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The Web Designer
The Web Designer
Nadine_Vb


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: A Bug's Life: Insects, Bugs, Beetle III (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D2X
Lens: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon
Location: Belgium
Date: Oct 26, 2013
Aperture: 7.1
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/40
Galleries: Nature, Macro
Date Uploaded: Oct 26, 2013

 A female European Garden Spider aka diadem spider, cross spider, or cross orbweaver (Araneus diadematus).
These are known for eating their own web each night and spin a new one the next morning. The form of their web is always a mess; they are not natures strongest architects.
Their colouring can range from extremely light yellow to very dark grey, but all European garden spiders have those mottled markings across the back, with five or more large, white dots forming a cross.

I actually suffer from arachnophobia and getting that close with my lens after having it spread on with water dust wasn't easy.
Each time she started to move I held my breath and in my mind I saw her jumping on the lens, run over it towards me and dive in my hair, crawling all over me.
Nonsense of course but yet I still could "feel" it, hours later.
But slowly I got closer and closer to her and succeeded in obtaining some nice images of her.
It was windy that day, like any other day in October, so I had to use a flash to freeze the movements. The damsel was oriented with her back to the garden while this one gave the most interesting colours for bg. The patio on the other hand was more so so ... So I placed a large black piece of cardboard against a chair in the view field of the camera to get a more even bg.


Statistics
Place: 30 out of 72
Avg (all users): 5.8953
Avg (commenters): 6.5000
Avg (participants): 5.6053
Avg (non-participants): 6.1250
Views since voting: 471
Views during voting: 188
Votes: 86
Comments: 5
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Canon PowerShot SX30
 11/06/2013 02:39:22 AM
So much work goes into making of each shot! Thanks for the details.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/01/2013 06:38:15 PM
Why didn't I suggest rotating this so the spider is looking up! I think it may have made a difference? Who knows. A great shot Nadine. Love that you can see the web clearly. (commenting only)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Fujifilm X-T30
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS
 11/01/2013 06:33:44 PM
reminded me of Damien Hirst's diamond skull
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
 10/31/2013 08:20:01 PM
Very nice positioning, color, and artistry brought on by the water drops. Good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus OM-D E-M5
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 ASPH
 10/29/2013 02:50:27 PM
A spider is neither a bug, insect or beetle.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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