Costal flats of the Hudson Bay, Manitoba, Canada

Red foxes have an extraordinary ability to disappear into their surroundings, but every so often the light gives them away. I found this fox moving quietly through a dense tangle of brush in the early morning light, his rich red coat catching the first warm rays of the day along with the late-autumn grasses. As I raised my camera to capture this frame, he lowered his head and fixed his attention on me, seemingly considering his next move. A moment later, he was gone.

I call this image Brushfire because somehow the fox’s coat burns even brighter within the warm landscape. There is a wonderful tension in the scene—he is incredibly well camouflaged, yet impossible to miss; perfectly still, yet you sense he could disappear at any moment. It was a fleeting encounter that, for me, offered a glimpse into the dynamic character and clever spirit of a red fox.