Trapped

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Probably some kind of a mosquito/robberlfy. Was still alive while I was shooting this image.
Somehow the spider seemed too confident that its prey wouldn't escape.

This image is a focus stack from several images for more DOF.

Techs:
Nikon D300, Nikkor 105mm VR micro, tripod.
f/11, ISO200, 8 or 10 images stacked together in PS.
Minor cloning to clean up stacking artifacts.

Views welcome...

[Jim Bridges]

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> I've never used the stacking process, but the victim looks very sharp so this is well done. The web with the beads of dew to the right makes this an interesting photo for me.

[Myer Bornstein]

Very nice clear and sharp

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Kaushik,
Very cool on the focus stack.....I do wish the spider was a bit more definied but given the difficulty.....this was very well handled!

[Bob Miller]

Wow this is really cool looking...alien puppet....Nice job stacking...have not tried it myself yet! Bg handled nicely!

[Ken Childs]

Wow this is really cool looking...alien puppet...
LOL! I was thinking this looked like an tight-rope walking alien puppet!

This is cool, Kaushik! Other than that one back leg, it looks pretty sharp.

[Steve Maxson]

Nice job with the focus stacking, Kaushik. Also nice lighting and background. This looks like a midge (family Chironomidae) to me and the feathery antennae indicate that it is a male.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Thank you all for viewing and commenting.

@Steve: Thank you for the ID :)