I started following the herd before realising my blue jumper probably wasn't the best for hiding in the clumps of trees in Windsor Great Park! Took that off and was able to get quite close. Taken @ 400mm
Convert from RAW with a slight crop, increase reds and oranges and +0.2 exposure
Levels, curves, reduce saturation of green slightly, resize, selective noise ninja, sfw
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Your photo is a pleasing study of this stag and his harem - and delivers just what it says in the title. Compositionally, I think the stag taking centre was the correct choice here, and the balance is kept by the does who are all facing right of frame. You have selected a good depth of field for your subject, with the stag in sharp focus and the herd thrown out into a gentle blur, although you might have been able to go softer still (depending on light and lens)and still retain the environmental context. Given there is little of foreground interest, you have made the most of the framing by minimising the amount of grass showing, but whilst still maintaining a sense of distance between you and the stag. There is a decent amount of texture revealed in his coat, although with stronger side-lighting you might have been able to capture more. The catchlights in the eyes is particularly pleasing.
I suspect that it is the light that let this down - flat and dull, and somewhat boring. Bit of a problem for those of us living in Old Blighty!
If you have any questions raised by this critique, feel free to PM me.
Excellent capture and composition. I love the soft pastel greens and fawn-brown colors. Lovely dof with just the right amount of detail in the main subject. It's also great how you got him just as he was looking you right in the lens.
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