Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Ms. Spider Solitaire

  1. #1
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,831
    Threads
    461
    Thank You Posts

    Default Ms. Spider Solitaire

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
     
     
    Hello Friends!

    Myself, Andre and Carl were watching elephants from a hide in Tembe Elephant Park last week-end when this female Banded - Legged Golden Orb - Web Spider suddenly descended from the roof in front of Carl's lens. We observed her with much interest as she was busy attending to a bee trapped in its web. Don't know if those images interest you but I am quite fascinated with the "smaller things" and so I grabbed a few shots for interest' sake. The spider wrapped this live bee in its silk and then departed, probably saving this meal for later consumption...

    Images taken with Nikon D4 and Nikon 500mm lens (no macro available at the time), no support, ISO 800, F8 and F9, ss 1/800s. Some spots that look like dust bunnies here and there but I decided not to remove them, don't know what they are but they do not feature in other images taken that day. Could be water droplets or debris on the spider's web...

    Perhaps not the most exciting images for you, but this is something I have not witnessed before and thought I had to share, also different from my usual lions and bokkies:) Would have been nice to see the male partner of this spider, but since he was not present I thought of naming this little spinner "Ms. Spider Solitaire"...

    Have a lovely evening, I am pleased I managed to "spin" another story for you, and so looking forward to your contributions in this Forum
    Gabriela Plesea

  2. #2
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Reno, NV
    Posts
    155
    Threads
    13
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    These are beautiful images and I thoroughly enjoyed the sequence and this from someone with terrible arachnophobia. Love the creamy green bg, it nicely sets off the vibrant colors of the spider.

  3. #3
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,831
    Threads
    461
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hello Alison!

    And thank you so much for taking the time to view:) I wish I could have taken those images with the Macro lens, but the spider was quite far so I took my chances with the 500. This is a relatively big crop and the spider was in semi-shade, my effort to bring out some detail might have compromised the IQ to some extent.

    Hope you pop in again to this Forum, I really appreciate your kind comments and so looking forward to see some of your images here

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  4. #4
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    8,458
    Threads
    682
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great macro images and interesting set Gabriela! The beautiful bg sets off the spider so nicely. Great captures using the 500mm.

  5. #5
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,831
    Threads
    461
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thank you so much Jackie,

    So grateful for your time to view and comment, will see what I can surprise you with next:)

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  6. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    637
    Threads
    78
    Thank You Posts

    Default Yes he was

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    It was great fun wasn't it. The spiders add a bit different action to the scene. Nice series of images captured Gabriela. You seemed to be battling to focus on them at times though. Your male was not there as he was visiting the neighbour seen here

  7. #7
    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
    Posts
    1,237
    Threads
    135
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great series! Gabriela battled to focus, Carl had his finger in front of her lens! I laughed so much, no images taken by me!

    BTW, nice image Carl!
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

  8. #8
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,831
    Threads
    461
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Ahaaa! So you are the culprit, Mr. Walker! Thought my AF was severely compromised...I kept wondering why my ellies were sharp and my spiders not...but then I heard Andre laughing so I became suspicious of you

    Love to see the male spider - well spotted Carl - it looks like he was playing a little game with both females, amazing how tiny he is, I guess it's not long until he becomes "food"...

    By the way...I almost forgot...Welcome to this forum, Carl - I really appreciate your contribution looking forward to more!

    Have a wonderful evening,
    Gabriela Plesea

  9. #9
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    11,209
    Threads
    1,261
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Gabriela great you posted something off the path.
    as always great story telling and lovely processed /presented .I keep it short ..... you know why

    Looks like you had a ton of fun..............

    Carl nice image ....... but who had the focusing issues ?

    TFS Andreas

  10. #10
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    637
    Threads
    78
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Well clearly Gabriela of course, Andreas!!!!

    With all the action at the waterhole and web spinners under the thatch overhang along with rata tat tat cameras I suddenly couldn't move my lens around. It felt like it was grounded by a chunk of heavy concrete. Following the procedure a professional would use, which is never take your head away to change settings my hand groped above my lens only to find a new Nikon 500mm lens resting over mine. So I guess this is the reason for the sharpness issues

  11. #11
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,831
    Threads
    461
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    So here it goes again...Nikon over Canon...the big issue...friendships were broken because of it...but our bond is stronger...like concrete:)

    Ok, so I could not help it but rest my equipment on top of Carl's lens...he responded swiftly by blocking my view...it's terribly funny, we had a herd of ellie bulls at the water hole but we decided to fight over some spiders hanging from the thatch roof in front of us, LOL.

    Carl, we are off to Ndumo next month - are you coming?

    Chat later Carl, so looking forward to more from you, and thank you Andreas for popping in - we are thinking of you, miss you dear friend
    Gabriela Plesea

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics