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Steve Maxson
07-12-2016, 07:29 AM
I found this orb weaver spider busy wrapping up its lunch along the lake shoreline where I live. The background is the lake. 1D X, 100mm macro, 1/400, f/11, ISO 3200, HH, natural light, NR on background. All comments are welcome and appreciated.

Jonathan Ashton
07-12-2016, 10:30 AM
Steve it takes some skill to get a shot like that, I think you have carefully chosen the magnification and depth of field resulting in the spider, damsel and grass seed head all being in good focus. Well captured - by you - and the spider!

John Robinson
07-14-2016, 09:14 AM
Yes- an absolute gem of an image.. Can't say"Nice shot" - but I just love it.
John
PS- How did you separate the BG for N Reduction ??

Steve Maxson
07-14-2016, 01:04 PM
Thanks Jon and John!

John: I selected the background for NR by first creating a duplicate background layer (background copy) in PS and then ran NR on the whole image. Then I created a layer mask on this background copy layer and painted out the areas that I didn't want NR applied (i.e., the subject - a tedious task in this case. Next, I created another duplicate background layer of the original background layer (background copy 2) (this should be under the copy with the layer mask). Cropping, sharpening, and resizing are done to background layer 2. Only the painted out areas are sharpened (not the background) using this method. I hope this make sense. I expect there are several methods to accomplish the same thing

John Robinson
07-14-2016, 03:07 PM
Cheers
Steve
I just assumed that way was so tedious in this shot because of the fine stuff present.
Thanks
John

Allen Sparks
07-17-2016, 11:32 AM
Hi Steve,
Wonderful capture of nature at work. Really like the composition with the curved grass included. Nice details too. Well done.
Allen

Daniel Cadieux
07-23-2016, 12:14 PM
Steve, impressive natural history image - macro style! I love the behaviour, colours, and that water drop at the damselfly's tail. The way the spider's hind legs are grasping at the silk is pretty neat too.