Bump on a stick

[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]--> My first trip out this year to the prairie area at Brazos Bend SP. Found this little guy resting on dead stick. These little spiders (Larinia directa) are about 1/4 inch long.

D80
ISO 100
Tamron AF 180/3.5 Macro.
f/11 @ 1/5s
Tripod
Remote shutter release.
natural light.
Processed NX2
110231

[bhavya joshi]

Nice Found.. Like the Clean BG.. also.. and I am Seeing that Little more space at Right side would be good if you are Like this angle, because I am always Trying to captured the Head part shot or front View..for better details,

In this angle Abdomen parts Looks soft, Why Low shutter speed.?? You can try Flash also...
Overall I like it, Nice Try Jim.. keep Clicking TFS.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jim. Good to see you back here in Macro. I like the clean background, the diagonal of the stick and the way the spider is lurking on the under side. Like Joshi, I would wish for a little more DOF so that the side of the abdomen was sharp. Since you were using a tripod, f/16 might have done the trick. You might see if some additional selective sharpening on the abdomen helps. I would also suggest toning down the saturation of the greens in the background. I think these tweaks will take your image up a notch or two. :S3:

[Ken Childs]

Hey Jim, it's great to see you posting again! I like the diagonal and the clean BG but like Steve, I think the green is a bit overpowering so toning it down is a good idea. I agree with Joshi that a sliver more room on the right would be nice and if this were mine, I'd remove the threads to the right of the spider. Normally I don't mind these, especially in a spider shot but in this case they seem to go off to nowhere so it's a slight distraction.

[Jim Bridges]

Thanks for the comments. Some great input from everyone.