Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

I had recently done some posts about a trip to Iowa last year, and one outcome was that I had found some humongous wolf spiders (Tigrosa aspersa). I continued to keep the female for a time, and with her I did some experiments photographing wolf spider eyeshine. This would require containing the big lady so I could have time to fiddle with settings, and so she couldn't go running off in the dark on me. So I made a bucket of sand, and topped it with a box made from thin picture frame glass. The light was an LED flashlight. For taking pictures, the best results were had by covering the light with aluminum foil, and putting a small (~ 1mm wide) hole thru the center of the foil so that the light beam was bright but also very narrow. This could be aimed right down the axis of the camera lens so that the angle between the light and the camera sensor was minimal. Small changes in the angle made a big difference in how much eyeshine was reflected back to the sensor. The camera was on a tripod, and I used a remote trigger and long-ish exposure. It took fiddling to get things just right, but fortunately she would tend to hold still.
Here she is safely behind glass.
Wolf Spider eyeshine by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Although I do not see descriptions that say this is a burrowing species, my first Tigrosa was staying in her own borrow back in Iowa. Here I made a shallow burrow in the bucket of sand, and she really took to it. This allowed me to set up the tripod to aim straight down on her. I found that by narrowing the lens aperture, I could get light rays to reflect off of the aperture. I applied a vignetting effect to the picture in post.
Wolf Spider eyeshade by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!
Wolf Spider eyeshine by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

What an amazing set.

rodolini

Very cool!

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Fantastic set!!! Mark

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Mark, some great finds that would make a great Halloween series.

bcheary Loc: Jacksonville, FL

Interesting set Mark.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

A creature to behold, especially the large ones. Some can be 1.5" ... Yikes ~!!
The reflective eyes are not what we usually expect...
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/wolf-spider-size-comparison-just-how-big-do-these-spiders-get/

"I applied a vignetting effect to the picture in post. "
Too many of us forget about simple effective tools like vignetting.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

The only thing more impressive than the images is the technical skill to produce them.

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Well done Mark, your work is appreciated throughout this macro section.

Moondoggie Loc: Southern California

Spectacular photos.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Thank you, everyone! I appreciate it.

Mr. B Loc: eastern Connecticut

Wow! That is so bizarre! Ain't nature grand!

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Well done!

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Very nice.

tinusbum Loc: east texas

i go out at night with a headlight on and see hundreds of these,mostly small.some big ones too