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Road to Cessation
Road to Cessation
yanko


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2007-06 (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD IF for Canon
Location: backyard
Date: Jun 29, 2007
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jun 30, 2007

 It's already June 29th and I don't have a shot for the free study marathon so I go outside to take a look around and see a golden garden spider with a web in the shrubs. Great I'll shoot that. Problem is it's right next to the side door which left me with little working room (no tripod space, no direct sunlight and it was windy). I did get some shots off with the green background which looked nice but I wasn't happy with the composition/POV I was able to capture.

As I'm heading back into the house I look up and see another golden garden spider right above me on the side of the roof. This one was a lot bigger and also more accessible although I couldn't get as close to it as I would have liked. The background also was not a nice green foliage color but rather a dull beige with some ugly roof edging to deal with. So I decided to hold a textured poster board directly behind the web and use my remote shutter. This made the web stand out, eliminated the ugly shadows as well as produce a nice texture feel. It could be better and it's probably too illustrative looking for the tradionalists but I like it.

It is however missing some element to give it more drama and scale. I was tempted to fling a bug on the web to create that but I hate killing things and I don't like making something seem like a candid moment when it wasn't. So anyway, I probably threw away points there.

As for the editing, I did a lot of detail work, mainly curves using lots of masks as well as color fine tuning and some dodging/burning. The usual.

*Post*

Thanks for the votes and comments. I haven't had much luck with shots like this before and it seems any time you shoot an insect/spider it has to have that straight out of the camera look so I'm surprised this did as well as it did.

Btw, this is a Golden Garden Spider. The "stitching" is done to make the web stronger. It's interesting in that when they have more of that around the center they will pull on the web squeezing it in, almost as if it's made of out of a bungy cord. When I have time I'll post some more shots.

Statistics
Place: 26 out of 556
Avg (all users): 6.6935
Avg (commenters): 8.0000
Avg (participants): 6.7653
Avg (non-participants): 6.4231
Views since voting: 1533
Views during voting: 245
Votes: 124
Comments: 19
Favorites: 4 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/10/2007 08:23:21 AM
I must admit I don't personally care for the border, it blends in so much it's hard to see... but I'm just being picky. :) the image itself is awesome. The colors are so vibrant, and somehow help create a sinister mood. Super, excellent shot!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/10/2007 01:30:39 AM
the stitching part of the web was interesting to look at!
i didnt know spiders actually do that.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2007 04:58:21 AM
Beautiful spider shot and great processing choices.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2007 01:28:09 AM
Dayum! Super shot! The title confuses me, but that a spankin good photo! Congrats on the great finish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2007 01:25:54 AM
Stunning shot, Richard. The poster board was a brilliant idea.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/07/2007 09:57:06 PM
Beautiful macro. You're right, you could have used my fly! There is some speculation that the stitched portion of the web is for mammals to see so they might avoid the web. Love the diagonal placement of yours.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/07/2007 09:14:47 PM
Brilliant.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/07/2007 09:00:48 PM
The use of the posterboard is, to me, what makes this stand out from the average spider shot. That and your meticulous attention to detail in everything from the exposure through the post processing. A very interesting and well done shot of this gal (I suspect it's a "she"). And I didn't know we had them in Texas - I always shoot the ones that live at my brother's place in California.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/07/2007 08:47:05 PM
You certainly have the magic touch, Richard! June 29th. . .go outside and find a bug and score a 6.69 in a Free Study! You're totally awesome! :)

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/05/2007 06:02:15 PM
great capture of a fascinating creature...and the web
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2007 07:55:52 AM
remarkable webbing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2007 07:07:45 AM
Wow. Now that is cool. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2007 12:27:03 AM
You are way too close! Nice shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/03/2007 12:50:40 PM
Must be a winner....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/03/2007 12:31:01 PM
Trippy looking spider...looks pretty cool seeing the progression of its web. Very nice color and tones in this photo. Great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/03/2007 08:38:59 AM
Great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/02/2007 01:22:42 PM
Very good macro.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/30/2007 09:25:30 PM
I REALLY love this picture and I REALLY hate spiders. Interesting coincidence eh? The composition is perfect. Completely perfect. The colors, and burnt edges are magnificent. That spider is almost pretty (and I can't believe I am saying that!!). I hope this does well. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/30/2007 08:14:15 PM
Wonderful capture. Nice angular composition and great colors. Incidently this is my 1000th comment on DPC and i am happy that it came on a nice image like yours
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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