The spider and the frog...for C&C please....

[IzzieK]

I prepared my gears very early in the morning so I can continue weeding and mulching after and still take photography just in case a bird will be nearby and my bug catcher is ready to use besides me. Nothing came…I was thinking of going to Lowes again when I saw Bill outside of the gate beside the garage. He is weeding. He must have felt me nearby so he called and asked if I want to photograph a frog. So off I went with Roxie and asked Bill if he will still be around after I walked Roxie. I told him he has to take care of the frog for me until I came back from walking Roxie…Then I saw this long legged spider near his head. I changed my mind about walking Roxie. I went to get my camera and shoot away.

1. Overview of the spider…see his legs???



2. Close up I can't any closer. I used my D300s for all these shots and this is the best I got from 100%.



3. Oh…!! I have to get that frog shot too… come on, froggy…look this way so I can take a mug shot…"I am not talking to you, woman until you get that barbecue stick off my butt !!!



4. Woo hoo….I' m not smiling..it is my grumpy day today. See?

[marlunn]

hey Izzie, getting there, especially #4 I do like that shot a lot. But, if I may, its not a spider its a harvestman, Spiders have two parts to their bodies - a cephalothorax (head and thorax) and the abdomen. In the harvestmen these two parts are fused together as one.

and its not a frog - its a toad and a handsome one indeed - even if grumpy

[Barbara Ponder]

Good job Izzie, I like #4 best!

[Shadowman]

Nice captures.

[Wavelength]

Last one is the greatest of the lot; excellent

[TonyW]

Interesting to me because I did not know what a harvestman is. The toad picture is good but reminds me of the cane toad that we have - nasty foreign poisonous creatures that are damaging to local wildlife.

[bnnrcn]

I like #1 and #4. The expression in #4 is super

[deetheturk]

Nice captures Izzie, wait till you get your macro lens #4 is a cracker, well it's a Toad, but you know what I mean!

[purplehaze]

1 and 4 are great, Izzie! Well done!

[ST1]

Keep up the good work Izzie this sort of photography isn't easy at all.
Your image 4 is the best of the set, you seem to have managed the focus that one well, which isn't so for number 3. Number 2 has noise in it which is noticeable on the legs. With spider macro (and the likes) IMO it is better to try for a head shot to concentrate on the subjects eyes.

[Stagecoach]

Good effort Izzie, creepers and jumpers

Your toad looks a bit upset as he's been disturbed in the daytime. If they are anything like ours, that are starting to take over my place again, they like coming out at night and make great subjects to work with. If you are lucky you can lie down in front of them, get full head on and capture both those great eyes. If you stroke their backs they talk

Right, how did you do? There's quite a bit of noise in No 4 so I'm expecting it was underexposed and you have pushed it up in PP?

Grahame

[IzzieK]

Yes you are right...it is a toad but still a frog to me... I am hopeless with ID at the moment...will sharpen up on that as I go along...brainwise I mean... handsome is not an adjective I will use on it though unless it is prince with lots of moolah to spare...

P.S. I was chatting up my husband last night about your ID on the spider...(OK..OK...harvestmen)...he said: "you mean there are really specific names for those?" I said yes, just like you and me -- I am Asian and you are Caucasian...and looking at me with that ridiculous face, he said I was being racist... I love that guy!!

hey Izzie, getting there, especially #4 I do like that shot a lot. But, if I may, its not a spider its a harvestman, Spiders have two parts to their bodies - a cephalothorax (head and thorax) and the abdomen. In the harvestmen these two parts are fused together as one.

and its not a frog - its a toad and a handsome one indeed - even if grumpy

[IzzieK]

Good job Izzie, I like #4 best!

Thank you Barbara, John (Shadowman), Nandakumar...I appreciate your feedback and comments very much.

[IzzieK]

Interesting to me because I did not know what a harvestman is. The toad picture is good but reminds me of the cane toad that we have - nasty foreign poisonous creatures that are damaging to local wildlife.

Those are huge ones! Nothing as stumpy and grumpy and as small as these ones I see around here...we have green ones too sometimes. But I am still reminded of the poisonous ones from Queenie so I don't touch these unless I have leather gardening gloves...

[IzzieK]

1 and 4 are great, Izzie! Well done!

Thank you, Binnnur and Janis...appreciate you two passing by too and giving me your feedback and preferences.

Next month I will David...I need a real macro lens for one so my neighbours will think I am more crazier than they can ever imagine...

[IzzieK]

Keep up the good work Izzie this sort of photography isn't easy at all.
Your image 4 is the best of the set, you seem to have managed the focus that one well, which isn't so for number 3. Number 2 has noise in it which is noticeable on the legs. With spider macro (and the likes) IMO it is better to try for a head shot to concentrate on the subjects eyes.

Peter...one tip I learned from Grahame is to shoot only in parts that I want to concentrate on. I did the opposite of that because I cannot come closer. This is the first time I had used an FF lens with macro option on a crop camera. It should have made a difference but I didn't know any better. I will remember which camera goes with what tomorrow...now that I have taken note (really! physically and written too!). I know I have a lot to remember yet but once I get used to shooting more macro stuff, it is will be easy peasy and automatic in my head...I hope to see some more spiders on "safer" areas without the smell of a compost bin... I am dying to do a bee with lots of pollens...yet.

[IzzieK]

Good effort Izzie, creepers and jumpers

Your toad looks a bit upset as he's been disturbed in the daytime. If they are anything like ours, that are starting to take over my place again, they like coming out at night and make great subjects to work with. If you are lucky you can lie down in front of them, get full head on and capture both those great eyes. If you stroke their backs they talk

Right, how did you do? There's quite a bit of noise in No 4 so I'm expecting it was underexposed and you have pushed it up in PP?

Grahame

You are right on all counts as usual...I did the sharpening in Nik. I suppose I should stop using that one. I was happy without it but I thought I'd use it for the first time. I should had held back and delete the layer instead...was too tired to think straight at the time...

OK...your second paragraph cracks me up...I think I will just make an extension of a cardboard sort of thing to my flash while at the same time I have this powerful LED flashlight I can use just in case. I had already thrown it in my accessories bag. Is this the kind I can touch without getting poisoned? Looking at this, what do you think?

My hand was shaking because I cannot put Roxie's leash down. I do not trust her yet to be on the loose even for one second...and as Bill said, unless I tell him what I want, I won't get any help...I just said my hands are shaking because of Roxie so I just shoot continously hoping one will come out good like the last one...I keep telling him I am fine. No I wasn't...
I will go back there again tomorrow morning and see what I can do to improve my shoot without any dog -- and with the right gear too.

Thanks again for your help and your good sense of humour!

[Stagecoach]

OK...your second paragraph cracks me up...I think I will just make an extension of a cardboard sort of thing to my flash while at the same time I have this powerful LED flashlight I can use just in case. I had already thrown it in my accessories bag.

When I shoot the toads at night Izzie at times I have simply placed the flash on the ground and triggered it from the camera, but you have a a few options. I also lay a good torch on the ground pointing at him to assist my focusing.

Is this the kind I can touch without getting poisoned? Looking at this, what do you think?

I'm not sure Izzie about your ones there but it appears to have the poison gland (the poison varies in strength between types) behind the eyes, that lump. The ones here are not dangerous but the poison is enough to stop any predators including dogs giving them a hard time. I simply pick them up by placing my fingers each side of their neck.

Our last cat used to whack them with it's paw just for fun

[Dave Humphries]

If I may light heartedly, and with no offence intended to Izzie, have a little fun ...

oh dear, CiC standards are slipping; it turns out the thread title is completely wrong!

"The harvestman and the toad" actually sounds more intriguing, I think you'll agree

Would I have done any better?

Well, I did know it was a harvestman (but not why, until Mark explained).
Alas I still cannot differentiate frogs from toads (I have forgotten how, despite recalling being told).

UPDATE: OK I just googled the difference, so I'll know for next time

This is a toad because of the warty skin (not smooth) and 'compact' legs (for walking, not jumping), plus apparently frog eyes are more 'bulging' than toad eyes. From these still images, that's about it - but if you see one, the location (humidity/wetness), tongue, feet and movement are other indicators. Anything else?

Cheers, Dave

[IzzieK]

No offense meant to you either, Dave -- I am still learning so it is still a spider to me because it looks like one...

If I may light heartedly, and with no offence intended to Izzie, have a little fun ...

oh dear, CiC standards are slipping; it turns out the thread title is completely wrong!

"The harvestman and the toad" actually sounds more intriguing, I think you'll agree

Would I have done any better?

Well, I did know it was a harvestman (but not why, until Mark explained).
Alas I still cannot differentiate frogs from toads (I have forgotten how, despite recalling being told).

UPDATE: OK I just googled the difference, so I'll know for next time

This is a toad because of the warty skin (not smooth) and 'compact' legs (for walking, not jumping), plus apparently frog eyes are more 'bulging' than toad eyes. From these still images, that's about it - but if you see one, the location (humidity/wetness), tongue, feet and movement are other indicators. Anything else?

Cheers, Dave