Here Come the Spiders!
ktuli — Thu, 03/11/2010 - 21:58
This is one of my favorite photos. I've submitted this image to multiple compeitions. Most recently, it has been accepted into the The Photographic Section's 2010 Annual Photo Salon for its traveling gallery, and for final judging in George W. Glennie Memorial Nature Salon 2010.
I've been waiting to share this photo since I didn't want to use up all my best photos too quickly. But I figure now is a good time...
Technical Data: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT, Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Di SP LD 1:1 Macro, 1/100 sec at f/5.6. ISO 400. No post production. McConnell's Mill State Park, Lawrence County, PA.
Why This Photo: I love macro photography. Given the chance, I'll shoot something tiny like this little jumping spider over most other photography opportunities nine times out of ten. The story of this is kind of amusing and I'll give more of it a bit further down.
What Works: Focus is dead on right on the spider's eyes. The catchlight in the spider's eyes is a nice effect. The composition, including the slight tilt work well also.
What Doesn't Work: The depth of field could have been a little deeper and focus could be a tad sharper.
This shot was taken hand-held. I don't think I had a tripod with me that day that would have been able to support the camera with my Tamron macro lens attached. Besides, this spider was crawling around on a wooden railing right at the mill at McConnell's Mill State Park.
Remember what I said about preferring macro over almost every other style of photography? I was sitting on the ground by the railing overlooking Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, right next to the gristmill, and just upstream from a very picturesque covered bridge. There were plenty of people coming and going on the overlook, all of them quickly snapping shots of the stream, mill, and/or bridge and then wandering back off.
Most everyone either ignored me or just gave me a glancing confused look wondering what in the world I could have been taking photos of. Only one person asked what I was so interested in, and thought it was pretty amusing that I would be focusing on such a tiny little spider.
With the weather warming up, I'm looking forward to things like spiders appearing again and giving me something to shoot. I saw a tiny tiny spider on my walk home from the T yesterday, and I was so excited by that.
I know - I'm weird. But either way, what do you think of the photo? Leave me a message and let me know.
- Bill
He is posing. He's a spider model.
I like the effect of the focus and depth in this shot.
Yeah tiny depth yields such a sweet effect in not only macro photography but in other types as well. I used to shoot everything with a huge aperture, including models in high school. I like how you being so close caught colors in the bark that the naked eye doesn't usually see, colors that are present on the spider to make him match his environment. Greens, yellows, reds, all are there if you look closely. Awesome picture!
I like seeing these photos like this. It seems different to me than looking at them in the gallery.
I like how iridescent the spider is up this close.. and hairy. I like his big shiny eyes too. A ladybug picture like this would be cool. Did you take any pictures of the mantis with this lens? I hope not. I can't get over the hummingbird thing.
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