Every since I got my new 180mm macro lens, it seems like the spider population has increased. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but somehow my new lens has caused me to be hypersensitive to spiders and insects within range of the new lens and I find myself filled with an almost irresistible urge to photograph them when I encounter them.
I saw this spider alongside a path at my local marshland park and gave in to the urge. As you can probably tell, I used flash to add a little light to the spider. I probably need to diffuse the flash more, so there is not quite as much glare, but I am happy with the way the background turned out—I think the combination of black and green works well with the colors of the spider.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
spectacular
I like how the flash highlighted the web.
Initially I thought that using flash was akin to cheating, but I have now come over to the view that flash is necessary in many situations and, as you observed here, can add to an image. The trick for me is learning how to control the amount and direction of the light.
Wow, coolest web I’ve ever seen.
If you do a search on my blog, you’ll see some more cool webs, mostly without spiders, that I photographed in the early morning.
What an unusually scary looking spider! Brrrrr. But very nice shot, colour coordinated with background and all! The web is beautiful.
Thanks for the compliments….I know that spiders are far from your favorite subject. I’ll be on the lookout for some more cuddly subjects.