Stags Rutting in Richmond Park, London

I visited Richmond Park to film the stags over a weekend at the start of October 2015. Kit was all packed, room booked 10 minutes away and off I went. I was filming mainly in 4k while Michelle (Michelle Ley Photography) was capturing some amazing images with her crazy big zoom lens.
Filming in Richmond Park was amazing and not what I thought it would be like. Morning and dusk were my favorite times, as a videography/photographer the light was amazing but also the stags are really at their most active.
So my advice to any one who is watching this because they are looking at going, here is a few tips that might help -
1. RESPECT the animals! sound obvious but i saw a few people getting to close and the stags REACTED, not just dangerous to the person, but also they put myself in danger so please RESPECT their space.
2. SET THAT ALARM! Get up early, strong coffee and wrap up warm. the morning are amazing, especially is you capture the morning mist.
3.HEAD TO PEN POND. this is for two reasons, firstly they do a great bacon bap (you need to eat) but also go past Pen Pond and head to the right, around that area we were surrounded by amazing stags an loads of activity.
4. 1st TIME? If its your first time there and around wild animals (yes i said WILD animals as contrary to people saying Richmond Park stags are tame - this is RUTTING SEASON! again respect them!) so just start off at a distance and take it steady. Then with more confidence you will know what to expect.
5. MOST IMPORTANT BIT....ENJOY IT!
Hope you liked my film, I will be back again soon. but in the mean time i will be travelling all over the place so please check out my other videos and my website www. ChrisCatullo.com
Also, Michelle Ley Photography captured a truly stunning image which is limited edition. Read her blog with images on our visit here... www.michelleleyphotography.com

[@UKSTAGROSCO]

Hi great film 👍 i just subscribed too 👍

[@paulsawford7827]

You really have captured the essence of the park. Wonderful work!

[@chriscatullo]

+paul sawford Thank you Paul, Im glad you like it! Its a stunning place to capture

[@MrDaniyuca]

It´s my first visual approach to Richmond Park, simply amazing! I just can´t wait to go for a run there. Amazing Job!

[@jaredthomas183]

Absolutely wonderful! Excellent job. There's nothing like Richmond Park.

[@chriscatullo]

one of my favourite places Jared!

[@100178020959]

You have really captured the essence of the Red rut, the roaring, the rolling about in smelly mud, the fighting, the movement of deer. The natural sounds of the Park are music enough to my ears without the piano. You do however have a talent for this, I’ve just subscribed.

[@nerijusp2367]

But I like the composition of the natural sounds and the piano..). This music attends the video very well😉.

[@markchristmas743]

THE STAGS ARE STUNNING

[@searchmedude]

My favourite park. I've been to every corner of it by bike and foot. A very special place to film dear. You have lot's of patience.

[@chriscatullo]

Thanks Michael, love the place. It was very last minute, planning to come back this year

[@thesunhatesyou]

This is fantastic. i made my own video of the park in the mist recently but I wish I had been able to spend more time and as you say been there in the early morning. I live very close to the park and know it well. You really did capture its magic :) thank you

[@chriscatullo]

Michael Bentley thank you Michael! it's a beautiful place, we managed to do another visit a couple of months ago and some more filming that we started to edit last week. hopefully upload it in the next week, hope you will like it

[@jackbroadx]

this is exceptional footage

[@chriscatullo]

Cheers Jack... Glad you like. Haven't been able to go there this yeah but currently filming in Slovenia so please have a watch when it goes live in a couple of weeks 😁👍

[@chriscatullo]

Thank you Jared! it really is a stunning place.Chris.

[@englishcoinscollector2373]

I went back in time! Thank you!

[@scarpacalzino5238]

Lovely short film

[@chriscatullo]

thanks guys! going back there in 3 weeks for some more filming 😁👍

[@ptomasik85]

Great video! Enjoyed it a lot.

[@chriscatullo]

+ptomasik85 Thank you, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@patoucemoi2912]

Magnifique merci pour cette belle vidéo .

[@queenscake4500]

So beautiful!

[@chriscatullo]

Thank you!

[@BRIANFORWARD1]

Fennnnnnnton fennnnnnnton great vid .love Richmond park I fly there and also take wildlife​ shots it's a brilliant place but you do get the odd prat feeding deer with bread Chinese woman got gored last summer .stay well away there wild animals she got a punctured lung imagine 24 carving knives coming at you at20mph that's a stags antlers.london is very lucky to have so many great parks

[@arthurtwoshedsjackson6266]

I was there today, loads of deer about near the flying field. Attracted a lot of attention. Spent nearly an hour watching and taking photos of them from a distance with a zoom lens. Too many people, especially families with young children approaching a stag who was laying down on the grass.

[@chriscatullo]

unfortunately, people get way to close. just no need to.

[@IanPhillipsWildlife]

Love it, love Richmond!

[@chriscatullo]

thanks Ian, already have a follow up couple of days booked in the diary, it really is a stunning place

[@IanPhillipsWildlife]

Chris Catullo cool will look out for it, I went just recently with my new 4K camera but the weather wasn't great. I also need to get back there.

[@Hallands.]

Nice, but I’d rather hear the ambient sounds than a piano…

[@nerijusp2367]

But I like the piano- very nice when it goes together with what we see😉. Piano music in that type of video- my favorite🙂.

[@Hallands.]

@@nerijusp2367 Well, okay, then! 😂

[@nerijusp2367]

@@Hallands. Yeap yeap! 😅

[@savenaturearth]

very nice video....what camera did you use?

[@chriscatullo]

this was just on a standard RX sony. Didnt have my pro cam with me as last minute. But tripod was the key ;)

[@antsfinland2760]

I need help I am going to london to film deer, but which is better? Richmond park or Bushy park?

[@chriscatullo]

Hi, I would say go to Richmond Park! You will have lots of deer there too film 👍

[@antsfinland2760]

@@chriscatullo Why Richmond? Does Richmond have fallow deer by the way?

[@jonnvoxx5208]

So beautiful 😍

[@chriscatullo]

Jonn Voxx • thank you Jon 😌👍

[@PoPpsychle]

Won't be many deer left with the constant speeding I see in the park . Ban the damn cars .

[@jameslane3846]

Beautiful video! I am planning to photograph them with an old 500mm prime on my Nikon d5500. What camera, settings and focal length did you film them in?

[@chriscatullo]

Hi James, I actually only had a 200mm max with clear zppm tp help and crop in. My wife took photos with a 150-600mm. How did you get on?

[@gordonthompson1465]

what a fab vidio

[@chriscatullo]

thankyou Gordon!

[@Khan-li4vb]

Wooow

[@Georgia-gw6jm]

Exquisite cinematography but the deliberate slow punching of the piano keys really annoyed me! Nature's wonderful sounds were drowned out. At least soften the piano's sound?