Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Eight Great Legs

  1. #1
    Julie Kenward
    Guest

    Default Eight Great Legs

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    I'm checking up on you all while Roman is away. It's been too long since I found my way down here. I had a really nasty storm last weekend that I am still cleaning up after. The bad news is I lost a lot of tree limbs. The good news is some of them needed to come down and I didn't have to pay someone to do it! :D

    I finally got outside for a walk in the woods this morning and ran into these long-legged spiders everywhere I went. This image had a lot of magenta and yellow in the BG (from leaves on the forest floor) and I really didn't like it so I used the brush/25% opacity trick to even out the colors so his long legs and red body 'popped.' Other than that, small crop and levels adjustment.

    Canon 40D, EF 100mm f/2.8mm
    f4 @ 1/250th, ISO 400
    Manual mode, pattern metering, natural lighting
    Processed in ACR/CS4

  2. #2
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    2,267
    Threads
    560
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I like this, Jules. You might try cloning the leaves in the ULC which are a bit distracting.

    BTW, I don't think this is a spider. A Daddy Longlegs is an arachnid, but in a different order (Opiliones) from the spiders (Araneae), scorpions (Scorpiones) and mites/ticks (Acari).
    Last edited by Ian Cassell; 09-25-2010 at 09:02 PM.

  3. #3
    Julie Kenward
    Guest

    Default

    Thanks, Ian. I don't know my spiders very well because...well...I don't like them much! I was unsure about the leaves in the top of the frame so I'll definitely take another look at them. Thanks so much for the comments!

  4. #4
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    2,267
    Threads
    560
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Kenward View Post
    ...well...I don't like them much!
    But they are such nice macro subjects!

  5. #5
    BPN Member Paul Lagasi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Bells Corners, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    5,316
    Threads
    642
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Jules..good luck with cleaning...I like the image, I'm not crazy about them either but have to agree they do make good subjects...TFS

  6. #6
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Mifflin, TN
    Posts
    2,799
    Threads
    379
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Jules, this is a nice environmental shot but it's too bad it's facing away from us. Brushing out the other colors was the perfect thing to do. I think Ian's idea of cloning out those ULC leaves is a good one.

    Your bug lesson for today. Ian is right that this isn't a spider but the problem with calling them Daddy Longlegs is that there is a group of spiders known as Daddy Longlegs so it can get confusing. This critter is more correctly called a Harvestman and they are usually found wandering around and don't build webs. The easiest way to tell the difference it that Harvestman just have the one body segment and spiders have 2.

  7. #7
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    2,267
    Threads
    560
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    To confuse the issue even more ...


    When I was a kid, we called them Harvester Mites. They're not mites either :)

  8. #8
    BPN Member Steve Maxson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Bemidji, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,801
    Threads
    818
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Jules. Good to see you back here again. Good biology tips from Ken and Ian so I won't repeat. Never thought I'd see a "spider" image from you. :) :) I like Ian's idea of removing the leaves in the ULC - a crop from the left would remove most of them. With those very long legs, it's hard to get everything within your DOF - I think you did pretty well on that count - especially at f/4!

  9. #9
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    6,829
    Threads
    569
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Julie, overall I like the way you handled the image. Not easy based on the subject matter. I do agree about taking out the leaves on the upper left which have a tendancy to move my eye in that direction.
    Nicely muted backround with even lighting. I don't find the HA angle you shot this at a problem due to the insect not having much of a head....

  10. #10
    Roman Kurywczak
    Guest

    Default

    Hey Jules,
    A spider (arachnid)....and I can't believe it is from you!!!;) Great advice given above and I too vote for leaf removal!

  11. #11
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    West Nottingham, PA, USA
    Posts
    7,038
    Threads
    427
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Jules: I love the soft feel of this image. The greens are just lovely. Thanks for explaining your post processing, especially your treatment of the BG. I like how the BG greens complement the green of the leaves. The little critter adds a point of interest. The only thing that bothers me about the ULC leaves is that one of them is partly eaten, otherwise I like them up there--that is where one of the legs is reaching.

    Sorry to learn about tree damage. Glad none fell on your house or car!

  12. #12
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Millington Md.
    Posts
    2,513
    Threads
    365
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Julie....Like this as presented! Nice work on the bg with 25% opacity brush....I use this technique alot after reading your posts! TFS

  13. #13
    Julie Kenward
    Guest

    Default

    Thanks, everyone. I know...a spider image from little old me...who'd a thought it? I think I only got close because he WAS turned backwards...you all know how I feel about these guys! :o

    I see your point about the top leaves - I'll definitely crop the final version. I couldn't get over how long his legs actually were...amazing!

  14. #14
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    St. Louis, MO
    Posts
    1,797
    Threads
    248
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Not much I can add to the comments above.................I like the shot with or without the bug!

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