Hi There My Deer

In Nara Japan, wild deer roam the town, temples, and nearby woods. The Japanese consider them sacred and don't the deer know it! The deer are sacred because of a legend that God Takemikazuchi rode to Nara on a white deer. So, the deers are considered to be messengers from God.

Groups of deer demand specially purchased “deer crackers” or “shika senbei” from passing tourists and are not above biting a bottom or two when the biscuit bag runs dry. This usually elicits screeching and running from the unsuspecting tourist. Yes, the deer are very cute, but they know what they want and they will bite bottoms to get it! Sometimes, a more polite or patient deer will bow to a human who feeds them “deer crackers” but I saw more bottom biting than bowing.

The crackers are made of a healthy mix of wheat flour and rice bran and are approved by the deer protection society of Nara. Giving the deers human food is strongly discouraged, they are wild animals after all and can forage for their own food. Some of the deer allow tourists to snap selfies with them. Some deer laze in the sun and eat crackers all day long. Some look bored by all the attention. One stuck his tongue out at me! Truly he did.

I imagine the deer would be quite content for the humans to leave as long as the biscuits remain.

When I went further into the woods, and further off the beaten track, I found lone deer seeking a quiet spot away from the hustle and bustle of noisy humans. The deer graze wandering between the trees.

As I stood in the woods watching, this deer looked up straight into my lens. In that magical fleeting moment, we saw each other. I think I held my breath and clicked the lens. Using a Canon with a 250mm lens I was able to stay back and not disturb the deer, yet feel close.

I took many, many photographs that day and this is probably the most striking. And it’s the only image I took that day where I felt there was a moment of connection with the deer. In general, they allowed me to photograph them but went about their business as usual. The deer are all very used to humans with their long lens and their iPhones.

In this instance when the deer looked up we clocked each other and she held my gaze. She was probably wondering what sort of strange face has a long lens protruding from it. Or maybe she was just curious. Or wary. Or both. Or maybe deep down she was hoping for some deer crackers. Who knows. We calmly regarded each other. Then she moved on further into the woods and out of sight. I imagine the moment lasted all of a few seconds but for me time stilled. When I look at that image now I am transported back to a wood on the edge of Nara, with tall trees and glinting sunlight. A day when there was nothing to do but look, watch and delight at the natural world.

As Henry David Thoreau said, and which I came to fully understand that day, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately”.

I take this image as a reminder to slow down and look. To follow the unbeaten track. To make connections far beyond the transactions of everyday life. And, most importantly, if you ever go to Nara make sure you take “deer crackers” and watch out for biting! And don’t forget to bow, these are sacred creatures after all.