21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Keep An Eye Peeled

A face-to-face moment with a wild deer, and a close-up shot off the animal's face. That day, I was coming back from a very disappointing wildlife photography shoot in a local forest, and I had seen almost nothing. Suddenly, in the middle of nowhere, a deer crossed the road in the middle of busy traffic. I stopped on the side of the road to make sure the poor animal wasn't hurt and would make it back to a safe location. As he hadn't decided to leave quite yet, he gave me a chance to grab my DSLR and my telephoto lens for one last shot before he headed away from the road and back to the fields.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2021
Date Uploaded: 09.2023
Photo Location: Marans, France
Camera: Canon EOS 70D
Copyright: © ARNAUD GONTARD
Awards
Photo of the Day: 10.09.25