Sambar Deer Bellowing in Morning Mist by Tidal Inlet

Low sun strikes the horizon haze, piercing through dramatic clouds that weigh heavy over the sky. A sambar deer stands in the foreground, its dark fur damp with early morning mist, mouth wide open in a bellow. The tidal inlet stretches behind, its surface rippling under the pale light. Midsummer grasses line the bank, swaying slightly though the air remains still. The deer's antlers catch the first rays of dawn, glowing amber against the cool gray mist. Wet mud rests on the hooves, and the water reflects the broken clouds above. One droplet slides from the tip of the deer's ear onto the wet earth below.