminder of how overwhelming it can be when wild nature shows its own rhythm, just as it wants to.
                                
 
                                Nature is my greatest inspiration. With my camera, I try to capture wild animals in their purest form - unadorned, with respect and wonder. Each image tells something about the animal's behaviour, strength or vulnerability. My work is an ode to the beauty of wildlife, and.. Read more…
 Barn owl among the whitethroatMarielle Van den Elshout
Barn owl among the whitethroatMarielle Van den Elshout Two red deer on a forest pathMarielle Van den Elshout
Two red deer on a forest pathMarielle Van den Elshout Magical this pack of red deer in the early morningMarielle Van den Elshout
Magical this pack of red deer in the early morningMarielle Van den Elshout A tawny owl roosting in the crevice of a treeMarielle Van den Elshout
A tawny owl roosting in the crevice of a treeMarielle Van den Elshout Curious and alert squirrel stops in the middle of the trunk.Marielle Van den Elshout
Curious and alert squirrel stops in the middle of the trunk.Marielle Van den Elshout A little owl on an old cartwheel in a meadow among the velvet weedsMarielle Van den Elshout
A little owl on an old cartwheel in a meadow among the velvet weedsMarielle Van den Elshout Greylag goose beats its wings vigorouslyMarielle Van den Elshout
Greylag goose beats its wings vigorouslyMarielle Van den Elshout Eye to eye with the buzzardMarielle Van den Elshout
Eye to eye with the buzzardMarielle Van den Elshout Meeting the wolfMarielle Van den Elshout
Meeting the wolfMarielle Van den Elshout