Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: John Koerner on June 14, 2016, 09:14:17 am

Title: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: John Koerner on June 14, 2016, 09:14:17 am

(http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/thumbnails/1/1_thumb_0000001466_large.jpg)
Brown Lynx ♀ (Oxyopes scalaris (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/image_tree.php?tsn=885523))


(http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/thumbnails/1/1_thumb_0000001471_large.jpg)
Brown Lynx ♀ (Oxyopes scalaris (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/image_tree.php?tsn=885523))


(http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/thumbnails/1/1_thumb_0000001468_large.jpg)
Flower Crab Spider ♀ (Mecaphesa sp. (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/image_tree.php?tsn=872471))


(http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/thumbnails/1/1_thumb_0000001469_large.jpg)
Flower Crab Spider ♀ (Mecaphesa sp. (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/image_tree.php?tsn=872471))


(http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/thumbnails/1/1_thumb_0000001470_large.jpg)
Green Lynx ♀ (Peucetia longipalpis (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/image_tree.php?tsn=886347))


(http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/thumbnails/1/1_thumb_0000001472_large.jpg)
Flower Crab Spider ♀ (Mecaphesa sp. (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/image_tree.php?tsn=872471))


All of these images are staged (and stacked) shots, using Photoshop CC for stacking.

Each specimen was photographed on the kind of foliage it was found upon in an effort to keep some sort of "naturalistic integrity."

All images captured on a Nikon D810 + Nikkor 28mm Ai-S f/2.8 lens, reversed (at 2.1x magnification), using natural light.

Thanks for looking,

Jack

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: LesPalenik on June 14, 2016, 10:36:27 am

Great pictures, up to your usual standards, Jack
Amazing that the spiders held still enough for you taking multiple stacking shots. 

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: John Koerner on June 14, 2016, 03:02:04 pm

Quote from: LesPalenik on June 14, 2016, 10:36:27 am

Great pictures, up to your usual standards, Jack
Amazing that the spiders held still enough for you taking multiple stacking shots.

Thank you.

Regarding their standing still, these particular species are "freeze and ambush" spiders, so they're great for stacking.

Once they settle down, they just sit there ... "waiting!"

It is the species which are proactive hunters that are almost impossible to stack, but these guys are a piece of cake :)

Thanks again,

Jack

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: Paulo Bizarro on June 15, 2016, 04:00:42 am

superb images.

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: Bob_B on June 15, 2016, 09:43:28 am

Beautiful images, Jack. You set a very high standard for macrophotography.

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: John Koerner on June 15, 2016, 06:00:46 pm

Thank you both, much appreciated.

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: NancyP on June 15, 2016, 06:14:56 pm

Thank you for sharing, those are terrific shots. I will say that I have found the flower crab spiders to freeze, wait about 10 minutes, wander off to a better site, freeze, repeat. Do you automate your stacking?

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: John Koerner on June 15, 2016, 06:38:30 pm

Quote from: NancyP on June 15, 2016, 06:14:56 pm

Thank you for sharing, those are terrific shots.

Thank you :D

Quote from: NancyP on June 15, 2016, 06:14:56 pm

I will say that I have found the flower crab spiders to freeze, wait about 10 minutes, wander off to a better site, freeze, repeat.

Yes indeed.

Quote from: NancyP on June 15, 2016, 06:14:56 pm

Do you automate your stacking?

No, all-manual.

I use a RRS B150-B (http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/B150-B-Macro-focusing-rail) macro rail for the work.

I rotate the turn-dial 1/2-turn per-image, click, repeat, until I have the desired DOF.

I don't like to over-stack. I like to keep a creamy bokeh (fore and aft) of the in-focus main area of interest of my subject.

Cheers.

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: sdwilsonsct on June 17, 2016, 10:27:26 am

Really fine, John.

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: John Koerner on June 18, 2016, 12:27:45 pm

Thank you.

Title: Re: California Spiders @ 2.1x
Post by: Bob_B on June 18, 2016, 08:14:35 pm

+1. I second the Really Right Stuff macro rail. Great equipment, period.