A professional photographer has captured some incredible photographs of a stag that mirror one of Scotland's most famous paintings.
Dean Allan shot the spectacular images of the stags near Kinloch Hourn, with on capturing the essence of the famous Monarch of the Glen picture.
The snapper, who has almost three decades of experience, explained that he was intending to photograph a derelict building in the remote part of the Highlands at sunrise when he spotted the herd of about 15-20 stags along the one track road on which he was driving on his way back home.
Dean, who is based in the northern Highlands in Tain, explained: "Kinloch Hourn is only accessible along a 22 mile single track road which you join shortly after leaving Invergarry.
"It was whilst negotiating one of the many blind corners that before me I saw what I was waiting for. A herd of stags.
"They’d heard me coming a long time before I saw them. They were waiting for me. They were curious and completely unfazed by my presence.
"I slowly drove by them taking a few photographs out of my open window."
Driving another 100 yards, Dean explained that he stopped after he noticed that the low light behind him was still behind the Gairich Munro and saw how this created some of the stags to be in silhouette.
He decided to get out and take some proper photographs, he explained: "I was able to walk quite closely to them and photograph them without any fear. I was surprised by how relaxed the stags were.
"I had never been so close to a herd of stags before. It was a magical 10 minutes."
A professional landscape photographer, he explained that he often comes into close contact with the wildlife but up until now, he'd not really taken many photos, he said: "These stags have really motivated me to actually take more photographs of the fantastic wildlife of the Highlands and I hope to get lucky again very soon."
Dean, who teaches photography on his website, offered some tips for those looking to get out and improve their skills, he said: "One of the topics I always cover is the importance of being prepared and developing your skills to adapt to the conditions you are photographing.
"But one thing I cant teach and it’s the one thing all photographers need, luck. Make your own luck, always go out with the camera, even when the forecast is poor, because you just never know what may happen.
"You might drive around a corner and there’s a herd of stags just waiting to be photographed."
