Star the vixen (female fox) is my subject again this week. I’ve chosen a 16 by 9 ratio, landscape aspect composition with her as the central focus, facing the camera as she trotted towards me through the woodland. Her fur is a rich reddish-brown on the back and head, with a lighter greyish edge to her face and a white muzzle. Her chest and belly are a sooty black colour with a distinctive white patch on her chest that gave rise to her name. Her ears are large, pointed, and have black tips, facing forward showing that she’s relaxed as she approaches me. Her eyes are a striking amber colour and show her to be looking intently at the me. She’s surrounded by a dense carpet of vegetation surrounding the tree that she is trotting beneath. The foreground and background are filled with tall green grass and numerous stalks of emerging bluebells. Most of the mature trees in this woodland are allowed to grow a carpet of dense wildflowers and grasses beneath the canopy. This is to provide good habitat for wildlife and protect the ground above the roots of the trees that could become compacted by heavy footfall. The background is softly blurred (bokeh effect), vibrant green of fresh spring grass. I got low to the ground for the perspective, placing the viewer at eye level with the fox and enhancing the sense of immersion in the natural habitat. Being on a level with wildlife like foxes will make you seem far less threatening and encourages them to behave naturally. There was a soft, diffuse light from high cloud and partial shade from newly unfurling leaves, which evenly illuminated both my subject and her surroundings, giving the scene a sense of calm, that I hope my exposure and processing help convey to the viewer.
Birthday Blues #ShareMondays2026 #FoxOfTheDay #fsprintmonday
What better #birthday #gift than the sight of Star trotting toward me through the emerging #bluebells 🦊💙 #nature #wildlife #redfox @fotospeed.bsky.social @rbgkew.bsky.social @chrisgpackham.bsky.social @ldnwildlifetrust.bsky.social