DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

This week end I attempted something I have never tried before and failed badly. After an all-night rain, I found a beautiful spider web glistening with the mist from the rain. The spider, big as my thumb resting exactly in the center. Try as I may I could not capture the really cool sight. Auto focus did nothing, and manually I couldn't get it either. I had green tree foliage as a background. I used flash and no flash, I bounced and diffused. I tried everything I could think of. Perhaps I should have had someone hold a large dark background in behind? I just couldn't make my SL-1 with Tamron 18-280 see the web. Even the big old spider was tough to focus. It had been raining so the sky was over cast and light flat as a pancake. After about 15 or so tries I gave up and I have absolutely nothing to show except a big brown spider with green foliage in the background. Any ideas if I ever am lucky enough to encounter something like this again.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Dave - consider posting your "best" example as a response to this post and store the original so that we can look at both the results and your exact shooting parameters.

I recently posted some spider close ups to the Photo Gallery. It seems my the shooting conditions were rather different from yours, but there are a few common concepts to try:

1. Use the maximum zoom focal length for your 18-280, if this is your longest lens.
2. Shoot anywhere from f/8 to f/11 if you can get enough light from your flash for a good exposure and shutter speed. Up the ISO as needed.
3. Use a tripod and remote shutter release, if you have one, as in at least the tripod.
4. Use a single focus point set exactly on the eyes / head. Your center point is the most sensitive in low light.
5. Use live view for focusing if the camera and lens are struggling to capture focus.
6. Use your flash and the fastest sync speed allowed.
7. Pick a time with little or no wind or patiently wait for a still moment with focus set to the exact location of the spider when there is no movement.

I shot for about an hour, came back with 100+ images and kept 20. That's an unusually high keeper rate for me. If you post an example, I'd be looking at the points listed above and maybe other ideas that can be discerned from your example. Is it possible you were inside the minimum focus distance for your lens, that is, too close? Did you try turning off the AF and manually focusing. Sometimes this can help the AF system know what / where you're trying to focus.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Were you too close? Closer than the minimum focussing distance.
Try stepping back a bit and see if you can aquire focus then gradually move in
Also try zooming out and see if you can aquire focus.
I tend to use just one focus point only in the situations.

Fred Harwood Loc: Sheffield, Mass.

Here's the meta on one of mine: D7000, Raw, ISO 200, 1/160, f5.6, Nik 80-400 @ 400mm. Handheld.

Shoot perpendicular to the web, dark background. Take 10 shots, select the best for post-processing.

Lots of luck involved, both as to opportunity and serendipity...

(Download)

Fred Harwood Loc: Sheffield, Mass.

Here's another web/spider effort. Meta: D7000, Raw, ISO 200, 1/160, F14, Nik 105mm macro, tripod, remote shutter.

Black and Yellow Garden Spider

(Download)

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

Thank you guys, The first I thought later was changing to a single focal point, by that time the wind had pretty much destroyed the web. I really don't have anything to show; just a brown spot and an out-of -focus tree. Even zooming in on PSE I could only barely see any sign of the web.
Fred, I pretty much had some like your shot envisioned in my mind. I realize now I was too impatient. Thanks to all.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

I like Fred's web. I find dewy webs best in the morning. Sometimes you can find them in secluded areas sheltered from breezes. Try to keep your plane of focus with the web. My avatar was along the forest path and I used my macro lens with off camera flash to illuminate the web in the shadows. F/8 should get you there. And manual focus is easier than AF.

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

Thanks Kemosobe

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Here is the link to my recent blog on spider webs https://www.photobee1blog.com/2017/10/gossamer-threads/
All taken with the D500 and 200-500 mm lens

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

This is what my head envisioned, It just didn't happen. How do you seek and find such webs? I would really like to try again, now that I have a little more knowledge about this.

Nikonman44

First things first. Your focus from your eye is not exactly what the camera is seeing.

Try one little trick and come back and report to us.

DONT shoot straight on. go to the side and shoot across the web. The web itself will provide more visual effect and allow better renditions of what your eye saw.

Shoot from the left across the net, go to the right and o it from that side also.

the web will act like a PC filter and cause some very nice captures.

No equipment needed just shoot from various angles and try from bottom upp and then from above the web down.

Nikonman44

Great shot. seriously


Now in your mind think could it have been better if my angle gave the spider depth and the web would of been even more defined because you could see the strands

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

I certainly will try this as soon as My spider created another web for me.

Nikonman44

He may have gotten shy with you and the straight focus older lens!!

papa Loc: Rio Dell, CA

Manual focus? Conditions may call for it.