Some Kind of Spider: Total length (legs included) was about 2 cm. There were a bunch of them all over a cement wall and no webs that I could see. My guess is that this is a Ground...

dalematt Loc: Goderich, Ontario, Canada

Total length (legs included) was about 2 cm. There were a bunch of them all over a cement wall and no webs that I could see. My guess is that this is a Ground Spider, but I really don't know.

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

It's definitely a wolf spider of some kind.

Photog8 Loc: Morriston, FL

Super shot!! ;-)

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Image appears a bit dark on my monitor. Hard to appreciate spider detail. You can use a little fill light.

A-PeeR Loc: Houston, Texas

Nikonian72 wrote:

Image appears a bit dark on my monitor. Hard to appreciate spider detail. You can use a little fill light.

Likewise, Dale when are you going to cave and start using a speedlight? ;-)

dalematt Loc: Goderich, Ontario, Canada

A-PeeR wrote:

Likewise, Dale when are you going to cave and start using a speedlight? ;-)

I used a speedlight with the flip down diffuser. This spider was so dark, it looked black and sleek, as though it was wet. It wasn't until I pp'd it that I realized it was dark brown and hairy.

As far as getting more and better equipment, it will be quite some time. Buying the macro this summer cleaned out my budget for the year, and then some (retirement is great, but a reduced income sucks when it comes to toys).

Thanks for your feedback and from others as well. I always appreciate it. It can often add to the learning curve.

tinusbum Loc: east texas

which lens,for 2 cm. it filled the whole lens, mpe65?

dalematt Loc: Goderich, Ontario, Canada

tinusbum wrote:

which lens,for 2 cm. it filled the whole lens, mpe65?

I used a 40 mm Nikon macro and cropped out the blurry parts (legs and some wall).

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

dalematt wrote:

I used a speedlight with the flip down diffuser. As far as getting more and better equipment, it will be quite some time.

I strongly recommend that you add a $15 FotoDiox-type softbox diffuser to your speedlight, which will vastly improve the quality of your exposure illumination. Now the trick is to aim the wide light source to directly in front of your lens. Take a look at lower page 4 & page 5 for set-up examples: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-32754-4.html

dalematt Loc: Goderich, Ontario, Canada

Nikonian72 wrote:

I strongly recommend that you add a $15 FotoDiox-type softbox diffuser to your speedlight, which will vastly improve the quality of your exposure illumination. Now the trick is to aim the wide light source to directly in front of your lens. Take a look at lower page 4 & page 5 for set-up examples: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-32754-4.html

Instead of buying a Gary Fong diffuser, I have used an opaque plastic glass (the kind used for beer). I got this idea while in a flash course and the instructor thought that it was a good idea, especially cost-wise.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

The increased SIZE is the most important part of any diffuser for macro-photography. A clip-on or drop-down diffuser directly in front of the speedlight flash should be used inside of a softbox diffuser, so the light is spread more evenly to the large diffuser face.

dalematt Loc: Goderich, Ontario, Canada

Nikonian72 wrote:

The increased SIZE is the most important part of any diffuser for macro-photography. A clip-on or drop-down diffuser directly in front of the speedlight flash should be used inside of a softbox diffuser, so the light is spread more evenly to the large diffuser face.

That makes sense. I never thought of it that way, nor has anyone pointed that out me until now - at least, I don't remember being told. Thank you, Douglass. I appreciate it.