While in my garden recently (camera in hand) I became aware of a frantic buzzing sound nearby and found this large Median Wasp caught in a spider's web. I thought it would probably break free but the spider was quickly onto it, wrapping it up to prevent it struggling further. After 2-3 minutes the wasp stopped struggling. This was a tired worker wasp from a nest in my garden (only a few feet from the web). The spider was still eating the wasp 2 days later (it sticks its fangs into the wasp and, ahem, sucks its insides out. All that was left after 2 days was a hollow shell. Apologies if anyone has just eaten, )
The two were swinging about in the breeze and the spider wouldn't sit still, so photographing it was a challenge. This wasn't helped by the minimum magnification of the MPE-65 lens being 1:1. On a 1.6 crop body this makes it very difficult to fit larger spiders and insects into frame (I think a full frame camera such as the 5D would give a more usable range of magnification). So shots of this nature tend to be big on detail but lacking in composition.
Canon 30D with MPE-65 macro lens at 1:1 magnification, virtually full frame.
f13, 1/160, ISO 100, diffused Speedlight on side bracket, handheld.
All C+C welcomed.
Matt
Posted by John Robinson on October 1, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Brilliant !!
(Spiders like my old woman - eyes in the back of her head ! oops !)
JohnR
One of the best spider macro's I've seen Mat, wish I had my camera handy last night, as one of the biggest house spiders I've ever seen, touched me on the arm whilst I was in bed watching tv.
It realised it's mistake by the warmth of my body and reatreated, Luckily I'm not frightend of spiders in the least, and just told it if it wanted to stay in the house, it had better get out of my bed, I think the poor thing might be in shock
Posted by David Clapp on October 2, 2008 at 3:40 AM
Well you did a really good job of it. Well done, its a cracking shot.
Discussion
12 repliesThe two were swinging about in the breeze and the spider wouldn't sit still, so photographing it was a challenge. This wasn't helped by the minimum magnification of the MPE-65 lens being 1:1. On a 1.6 crop body this makes it very difficult to fit larger spiders and insects into frame (I think a full frame camera such as the 5D would give a more usable range of magnification). So shots of this nature tend to be big on detail but lacking in composition.
Canon 30D with MPE-65 macro lens at 1:1 magnification, virtually full frame.
f13, 1/160, ISO 100, diffused Speedlight on side bracket, handheld.
All C+C welcomed.
Matt
(Spiders like my old woman - eyes in the back of her head ! oops !)
JohnR
Keith.
Stunning detail. I cannot start to imagine how tricky this must have been to get, it would have been bad enough with a Sig 180
Excellent lighting and composition and sharp as a tack too.
Regards
Rob
It realised it's mistake by the warmth of my body and reatreated, Luckily I'm not frightend of spiders in the least, and just told it if it wanted to stay in the house, it had better get out of my bed, I think the poor thing might be in shock
Very cool shot of one of my favorite spiders.
Bertl
Superb capture Matt, excellent work
Andy...
Matt
Superb macro work!