Garden Orb Web Spider

[jack williamson]

These spiders start spinning their webs right before dark and this one took about two hours to complete. It was very dark and I had to hold a flashlight on the subject to compose and focus. A gentle breeze kept the web moving a bit so it was many shots to try to get one sharp. This was the best I could do.
Nikon D700, 105mm macro, tripod. 1/320, f22, iso 400. I handheld an sb900 flash and used the popup flash to light this. I tried many different angles with the flash. This is full frame to include the web.

[christopher galeski]

ceyou have done allright with this Jack,looks sharp on my screen,well done.

[bhavya joshi]

Great shot jack, Like competition and details on web.. nice contrast of bg and spider.:S3:

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jack. Nice details on your spider and I like the way the web is illuminated. The centered comp works well in this instance, though I might prefer a little more room at the bottom - a minor point. There are a few bright spots on the spider, but it is not totally blown out which is what often happens when one tries flash on a subject like this. Did you have your flash set on Manual mode? This is very nicely done!

[jack williamson]

Thank you Christopher, Bhavya, and Steve. Steve I had the sb900 set on manual at 1/16 power. I held it in my hand and would hold it at different angles and distances. Of course the popup flash on the camera was shooting head on. I was probably 1 foot away with the lens. The +/- comp for the flashes was at 0.

Jack

[Steve Maxson]

Thanks for the follow-up info, Jack. :S3:


Thank you Christopher, Bhavya, and Steve. Steve I had the sb900 set on manual at 1/16 power. I held it in my hand and would hold it at different angles and distances. Of course the popup flash on the camera was shooting head on. I was probably 1 foot away with the lens. The +/- comp for the flashes was at 0.

Jack

[Paul Lagasi]

Really nice results, sharp, web is sharp throughout, colors not blown, I must try that some day....handhold the flash and use the camera's flash also..that would light up the whole insect no shadows...thanks for the tip

[Allen Sparks]

Wow, very nice image Jack. Love the detail and illumination. well done.

[Arthur Morris]

This is quite excellent. Point the lens down a bit would have resulted in a slightly stronger COMP with the spider at the top of the frame looking down into more space. You might wish to clone out the small very bright spot center just right of the creature's left fore-leg.

Can you please explain your flash technique as I am slightly confused. :e3

[jack williamson]

Thanks Paul, Allen, and Arthur. Arthur I used the popup flash on the camera in commander mode. The sb900 I set to remote mode so that it would receive the signal from the popup to fire. I would hold the sb900 in my hand and place it at an angle to the spider and shoot, then look at the lcd then shoot again. Holding the sb900 at different angles and distances from the spider would give different lighting affects. Sometimes web and spider would be blown out and I would adjust the distance of flash to subject ( of course subject to popup flash distance remained constant.) I shot about 20 images to get this one. The web was not perpendicular to the earth so I had to set up slightly below and angle the camera up to get the spider on the same plane as the camera sensor (this was difficult in total darkness) When I saw the first image on the computer I knew the spider was not dead center but I wanted all of the web so I did not crop. Thanks

Jack

By the way, these spiders take down their webs every morning and usually eat the silk. I have never seen them do this but I have read about it, it seems that silk is expensive to make so they recycle it.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for the explanation Jack. You did well in a difficult situation. Were you on a tripod?

[jack williamson]

Arthur, I was on a tripod, I use a Giottos MT 9371. I have never seen anybody post that they use this brand.

Jack

[Arthur Morris]

How do you like it? Any advantages for macro work?

[jack williamson]

Hi Arthur, Giottos is very well built, very sturdy, the one I have has a center column that you can remove and mount perpendicular to the tripod. The mounting point will swivel and of course you can telescope the column in and out. Also when you remove the center column you can then spread the legs and lower the whole thing to within about 6 inches of the ground. I think mine will support 24 pounds.

Jack

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Jack. Sounds perfect for macro.