The Art of Wildlife Photography: My Fox Encounter

The fox appeared at the edge of the field on a quiet May morning. The morning was clear and unmistakably early-May. The light was soft, and dew sparkled on the grass. Birds filled the air with sound. The morning air smelled of damp earth and new growth, that unmistakable scent of early May.

I had already tried my luck photographing great crested grebes by the bay. No big success with that. So I headed to a nearby field where the season’s first flowers were starting to bloom.

I still had my camouflage cape on, so I blended easily into the surroundings. I settled onto my small ground pad and began photographing marsh marigolds. As my camera didn’t have a tilting screen, I found myself half-folded over the ground. Awkward but determined, and completely unaware that something far more exciting was about to happen.

A Meeting with a Fox That Began by Chance

Fox, vulpes vulpes, Finnish nature, wildlife photography, copyright Minna Jacobson, Lohja, Finland.
The fox appeared with prey in its mouth — the moment I realized something remarkable was unfolding.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed movement. At first just a flicker. A hare? Or… a fox?

Yes, a FOX. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It moved along the edge of the field and disappeared into a ditch. I quickly swapped to my 70–200 mm lens, just before it climb back up with something protruding from its mouth. It had clearly made a catch.

Then the fox started walking straight toward me. I heard nothing but my own heartbeat and the soft rustle of grass as the fox moved closer.

I pressed myself as low to the ground as possible and silently thanked the camouflage. The fox advanced with calm, focused steps. Every now and then it paused and it seemed to look in my direction. Then, it continued on as if I didn’t exist. My heart pounded. My hands trembled. My stomach muscles cramped from holding still, but I kept photographing, almost afraid to breathe.

The Fox’s Gaze — and the Moment My Camera Gave Me Away

At last the fox stopped again and froze. I believe it heard the faint click of my camera. For a split second it stared intently and only then realized I was just a few meters away.

Fox, vulpes vulpes, Finnish nature, wildlife photography, copyright Minna Jacobson, Lohja, Finland.
For a moment, the fox paused and looked straight ahead — yet still completely unaware of me.
Fox, vulpes vulpes, Finnish nature, wildlife photography, copyright Minna Jacobson, Lohja, Finland.
Morning light revealed the coarse, rugged texture of its spring coat.

In an instant, its whole posture changed. The fox spun around and dashed back toward the safety of the forest. The meeting lasted about ten minutes. However, in my memory, it stretches far longer. It is a moment suspended in spring light.

Later that summer I learned the fox had three cubs. I saw them briefly a couple of times, but never managed to capture a decent photograph. Nature often gives glimpses, not guarantees. This year I didn’t see any cubs at all. The adult fox I saw only once. It was hunting a mouse at the edge of the same field.

By the way, have you ever had a moment in nature that unfolded completely by surprise? I’d love to hear if this reminded you of your own encounters.

A Short Look at the Life of the Red Fox in Finland

The fox I encountered was a red fox (Vulpes vulpes). The same species found across much of the northern hemisphere.

Fox, vulpes vulpes, Finnish nature, wildlife photography, copyright Minna Jacobson, Lohja, Finland.
The fox continued on, fully focused, as if I were simply another shape in the grass.

In Finland, red foxes adapt easily to varied landscapes: forests, farmlands, coastal areas and even suburban edges. A few essentials:

  • Diet: mainly voles and mice, but also hares, birds, insects and occasionally berries or carrion.
  • Breeding: mating in winter; cubs born in March–May, usually 3–5 per litter.
  • Lifespan: often short in the wild — only a few years.
  • Appearance: varies widely.

What This Meeting Taught Me About Nature’s Rhythm

The meeting with fox taught me something essential about nature photography. The best moments aren’t the ones you plan, but the ones you stay still long enough to get. As a nature photographer, I’m always hoping for these quiet wildlife encounters…

Fox, vulpes vulpes, Finnish nature, wildlife photography, copyright Minna Jacobson, Lohja, Finland.
The moment before recognition. The fox heard the camera and finally realized I was close.

The fox moved with purpose, unbothered by my presence until the very end. For a few minutes, I was allowed into its world. It was a quiet, private moment in a landscape I thought I knew well.

What stayed with me most was the calmness of the moment. I loved the way a wild animal moved with such certainty while I, the human, hold my breath in wonder. Encounters like this remind me why I walk into the field again and again. Not for the perfect shot, but for the possibility of connection.

Even now, when I cross that same field, I notice myself slowing down.
Perhaps the fox is nearby.
Perhaps, on another May morning, our paths will cross again.

Before you go I would like to ask you a question. How do you feel about encounters with wildlife? Do they surprise you, inspire you, or perhaps even change how you see the landscape? Share your thoughts below.

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21 thoughts on “The Art of Wildlife Photography: My Fox Encounter”

  1. All animal encounters add something extra to the experience of being part of the bigger picture. Most often surprising, like my only encounter with a wolverine in Sarek or the female bear with two cubs at Fulufjället. Other times, when you are in the right place at the right time, it becomes a confirmation that you have started to think in the same way, like with deer and moose. The best encounters are the ones you don’t expect right then and there.

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    1. Thank you Hans for your comment. It must have been exciting and at the same time even scary to meet wolverine and bear with her cubs in the nature. I have seen bears from a photography hut, even then it was a little bit scary when the bears came close to the hut.

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  3. While working in my garden, the chance encounters with wildlife are surprisingly frequent. Everything from black and brown mink and pure white stoats, to fox, rabbits of all sizes, and of course male and female deer. There is a resident hawk which patrols the field in hopes of snagging a meal, which is also where the fox spends about as much time knocking back the mouse population.

    The rabbits will usually just sit there and look me over. With my presence a near-constant thing during the growing season, I have become something more familiar, so animals don’t scamper away immediately.

    On one occasion last year, I enjoyed an uninterrupted show of the fox pouncing all through the field until he made a potentially good survey just in front of me. I stood at the fence line and he/she just went about it like I wasn’t even there. It was quite a good show, and the fox left with a very full belly. I would estimate the distance between us as approx. 10 meters. It was exciting to watch and a welcome break from garden chores!

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    1. Hi Kate! Good to hear from you and thanks for your nice story. You certainly have a zoo in your garden! It is so lovely to have a lot of different animals nearby. BTW, is white stoat kärppä? I have to check what is that. Lately near our cabin, the amount of rabbits has decreased, at least I have not seen them. I think that reason might be lynx, which I saw one day this fall near the place we are staying. My dream is to find it again. That would be wonderful 🤩

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      1. Good to hear from you as well. It was pretty obvious early on, we needed to fence our property to protect the garden from animals who would otherwise dine on everything. They had free rein to all the fallen apples, as the entire plot of land had been unlived in for more than a decade. I believe you are correct on the stoat/kärppä being the same, or near the same animal. Quite stunning when seen in the white fur, but they are incredibly fast, so any sight of them is usually fleeting. I hope your dream comes true, and that you find the lynx, instead of the other way around!!

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  5. What a beautiful creature and how wonderful to have the chance to be so close. I shall remember 2025 as the year of the fox. Early in the Spring we chanced to drive a particular route and came upon fox cubs near the road. Sadly an dead adult lay nearby, so we worried but a day or so later we saw the cubs again and they were fine. Within a week we discovered fox cubs on out own property and had the joy of seeing them grow up. I’m glad you reminded me as it was certainly a highlight in this rather dark year. I love the surprises Nature provides and regard them as a great privilege. One time I happened to be standing in a window just as a juvenile bobcat came past. A groundhog was nearby feeding and they had a face-off but it was the bobcat that scurried away. I treasure such moments. Your fox photos are great.

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    1. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. It is so sad to see dead animals by the road. Pure little cubs, certainly they did not understand what had happened to their mum. But it is nice to hear that they were OK later when you saw them again. Wildlife is fascinating and especially when you get close to an animal. I am planning to find out this winter if the fox is still around. I would like to find its nest and get some photos of the little cubs. That is my next dream.

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    1. Thank you Magickmermaid! Squirrels are so funny. One year I wondered where the flower bulbs had disappeared from the bag. A squirrel had been taking them one by one and planting them around the plot 🐿️🐿️🐿️

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