Wildlife Photography | Magnificent Fallow Deer in Sussex

Fallow Deer at Petworth Park in West Sussex

Petworth Park is home to over 600 fallow deer. They have been a feature of the parkland for around 500 years. They roam freely around the park, making them easy to find and photograph.

The park is a 700-acre site managed by the National Trust, and is home to Petworth House, a late 17th-century mansion. The house is open to the public to visit.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife photography is a genre of photography that involves capturing images of animals in their natural habitats. It is a popular form of photography that requires both camera skills and knowledge of the animal’s location and habits.

Capturing wildlife requires patience, dedication, and a little bit of luck. 

But can we make life as wildlife photographers a little easier?

The answer is yes if we know where to find the subject we wish to photograph.

Petworth Park Location

The sprawling grounds, lakes, and majestic manor house make a stunning backdrop.

Several entrances around the 14-mile-long walled enclosure allow you to access and wander freely around the estate. Car parks are situated at these locations, some are free and some require a ticket to be purchased.

The beautiful landscape was designed by Capability Brown, the famous landscape architect. Throughout the 17th century, he excelled in creating some of the best gardens in England. He was also involved in the creation of gardens at Osbourne House and Stourhead.

Best time of day

If you plan to photograph the deer, I recommend early morning or late evening. The softer lighting will provide better images. Despite this, there are excellent opportunities throughout the day. Do check the Petwork Park website for opening times as these can vary throughout the year.

During the rutting season in late Autumn, there will be plenty of action. Seeing the fallow deer at Petworth Park battling head to head is one of the great spectacles of these magnificent animals.

Camera settings and equipment

Always remember that the deer are still wild. Therefore, always treat with respect.

Use a zoom lens

Ideally, a camera that is capable of zooming, thus allowing you to keep a little distance but also get close-up shots. The deer are generally in their groups away from the main paths, if you get too close to them they will get up and move away. Being quiet and stealthy is the name of the game.

On my visit, I used a Canon EF 100-400mm lens to get up-close shots. However, any camera is worthy of capturing these majestic animals.

Use a fast shutter speed

To keep your images sharp when the deer are moving. A higher shutter speed is required.

For instance, capturing the deer running or rutting with a shutter speed of 1/2000 would be preferable. Using a slower shutter speed will result in potentially blurry images.

Use a tripod

A tripod is worthwhile for both video and photographs, I found it invaluable when capturing the video footage for my YouTube video (see below).

Without the tripod, the footage would have been too shaky to use. Due to the long focal length of 400mm, any lens movement would intensify and cause image blur.

The same is true for photographs and provides a means to reduce shutter speed for stationary objects by reducing handshakes.

More recent cameras with the advancement of internal body and lens stabilisation, allow you to get away without using a tripod for your shots.

Visit the deer at Petworth Park

Why not take the opportunity to visit the deer at Petworth Park. In addition, take the time to visit the manor house.

I had a beautiful morning for my visit. The National Trust parklands are simply stunning for a walk. I wasn’t quite aware of quite how many deer were resident.

The location for photographing and videoing the wildlife and landscape at Petworth Park is truly stunning.

The deer location tends to be in the center of the park. Therefore, they can be easily found and photographed. These are still big deer, so please respect their space and don’t get too close.

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