Annual events are fantastic for getting out and learning new skills. They occur at predictable times of the year and offer a range of different challenges from unpredictable animals to shooting fireworks, from fast moving sports to art installations these things will test the ability to shoot in differing conditions with low light, hand held or with a tripod.
 

At this time of year in the UK you will find that it is mating season (called "The Rut") for the various species of Deer. If you live in London the easiest and most accessible place to see this is in Richmond Park. I managed to get myself out of bed early and arrive just as the sun came up. As a result the light was perfect and, with mist in the air, very atmospheric. The fact that it was a bright sunny day also helped with capturing some of the less confident deer under the cover of the trees. In particular the Fallow Deer.
 

Below are some of the shots from that day. I will be heading back out to this event again this year as I feel that I started out on a very steep learning curve. But also that by the time I left I was starting to get to know how the animals were likely to behave and as a result the images I captured also improved. Let me know what you think.