I hiked to the upper meadows at Christ in the Wilderness sanctuary in Stockton, Illinois. This place is home to various woodland animals and I spotted this pair of whitetail deer at a long distance. I was upwind and they simultaneously saw and smelled me, triggering an instinctive sense to escape.

I hurriedly brought the camera to my eye, composed and fired three quick frames, not knowing that one of them captured this mid-air leap.

So lucky? Absolutely. But I've always believed that being lucky is 98% about being there and being ready.

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 100-400mm f/4.5/5.6L IS @ 400mm, 1/160 sec @f/5.6, ISO equiv 800, Calumet 8000 Carbon Fiber Tripod, Gitzo G1276 Ballhead