Post your Spiders

[Seriche]

Finally found a spider, posted more for interest than skill, as I took it when I was just starting to get the hang of things.

I can't remember if it was rain or dew. I watched this spider for over an hour, completely absorbed as he patiently removed all the water droplets from his web. I loved his delicate techniques and can't wait for another chance so that I can make better captures.

[ktuli]

Seri (Just millimetres away from posting another spider)

Shouldn't that be "just a fraction of a second away from posting another spider"?

Well, that depends.....would you like to discuss the space-time continuum now or later?

No - I was making a play on words based on the fact that most photographs are captured in less than a second, thus you're just waiting for that particularly right fraction of a second to capture the next great spider shot.

- Bill

[Letrow]

Finally found a spider, posted more for interest than skill, as I took it when I was just starting to get the hang of things.

I can't remember if it was rain or dew. I watched this spider for over an hour, completely absorbed as he patiently removed all the water droplets from his web. I loved his delicate techniques and can't wait for another chance so that I can make better captures.

It's almost as if it is drinking. Nice colours in the background.

[Seriche]

No - I was making a play on words based on the fact that most photographs are captured in less than a second, thus you're just waiting for that particularly right fraction of a second to capture the next great spider shot.

- Bill

Whoops! Missed that one completely. Next time I won't be jumping to conclusions until I've looked for hidden subtleties

Off to bed soon as must be up in time to go out at 3 am and start learning how to do landscapes

Seri

[Seriche]

It's almost as if it is drinking. Nice colours in the background.

Thank you You made me think about that. He didn't appear to drink at all, and he kept every every drop intact until he had it free of the web and dropped it on the ground. Do spiders drink water, I wonder? I've never seen them do it, and would think that they get all their liquids from their prey. Must look this up...

Seri

[Wendy Stanford]

An Orb spider found in the garden, a front on shot would possibly have been better, but I like the distinctive markings on the back.


Orb Spider by indigo37, on Flickr

[Seriche]

That's a beauty! The legs look almost like glass, and I love the way you've caught his feet holding on so delicately to the web strands. Those silvery markings on the back are a treat too. Nothing like that where I live, so it's good to see something new

Seri

[Wendy Stanford]

Thanks Seri, we have alot of different species, I think they are great subjects to photograph

[Letrow]

An Orb spider found in the garden, a front on shot would possibly have been better, but I like the distinctive markings on the back.


Orb Spider by indigo37, on Flickr

Great detail on this Wendy, that is a beauty (the photo...I am not so sure about the spider)

[Seriche]

Thanks Seri, we have alot of different species, I think they are great subjects to photograph

I agree completely, and am always very happy to find someone else who can see the beauty in them. I envy you your variety of species and I look forward to seeing them through your eyes

Seri

[Seriche]

P.S. Peter, apparently spiders do drink water, so you just might have observed mine taking a sip from the rain droplet. Their thirst for water is the reason we find them in sinks and baths.

(Your bee photo reminded me how I'd never got a good one and found me fussing with tripod and remote for two hours out in the garden again today. There were bees everywhere on the thistles, but the plants were swinging all over in the wind. D**n you and your obsession with cuddly things! )

Sincerely,

Seri

[Letrow]

but the plants were swinging all over in the wind.
Seri

Yes, wind is a problem , especially at macro distances. The subject disappears all together.

[Seriche]

Yes indeed. I was trying everything to keep the plants steady - old tables, firescreens, rusty gardening implements, but all to no avail in a force 6. I've heard of a clamp that some macro photographers use. Do you know of it and if it works?

My spiders have been all soggy and disgruntled for the last two days, but I think I see a break in the clouds now

Seri

[ktuli]

Seri,

I believe you are talking about a Wimberley Plamp. I've not used one, but I am certainly intrigued. However, at the cost of $36... I've been reluctant to make the plunge.

There was someone (Geoff I believe) who had made a neat little invention. Basically, it was just a rod with two clothes pins attached, and he was able to attach one to the plant and one to his tripod and achieve a bit more stability that way. Unfortunately, I can't remember where the post was with the photo of it... does anyone else remember that and where to find the post?

- Bill

[gregj1763]

This little bloke was cruising round our vege patch. Obviously unimpressed with with my presence.
tamron 90mm macro

[Letrow]

This little bloke was cruising round our vege patch. Obviously unimpressed with with my presence.
tamron 90mm macro

Something went wrong in the posting of the photo, but...welcome here Greg. I see it's your first post. Have you used the insert image icon above the box where you type?

[Seriche]

Seri,

I believe you are talking about a Wimberley Plamp. I've not used one, but I am certainly intrigued. However, at the cost of $36... I've been reluctant to make the plunge.

There was someone (Geoff I believe) who had made a neat little invention. Basically, it was just a rod with two clothes pins attached, and he was able to attach one to the plant and one to his tripod and achieve a bit more stability that way. Unfortunately, I can't remember where the post was with the photo of it... does anyone else remember that and where to find the post?

- Bill

Hi Bill, thanks so much for finding that - it was indeed a Wimberley plamp I was trying to recall

The home-made one sounds good (and I inherited a lot of carpentry hand tools so could mock up something), but I'd forgotten that the Wimberley was made to attach to a tripod, and after the last two days trying to work with a tripod in the garden I've given up in frustration. It gets all tangled up in my wilderness and stops me stalking insects in the way I can with a monopod. In short - it frightens most of them away

However, you've given me the idea to make a free-standing plant-steadier to use in the garden. I might base it on a weighted old tripod. If I set it up some time beforehand on a likely food plant it will give the insects a chance to get used to it before the camera comes out

Thanks again, Bill.

Seri

[gregj1763]

Sorry all,
New to this. Here is a photo I got of this ferocious beast in my vege garden.
Tamron 90mm macro.
Greg

[Dave Humphries]

Sorry all,
New to this. Here is a photo I got of this ferocious beast in my vege garden.
Tamron 90mm macro.
Greg

Hi Greg,

Welcome to the CiC forums from me, great to have you join us and you have the image posting OK

Your EXIF data is; Sony A100 1/125s, f/2.8, iso 200 (90mm as said)

If I may make a few suggestions to try next time ...
a) Try a much narrower aperture (say f/16 or f/22) for a wider Depth of Field (DoF)
b) As with shots of most living things; seeing a face is better than 'the other end'
c) If you can, try to apply some photographic composition to a shot, often this will be by cropping in PP

Further comment on these points;
a) You will need to wind up the iso and/or use flash to get a reasonable exposure, then, if you end up cropping a lot in PP because subject is small, you may need to deal with noise
b) there are exceptions; e.g. if you were looking at (and focused on) the spinneret (sp?) to see the silk web being made
c) because you will wanted the centre focus point on the subject, you often won't be able to compose in camera with macro

Never the less, this is a nicely exposed and sharp picture, with a good positioning of the background bright strip to give good contrast on the legs - well done

[gregj1763]

Thanks for the welcome and comments Dave. I'm here to learn so I appreciate your help. Have purchased a Metz ring flash since I took this shot and have found it a great asset. Took some fungi shots using it, will post them soon. Thanks, Greg