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Brad Manchas
12-20-2008, 10:33 AM
This spider was on a vertical wall, I was first attracted to the shot when walking by I noted the shadow. I returned with the camera using the 30D & 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, 12mm extension tube and the twin head MT-24EX flash. Shot at f/18, 1/250th, ISO 400 and the flash in manual at a 4:1 ratio, the higher powered head lighting head onto the subject, the other head light skimming the top. Total output was ~ 1/8th power as I recall.

I have tried several crops with this image, primarily adding more canvas to the bottom of the frame, as well as removing some from the top. In those cases the shot seemed to lose some of the feel of menace or the subject moving towards the viewer.


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/Bradklr/spiderfloating.jpg

Roman Kurywczak
12-20-2008, 01:35 PM
Hey Brad,
Part of me wants to say that it looks like the spider is floating....so I would have preferred to see a bit of the web.......but I still feel you captured a really nice angle and the shadow adds to the image IMO....but I would add just a hair of room below it(perhaps taking a bit off the top). You captured a great leg pose and the DOF fall off.......on the back legs.....is in fact very pleasing and adds to the overall impact. Nicely done.

Ed Vatza
12-20-2008, 05:48 PM
Roman has said everything I wanted to say. I kept looking at the spider and it looks like it is floating in mid-air. The detail in the spider is very good. And the shadow is a perfect touch.

Brad Manchas
12-20-2008, 06:20 PM
Thank you both for your responses. It was my intent when I shot this image, basically on plane with the web was for it to disappear.

Webs are designed by nature to be unobtrusive. Some people find magic or fascination in their details, I perfer the fact they are more often not seen, particularly by the prey and think I was lucky to capture that illusion. One of the reasons I have considered naming this image: David Blaine's Spider.

Julie Kenward
12-20-2008, 07:02 PM
Brad, I think this image is magical! You nailed the focus - look at those eyes! The complete shadow takes it over the top. I agree that just a hair off the top and a hair added on to the bottom would be a better comp but this is one of the best most unique spider images I think I've ever seen on BPN.

One final thought...you might consider selecting just the shadow and darkening the tone just a bit. I think that would make this feel even more menacing and add a real stabilizer to the image.