![\"fox](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/E7A8049.jpg\")
<\/a>\t\t\tThe fox and the rat. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 16-35mm f\/2.8L USM at 16mm, 1\/100sec at f\/8, ISO 3200, two EX flashguns, off camera, remote trigger<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
\u2018In the beginning, I went out with one flash mounted on the hot shoe and quickly learnt it\u2019s much better when it\u2019s off the hot shoe and you\u2019re lighting it more subtly from the side,\u2019 he says. \u2018You don\u2019t want to blitz the animal, you almost want to recreate the street light on the fox\u2019s face. The best-looking images of urban foxes are the ones that don\u2019t look like they\u2019ve been lit by flash, it could almost be street light as well.\u2019<\/p>\n
Allotment access<\/h3>\n
Six months after that initial Boxing Day encounter, Matt gained access to a nearby allotment where he was told a family of foxes lived relatively undisturbed. It proved to be a major turning point as it allowed him to observe the foxes on a daily basis. More importantly, he gained the trust of the animals as they became used to his frequent visits. By now, the lighter summer evenings meant he didn\u2019t always have to resort to flash.<\/p>\n
\u2018When I got access to the allotment and it was getting lighter in the evenings I would only use natural light. That was definitely easier.\u2019 However, there was one piece of behaviour that Matt wanted to capture, which still required the use of flash and a remote trigger. \u2018When the sun went down the foxes would often stay on the allotment for a bit and that\u2019s when I got shots of them drinking from these water troughs.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tThe fox and the mosquito. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 70-200mm f\/2.8L IS II USM at 190mm, 1\/40sec at f\/2.8, ISO 3200. Two EX flashguns, off camera, remote trigger<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
The shot above was taken in almost complete darkness and reveals the moment a fox looks up from drinking to see the tiny form of a mosquito. Both the fox and the mosquito are in focus and their movement frozen by the flash burst. \u2018That moment was 100% luck,\u2019 says Matt. \u2018There\u2019s no way you could anticipate for that, and then the lens is wide open at f\/2.8 so the focus plane is incredibly narrow.\u2019<\/p>\n
A moment of luck<\/h3>\n
The presence of the mosquito may have been luck, but Matt had planned this shot meticulously, spending many weeks observing how the fox would position itself on the water trough to drink. He explains, \u2018What they would always do is they\u2019d leap up onto their hind legs, put their front paws over the edge and lap up the water.\u2019<\/p>\n
To perfect his set-up he made many practice shots, adjusting his focus, lighting position and exposure settings. \u2018I had two flashes on that particular set-up, a camera, a tripod, with a 70-200mm set back from a water trough. Most of my efforts were failures. I\u2019ve got loads of pictures of me pretending to be the fox with my hands over the edge of that water trough!\u2019<\/p>\n
Matt firmly believes that practice and fieldcraft creates its own luck, but it is the years spent observing one particular vixen, now six years old, that has provided him with many of his most memorable photos, including this wideangle portrait (above right), which required him to lie on the ground and wait for her to appear. \u2018They are creatures of habit, just like us,\u2019 he says. \u2018I followed her the most.<\/p>\n
She would do territory rounds, she would do food rounds, so I got to learn which gardens she would go in, and I would go ahead of her, prepare myself, get my settings right. On that occasion she just came out and stopped, which is rare, because they are always on the move. That was a pleasing moment, this character portrait of a fox. As far as she\u2019s concerned she\u2019s in her territory, these are her front gardens.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tThe fox out front. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 16-35mm f\/2.8L USM at 16mm, 1\/15sec at f\/3.5, ISO 1600, single flash<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Fieldcraft and subject knowledge<\/h3>\n
A busy city street might not seem like your typical wildlife location, but the same principles of knowing the location and your subject in order to get the best images apply just as strongly, including for the night-time antics of urban foxes. While out walking one night, Matt noticed the familiar form of the vixen walking just ahead of him. \u2018I knew where she was going, she does her normal routes, including running past this particular shop, but on this occasion she just went in there, and I couldn\u2019t believe it,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Matt had his Lumix S1 and 50mm f\/1.4 lens with him, his preferred combination when shooting handheld at night with available light, the ISO often rated at 5000. He only had time to fire three frames. \u2018There was no flash on this, just all ambient light but there was enough light coming out of the shop. The first two shots were a shambles, but then it was a case of adjusting the
\naperture, it was quite bright, so bringing it down a little bit, and then firing as she was turning.<\/p>\n
I think it was the only one where she was sharp. I just wish she had a bag of Walker\u2019s in her mouth as she left the shop!\u2019<\/p>\n
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Top tips for photographing foxes at night<\/h3>\nWork close to home<\/h3>\n
Find somewhere that\u2019s easily accessible and nearby that you can return to \u2018over and over again\u2019, says Matt. \u2018Any city in the UK now has urban foxes. By revisiting a location you learn the lie of the land, where the light falls, and eventually predict their behaviour.\u2019<\/p>\n Ask your neighbours whether they have seen foxes nearby. \u2018That\u2019s how I gained access to the allotment,\u2019 says Matt. \u2018Relationship building is not something that\u2019s often talked about in photography, but you might get access to someone\u2019s garden who has foxes.\u2019<\/p>\n Matt tries to avoid using tripods to stay mobile, so he will improvise. \u2018I\u2019ll use my camera bag or I\u2019ve got a little beanbag filled with lentils, but usually I\u2019m lying around on the streets of London, on my belly, getting dirty. God knows what I\u2019m lying on!\u2019<\/p>\n Controlling the level of flash output is vital. \u2018Don\u2019t go right up and blitz the fox at the first attempt. I\u2019ve learnt to turn the power right down on the flash to give it more of a natural feel.\u2019 Low power also reduces the risk of overexposing the fox\u2019s white front.<\/p>\n A high ISO in ambient street lighting, or mixed with low flash output, can produce excellent exposures. \u2018High ISO is definitely a game-changer in low light. When you haven\u2019t got the chance or ability to use flash, then crank up your ISO and don\u2019t be afraid to do it.\u2019<\/p>\n Foxes are skittish, but low powered or diffused flash won\u2019t scare them. \u2018If you get enough to put a catchlight in the eye and take out some of the shadow in the face it makes such a difference to the depth and quality of the picture,\u2019 says Matt.<\/p>\n Matt uses both Canon and Lumix camera systems, but the Canon is his preferred option for camera trap and remote flash photography. He favours either one of two lenses for his night fox work, the EF 16-35mm f\/2.8L USM or EF 70-200mm f\/2.8L IS II USM (used in this shot on the right).<\/p>\n Matt has three Canon flashguns to choose from: the 680 EX-RT II, 580 EX and 430 EX II. For this and most of his flash photos he uses two flashguns, off camera. \u2018It is so much better having two flashes rather than one, coming from either side, both set to really low power.\u2019<\/p>\n Remote triggers allow Matt to still be on location and observe, but far enough away to remain unobtrusive. \u2018I use a Pocket Wizard,\u2019 he says, \u2018So I\u2019m standing away from the camera. When these animals are drinking, they\u2019re vulnerable, so the further away you can be, the more likely it is that they\u2019ll exhibit natural behaviour.\u2019<\/p>\n A Manfrotto tripod with Arca Swiss ball head is Matt\u2019s choice of tripod. \u2018I don\u2019t like using tripods, I find them limiting. Obviously, with camera traps you have to, because if you\u2019re leaving your camera on an overnight set-up, it\u2019s usually with a low shutter speed.\u2019<\/p>\n As a seasoned pro, Matt\u2019s images have appeared in the UK press and National Geographic<\/strong>, as well as winning awards in Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/strong>, the British Wildlife Photography Awards<\/strong> and more. Visit matthewmaran.com<\/a>, @mattmaranphoto on Twitter and Instagram, and \/matthewmaranphotography on Facebook.<\/p>\n Matt now has an extensive collection of images of urban foxes by night, including photos of them hunting rats, standing on garden walls, sleeping on grassy verges or sitting at ease while London\u2019s traffic roars by. This spring, many of his images, including some shown here, will be published in a new photo book, FOX: Neighbour Villain Icon. It also features the work of fellow wildlife photographers Neil Aldridge and Andy Parkinson, and launches at the Natural History Museum, London, in April. Priced at \u00a335, you can order your copy now at www.foxbook.shop<\/a>.<\/p>\n Best cameras for low-light photography<\/a><\/p>\n Photographing foxes: new book features fantastic imagery<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\nTalk to neighbours<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nGet support where you can<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nFlash control<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nCrank up the ISO<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nDevelop a soft touch<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\n
\nKit List for photographing the red fox and other nocturnal wildlife<\/h3>\n
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV<\/h3>\n
Off-camera flash<\/h3>\n
Remote trigger<\/h3>\n
Tripod<\/h3>\n
\nMatt Maran<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nFOX: Neighbour Villain Icon<\/h3>\n
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