Macro My Garden Spider - Take One

My Garden Spider - Take One · **9 Likes**

I have been looking for a spider to photograph for this month's photo contest with no luck, and last night as I was barbequing on my porch, I looked up and spotted this spider under the eaves of the porch. Because of low light I had to shoot this at pretty high ISO and a pretty open aperture, so I decided to attempt focus stacking free-hand to get it all in focus. This is a stack of 8 shots. I think it needed about 15-20, but it is not easy standing on a chair and trying to hold the camera still enough pointing above your head to end up with even 8 shots.

The good news is the spider doesn't look like it will be going anywhere soon, and I just need to come up with a way to hold the camera steady for a good focus stack. Stay tuned...

**MikeNArk** · 07-20-2021, 06:21 PM

That is an excellent photo of the spider and web. Looks like you caught it at exact center. Love the detail of both. You did a great job under difficult circumstances. Will be looking for next pic. PS, did you overcook the food?

**K2 to K50** · 07-20-2021, 07:03 PM

Originally posted by ToddK

I have been looking for a spider to photograph for this month's photo contest with no luck, and last night as I was barbequing on my porch, I looked up and spotted this spider under the eaves of the porch. Because of low light I had to shoot this at pretty high ISO and a pretty open aperture, so I decided to attempt focus stacking free-hand to get it all in focus. This is a stack of 8 shots. I think it needed about 15-20, but it is not easy standing on a chair and trying to hold the camera still enough pointing above your head to end up with even 8 shots.

The good news is the spider doesn't look like it will be going anywhere soon, and I just need to come up with a way to hold the camera steady for a good focus stack. Stay tuned...

Wow, that is one cool pic, Todd. Amazing! My first reaction was "wonder how far down the aperture stop is on this one??" F5?? Then I saw the stacking explanation. There have been a few of those being posted recently - with equally amazing results. But hand-held, standing on a chair pointing upwards?? I take my hat off to you!

**eaglem** · 07-20-2021, 08:31 PM

Looks like a Golden Orb Weaver. Great shot

**othar** · 07-21-2021, 12:13 AM

Very beautiful spider. I'll have to rummage my home then, to come up with some competition

archaeodude · 07-21-2021, 01:43 AM

Excellent photograph, and a testimony to the virtues of focus-stacking, a technique that I haven't yet had a chance to explore!

Thanks for sharing!

**Sailor** · 07-21-2021, 05:45 AM

Perfect, Todd. Could be in a textbook!

Jer

**DW58** · 07-21-2021, 07:27 AM

One of the coolest looking spiders I've ever seen. And a great photo of it. Nice work Todd.

5ks · 07-21-2021, 08:37 AM

Very impressive photo, shivers down my spine.

**ToddK** · 07-21-2021, 09:56 AM

Originally posted by MikeNArk

That is an excellent photo of the spider and web. Looks like you caught it at exact center. Love the detail of both. You did a great job under difficult circumstances. Will be looking for next pic. PS, did you overcook the food?

Thanks Mike, I really appreciate your comment! The food was fine, I had everything under control...

Originally posted by K2 to K50

Wow, that is one cool pic, Todd. Amazing! My first reaction was "wonder how far down the aperture stop is on this one??" F5?? Then I saw the stacking explanation. There have been a few of those being posted recently - with equally amazing results. But hand-held, standing on a chair pointing upwards?? I take my hat off to you!

Thanks so much K2 to K50! I am pretty happy with the result although I spent quite a bit of time reproducing web segments where the merging wiped them out.

Originally posted by eaglem

Looks like a Golden Orb Weaver. Great shot

Thanks EM!

Originally posted by othar

Very beautiful spider. I'll have to rummage my home then, to come up with some competition

Thanks Patrick! You never know what you might stumble into...

Originally posted by archaeodude

Excellent photograph, and a testimony to the virtues of focus-stacking, a technique that I haven't yet had a chance to explore!

Thanks for sharing!

Thank you! I like focus stacking but have never tried it in quite this fashion before.

Originally posted by Sailor

Perfect, Todd. Could be in a textbook!

Jer

Thank you Jer!

Originally posted by DW58

One of the coolest looking spiders I've ever seen. And a great photo of it. Nice work Todd.

Thanks Dave! I really like the marking of this one.

Originally posted by 5ks

Very impressive photo, shivers down my spine.

Thank you!

**Apet-Sure** · 07-21-2021, 02:07 PM

Looks great! Not sure why a bigger stack would be desirable. The parts of the web that are out of focus add a nice 3D effect. We had these spiders at our old house 20 miles away and 20 years ago. Never got a shot of one though. We left before I got my K10D.

**ToddK** · 07-21-2021, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by Apet-Sure

Looks great! Not sure why a bigger stack would be desirable. The parts of the web that are out of focus add a nice 3D effect. We had these spiders at our old house 20 miles away and 20 years ago. Never got a shot of one though. We left before I got my K10D.

Thanks Apet-Sure! The only reason for more shots would be to get some overlap to avoid out of focus areas on the spider. I ended up cloning some out of focus areas in Photoshop which doesn't always come out that good. I agree about the out of focus parts of the web and would not want any more of it in focus.

**saley** · 07-22-2021, 03:31 AM

Nice spider, and impressive performance by your Irix - I have the 15mm, maybe time to increase the collection.

**ToddK** · 07-22-2021, 06:30 AM

Originally posted by saley

Nice spider, and impressive performance by your Irix - I have the 15mm, maybe time to increase the collection.

Thanks saley! If you like macro photography, it is definitely worth the investment in my opinion.

**swip** · 07-23-2021, 09:14 AM

Originally posted by ToddK

I have been looking for a spider to photograph for this month's photo contest with no luck, and last night as I was barbequing on my porch, I looked up and spotted this spider under the eaves of the porch. Because of low light I had to shoot this at pretty high ISO and a pretty open aperture, so I decided to attempt focus stacking free-hand to get it all in focus. This is a stack of 8 shots. I think it needed about 15-20, but it is not easy standing on a chair and trying to hold the camera still enough pointing above your head to end up with even 8 shots.

The good news is the spider doesn't look like it will be going anywhere soon, and I just need to come up with a way to hold the camera steady for a good focus stack. Stay tuned...

This is an amazing shot. Nicely done.

ToddK
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07-20-2021, 06:21 PM	#2
MikeNArk Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 15,105	That is an excellent photo of the spider and web. Looks like you caught it at exact center. Love the detail of both. You did a great job under difficult circumstances. Will be looking for next pic. PS, did you overcook the food?

07-20-2021, 07:03 PM	#3
K2 to K50 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Ipswich QLD Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,794	Originally posted by ToddK I have been looking for a spider to photograph for this month's photo contest with no luck, and last night as I was barbequing on my porch, I looked up and spotted this spider under the eaves of the porch. Because of low light I had to shoot this at pretty high ISO and a pretty open aperture, so I decided to attempt focus stacking free-hand to get it all in focus. This is a stack of 8 shots. I think it needed about 15-20, but it is not easy standing on a chair and trying to hold the camera still enough pointing above your head to end up with even 8 shots. The good news is the spider doesn't look like it will be going anywhere soon, and I just need to come up with a way to hold the camera steady for a good focus stack. Stay tuned... Wow, that is one cool pic, Todd. Amazing! My first reaction was "wonder how far down the aperture stop is on this one??" F5?? Then I saw the stacking explanation. There have been a few of those being posted recently - with equally amazing results. But hand-held, standing on a chair pointing upwards?? I take my hat off to you!

07-20-2021, 08:31 PM	#4
eaglem Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 43,145	Looks like a Golden Orb Weaver. Great shot

07-21-2021, 12:13 AM	#5
othar Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Linz Photos: Albums Posts: 3,098	Very beautiful spider. I'll have to rummage my home then, to come up with some competition

07-21-2021, 01:43 AM	#6
archaeodude Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Fens Posts: 524	Excellent photograph, and a testimony to the virtues of focus-stacking, a technique that I haven't yet had a chance to explore! Thanks for sharing!

07-21-2021, 05:45 AM	#7
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	Perfect, Todd. Could be in a textbook! Jer

07-21-2021, 07:27 AM	#8
DW58 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Rural Oregon Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,062	One of the coolest looking spiders I've ever seen. And a great photo of it. Nice work Todd.

07-21-2021, 08:37 AM	#9
5ks Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Southern Finland Posts: 681	Very impressive photo, shivers down my spine.

07-21-2021, 09:56 AM	#10
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,532 Original Poster	Originally posted by MikeNArk That is an excellent photo of the spider and web. Looks like you caught it at exact center. Love the detail of both. You did a great job under difficult circumstances. Will be looking for next pic. PS, did you overcook the food? Thanks Mike, I really appreciate your comment! The food was fine, I had everything under control... Originally posted by K2 to K50 Wow, that is one cool pic, Todd. Amazing! My first reaction was "wonder how far down the aperture stop is on this one??" F5?? Then I saw the stacking explanation. There have been a few of those being posted recently - with equally amazing results. But hand-held, standing on a chair pointing upwards?? I take my hat off to you! Thanks so much K2 to K50! I am pretty happy with the result although I spent quite a bit of time reproducing web segments where the merging wiped them out. Originally posted by eaglem Looks like a Golden Orb Weaver. Great shot Thanks EM! Originally posted by othar Very beautiful spider. I'll have to rummage my home then, to come up with some competition Thanks Patrick! You never know what you might stumble into... Originally posted by archaeodude Excellent photograph, and a testimony to the virtues of focus-stacking, a technique that I haven't yet had a chance to explore! Thanks for sharing! Thank you! I like focus stacking but have never tried it in quite this fashion before. Originally posted by Sailor Perfect, Todd. Could be in a textbook! Jer Thank you Jer! Originally posted by DW58 One of the coolest looking spiders I've ever seen. And a great photo of it. Nice work Todd. Thanks Dave! I really like the marking of this one. Originally posted by 5ks Very impressive photo, shivers down my spine. Thank you!

07-21-2021, 02:07 PM	#11
Apet-Sure Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Goldsboro North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,861	Looks great! Not sure why a bigger stack would be desirable. The parts of the web that are out of focus add a nice 3D effect. We had these spiders at our old house 20 miles away and 20 years ago. Never got a shot of one though. We left before I got my K10D.

07-21-2021, 08:34 PM	#12
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,532 Original Poster	Originally posted by Apet-Sure Looks great! Not sure why a bigger stack would be desirable. The parts of the web that are out of focus add a nice 3D effect. We had these spiders at our old house 20 miles away and 20 years ago. Never got a shot of one though. We left before I got my K10D. Thanks Apet-Sure! The only reason for more shots would be to get some overlap to avoid out of focus areas on the spider. I ended up cloning some out of focus areas in Photoshop which doesn't always come out that good. I agree about the out of focus parts of the web and would not want any more of it in focus.

07-22-2021, 03:31 AM	#13
saley Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 566	Nice spider, and impressive performance by your Irix - I have the 15mm, maybe time to increase the collection.

07-22-2021, 06:30 AM	#14
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,532 Original Poster	Originally posted by saley Nice spider, and impressive performance by your Irix - I have the 15mm, maybe time to increase the collection. Thanks saley! If you like macro photography, it is definitely worth the investment in my opinion.

07-23-2021, 09:14 AM	#15
swip Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,825	Originally posted by ToddK I have been looking for a spider to photograph for this month's photo contest with no luck, and last night as I was barbequing on my porch, I looked up and spotted this spider under the eaves of the porch. Because of low light I had to shoot this at pretty high ISO and a pretty open aperture, so I decided to attempt focus stacking free-hand to get it all in focus. This is a stack of 8 shots. I think it needed about 15-20, but it is not easy standing on a chair and trying to hold the camera still enough pointing above your head to end up with even 8 shots. The good news is the spider doesn't look like it will be going anywhere soon, and I just need to come up with a way to hold the camera steady for a good focus stack. Stay tuned... This is an amazing shot. Nicely done.