I captured this shot entirely by chance. In May, a couple of us were staying at my friend and fellow photographer’s family home on Little Deer Isle that his grandparents built in the 1960s. We planned to open the home for the season and enjoy a few days away from the world before the buzz of summer activity took over. While there we spent time exploring and photographing some of the best spots in the area, including the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain and Pumpkin Island Light, late afternoons in Stonington, hiking in the woods surrounding the home, and kayaking throughout Penobscot Bay. On this particular night, it was shaping up to be a beautiful sunset, so we came home from our adventures to relax on the deck with some predinner wine. The deck offers some of the most incredible coastal views I’ve ever seen—it is literally as close to the water as you can get. At high tide, the ocean laps the rocks right beneath your feet and inches up to the tree line; at low tide, it pulls away to reveal plush little islands of sea grass and scattered tidal pools. As I sat on the edge overlooking the bay, the sun bathed everything in gold, and my friend set up his tripod behind me. Knowing I was in his shot, I tried to remain as still as possible when a fox appeared from under the deck. It turned and paused just long enough for me to acknowledge its presence, grab my camera, and snap some shots as it bounded away.