Thematic Spiders

**WPRESTO** · 04-23-2019, 05:52 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Bunch

Thanks. I have the ring light attachment for the Venus 25mm macro, but dang if that lens isn't hard to use. DOF is just so shallow and I'm rarely( maybe never) steady enough on a live subject to get multiple photos that I can stack. A good focus rail and still subject lens but I do most of my bug photography on live, active bugs. The middle two photos are the DFA 100 macro and I just use a regular speedlight with that. That lens is much more user friendly. The silhouette one is with the old 35 plastic fantastic.

I've never been able to hand-hold macros, and with age and extra caffeine, my success rate has not improved. I also find that 95% of the time my tripod-mounted field macros are sharper with flash than with available sunlight, but the black backgrounds are not always pleasing.

**TER-OR** · 04-23-2019, 11:06 AM - **1 Like**

My settings are, with the K3II and Sunpak DX-8R ring flash:
ISO 200, f/16, 1/180sec and 1/4 flash power in the daylight.

Often it's a very good DoF but with the outdoors and breezes, it can be a challenge. At least we're no longer wasting film exposures. Take what you can get when you're wading through the prairies.

**WPRESTO** · 04-23-2019, 07:38 PM - **2 Likes**

I regularly use f16 with flash. Most lenses start to lose IQ to diffraction between f8 and f11, but I find for macros the gain in DOF at f16 more than outweighs the slight loss of detail to diffraction.

Thagomizer · 04-30-2019, 03:46 PM - **5 Likes**

Bad photos of an ant-mimic jumping spider, which I didn't even know were around my part of the planet.

I wasn't sure until I got a shot of the front end with peepers:

**WPRESTO** · 05-01-2019, 04:06 AM

I never cease to be amazed what evolution can do with camouflage and mimicry

Doundounba · 05-07-2019, 07:48 PM - **8 Likes**

It had been a while since I attempted to shoot the jumpers on the house... Tiny!!

\

Doundounba · 05-19-2019, 07:45 AM - **8 Likes**

Following up on myself... Is no one else taking spider shots?

(Both shots x-posted in K-3 Samples, and the first is in Flickr Explore right now!)

Arjay Bee · 05-23-2019, 04:03 PM

I am, just not lately...

swanlefitte · 05-23-2019, 05:47 PM

I have taken some but nothing special. I took one of a spiny orb weaver today. It is watermelon color where they are only yellow or white.

Thagomizer · 05-23-2019, 08:27 PM

Originally posted by Doundounba

Following up on myself... Is no one else taking spider shots?

Lots of wet, rainy days. Spider and bug season is off to a slow start.

**WPRESTO** · 05-24-2019, 03:40 PM - **7 Likes**

A big orb-weaver, I believe called "tufted silk spider."

Doundounba · 05-29-2019, 09:48 AM - **7 Likes**

Got lucky during an otherwise not very fruitful outing at the Montreal Botanical Garden. I spotted a small Pelegrina jumping spider, and, amongst the many shots I took as it was moving around, I hit focus just at the moment it caught a springtail and was holding it upside down! Moments later (in subsequent shots) the collembola got rotated/munched and was no longer recognizable. I didn't even see the springtail until I looked at the shots afterwards!

Thagomizer · 05-29-2019, 12:26 PM - **1 Like**

Proof positive that being cute is no insurance against being eaten...

**Sqideyes** · 05-29-2019, 08:13 PM - **6 Likes**

Golden Orb Weaver

**CharLac** · 05-30-2019, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by Doundounba

Following up on myself... Is no one else taking spider shots?

(Both shots x-posted in K-3 Samples, and the first is in Flickr Explore right now!)

I should be but too busy moving to a new house....where there will be new spiders!

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04-23-2019, 05:52 AM - 1 Like	#766
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	Originally posted by Bunch Thanks. I have the ring light attachment for the Venus 25mm macro, but dang if that lens isn't hard to use. DOF is just so shallow and I'm rarely( maybe never) steady enough on a live subject to get multiple photos that I can stack. A good focus rail and still subject lens but I do most of my bug photography on live, active bugs. The middle two photos are the DFA 100 macro and I just use a regular speedlight with that. That lens is much more user friendly. The silhouette one is with the old 35 plastic fantastic. I've never been able to hand-hold macros, and with age and extra caffeine, my success rate has not improved. I also find that 95% of the time my tripod-mounted field macros are sharper with flash than with available sunlight, but the black backgrounds are not always pleasing.

04-23-2019, 11:06 AM - 1 Like	#767
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	My settings are, with the K3II and Sunpak DX-8R ring flash: ISO 200, f/16, 1/180sec and 1/4 flash power in the daylight. Often it's a very good DoF but with the outdoors and breezes, it can be a challenge. At least we're no longer wasting film exposures. Take what you can get when you're wading through the prairies.

04-23-2019, 07:38 PM - 2 Likes	#768
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	I regularly use f16 with flash. Most lenses start to lose IQ to diffraction between f8 and f11, but I find for macros the gain in DOF at f16 more than outweighs the slight loss of detail to diffraction.

04-30-2019, 03:46 PM - 5 Likes	#769
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Bad photos of an ant-mimic jumping spider, which I didn't even know were around my part of the planet. I wasn't sure until I got a shot of the front end with peepers:

05-01-2019, 04:06 AM	#770
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	I never cease to be amazed what evolution can do with camouflage and mimicry

05-07-2019, 07:48 PM - 8 Likes	#771
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351	It had been a while since I attempted to shoot the jumpers on the house... Tiny!! \

05-19-2019, 07:45 AM - 8 Likes	#772
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351	Following up on myself... Is no one else taking spider shots? (Both shots x-posted in K-3 Samples, and the first is in Flickr Explore right now!)

05-23-2019, 04:03 PM	#773
Arjay Bee Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Horn Island, Torres Straits, Q Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,715	I am, just not lately...

05-23-2019, 05:47 PM	#774
swanlefitte Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,068	I have taken some but nothing special. I took one of a spiny orb weaver today. It is watermelon color where they are only yellow or white.

05-23-2019, 08:27 PM	#775
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Originally posted by Doundounba Following up on myself... Is no one else taking spider shots? Lots of wet, rainy days. Spider and bug season is off to a slow start.

05-29-2019, 09:48 AM - 7 Likes	#777
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351	Got lucky during an otherwise not very fruitful outing at the Montreal Botanical Garden. I spotted a small Pelegrina jumping spider, and, amongst the many shots I took as it was moving around, I hit focus just at the moment it caught a springtail and was holding it upside down! Moments later (in subsequent shots) the collembola got rotated/munched and was no longer recognizable. I didn't even see the springtail until I looked at the shots afterwards!

05-29-2019, 12:26 PM - 1 Like	#778
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Proof positive that being cute is no insurance against being eaten...

05-30-2019, 07:02 AM	#780
CharLac Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Ottawa Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,419	Originally posted by Doundounba Following up on myself... Is no one else taking spider shots? (Both shots x-posted in K-3 Samples, and the first is in Flickr Explore right now!) I should be but too busy moving to a new house....where there will be new spiders!