Spiders are really cool and I always marvel at the elaborate webs they weave out of material from their own bodies. Almost all my shots of Black and Yellow Garden Spiders (Argiope aurantia) have been taken from the front, primarily because the webs are generally in inaccessible locations. However, the placement of this spider’s web that I spotted recently at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge allowed me to view and photograph it from this unusual side angle.
It is always fun to play around and attempt to capture images of a subject from multiple perspectives. In this case, the spider was cooperative and I was able to capture this cool little portrait.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
This is one of the loveliest spider shots I’ve seen, Mike. All that colorful bokeh really adds a lot of appeal…and hopefully no squeal. 🙂 It’s nice that the color is behind the web and the spider itself has no competition. It’s funny that the dark bit at the bottom almost looks like the spider is guarding a path.
Thanks, Steve. The angle causes the web to almost disappear which helps the viewer focus on the spider. I too hope that people can appreciate the beauty of the spider, but am conscious of the fact that some will still view it as creepy.
Nice shot Mike. I have not seen one of these in the garden for years. And somehow I still remember a day picking green beans and coming way too close to backing right into one of these. Knowing that it would most likely drop and run is not much of a comfort. Insert shiver and cringe here. They are magnificent to see from a proper distance.
I just found a Joro in my backyard! Photos will post on my Okefenokee.photography blog in a few days. Not sure how I feel about invasive species, but still neat to find.
I love this shot. The composition is really different and dynamic with those strong verticals. I like the emphasis on the legs too. Really wonderful portrait.
Thanks, Laura. Once again you have aptly put into words my feelings about this image.
Excellent image. Crisp, clear, and he felt your breath 😂😂
Thanks, Ted. Sometimes these spiders will vibrate the entire web to try to scare me away, but that did not happen in this case.
It’s amazing that something so small can make something so intricate and beautiful. Really shows us that each individual person has something to offer in society. Great picture!!
Cool angle!
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Thanks, Mitzy. I suspect that most people have not viewed a spider from this angle.
I like everything about this shot, Mike: the more unusual angle of the image, the beautiful details and colour of the spider, the bokeh on the side… very nice!
Thank, Chris. Who knew I could compose an “artsy” image of a spider? 🙂
Fantastic!
Thanks, Rebecca.
Wow -nice shot! It doesn’t even give me the creeps like some spider pictures do!
I’ve seen many shots of orb-weavers from different angles, but images from this extreme side-view are few and far-between,and it’s a beaut. Creepy? Not in the least.
Thanks, Gary. As someone who shoots a fair number of spider shots, you may be a little biased about what is creepy or not. 🙂
A little bit biased? Perish the thought. How about a little more open-minded? Though I do admit that there are some things out there that give me considerable pause, e.g., large centipedes and solifugids (happily, I’ve had no personal experience with the latter).
🙂
Excellent capture ! I like the composition of the photo 🙂
Thanks, Erwin. I photograph spiders of this type multiple times a year and I was happy to come up somewhat unusual composition for this shot that most people seem to like.