Garden Orb Web Spider

[jorger101]

Hello Everyone:

This is my first post to this forum. I took this picture of the garden orb web spider during a morning walk. I used my Nikon D80 with a 70-300 mm zoom lens. Please let me know what you think of it. I am very proud of the picture.

[Xia_Ke]

Welcome to PR I can see why you are proud of this one. Nice composition and I love how the backlighting makes the spider and hornet pop. My only minor nitpick is I might have stopped down just touch more to bring the lower part of the web into focus.

Aaron

[jorger101]

Thanks. I see what you mean. It happened so fast that I was too excited. I learn with experience.

[peckman]

brilliant photo, good eyes to spot this

[jorger101]

Thanks Peckman

Just so you know, I was taking pictures with my new point and shoot camera (Nikon p5100) and when I saw the spider web, I returned home to get my D80. The spider came alive in front of me when a bee was caught in the web. I witnesed at least 3 bees geeting caugh and I took several pictures with my camera after setting it up in a tripod. The most diffucult part was getting the right focus while the action was taken place in front of me.

[MB1]

Great catch, nice composition and exposure but the focus seems to be a bit off. I'd really like to see all of the web in sharp focus here.

Bonus points to you for thinking enough to go home and get the good camera and tripod.

[retroactiv]

I enjoy this photo, great composition, I like how you set the spider to the left and showed more of the web, very well framed.

And my god is that a big spider, it would make my wife freak.

[Coastal Flyer]

jorger,

Welcome to the forum, hope to see more of your posts in the future. I posted a similar shot a few months ago; the bee never had a chance. The best part about this image for me is the really ragged nature of the web. Usually immaculate, this spider web looks as if quite a fight has taken place. It appears a tad out of focus but other than that, a nice capture. Good job!

CF

[jgredline]

jorge
Nice capture...I agree that it is a little bit on the soft side. Try sharpening it a tad...I bet it will really jump...
Welcome..

[jorger101]

Thank you all for your nice comments. I will try sharpening the picture a bit in photoshop to see what it looks like. I believe I did not do that. The spider was about an inch and a half in diameter and was very passive sitting on its web until the bee was caught in it. I like taking nature shots and in this ocassion I felt more like Ansel Adams when he said "sometimes God is just waiting for someone to press the shutter" or something to that effect.

[gahspidy]

Welcome to the forum. I think everyone else summed it up well but jut wanted to add my "well done" to this . I agree it is a bit on the soft side, but it does not appear to be a focus issue as everything apprears equally soft and more likely an issue with resizing for the web and not applying sharpening. Great placement of the spider in the frame. Good exposure, and will add to the bonus points already given you by MB1 for getting back with the good gear and taking the time to set up shop. That determination is what brings the great shots to the pile.
Look forward to seeing more of your images.

[jorger101]

Hello Everyone:

I just wanted to share more about the spider picture. First I went back to the original image and added some sharpening in photoshop here is the result. I took several pictures with my camera including some with my point and shoot camera. I am including an image of the spiderweb when I first found it (taken with the point and shoot camera) . Then I took a picture with my D80 before any bees were caught. And finally I include another image a few seconds later when the bee is wrapped up completely. Any questions please ask. Enjoy

[jgredline]

Very cool and that sharpening made a huge difference...Nice work
On that third one, I think if you were to crop away some of that blown out sky, you would have another very cool picture....

[jorger101]

Thanks. The third picture is the one taken with the point and shoot camera. I try cropping up the blown out sky to see what it looks like. Here it is.