Macro stacks of insects?

[ktuli]

All,

I recently read an article in Popular Photography where the photographer had taken some stacked images of insects - one in particular was an image comprising 187 shots... and was of a jumping spider!!!

I have a hard enough time getting a jumping spider (I have one I've been working with this weekend) to sit still long enough to even get focused for one shot, let alone to get 187 shots in the exact same position!

So does anyone have any idea how this is done? I'd love to expand my macro photography, but I'm at a complete loss for how this is done...

Thanks!

- Bill

[revi]

One way I could think of is 'frozen spider': cool the spider way down (not freezing it perhaps) and it will get very sluggish, or stop moving completely.

[Jim B.]

Definitely either a dead subject or as Remco posted.

[GrahamH]

I've tried this cooling system before. I cool said critter in a plastic container in the fridge (not freezer as it could more easily die). Then I have a 12x12 marble tile I pre-cool in the freezer. This acts as a heat sink helping to keep everything cool during the shoot. If possible put the tile into a container with sides to keep the cold air from flowing off so easily.
Mind you, this is what was recommended to me, I found it a little cumbersome and not easy to use. I need practice at it.
I would also need rails to get the right set of images to stack, hand holding wouldn't do it.

Graham