I was going to talk about using props in photographs, but when I thought about it I wasn't sure if what I do can even be called using props, so I deleted it. Props are objects used by a photographer to bring a sense of action to an otherwise static shot, like a portrait. I don't get to choose what props I get to use because my subjects have ideas of their own, but if I find a chance I take it. For instance a spider or insect that has its meal in its mouth makes for a more interesting shot that one just sitting there, even if it's not actively feeding at the time. A spider sitting in a flower is more interesting than one sitting on a leaf or in a web because the flower gives a splash of color and animates the scene. I'm not sure if you would call these things props, but they serve the same function. Even a shot that would have sucked can be pretty good if props are used well. If you watch for it you'll see when I try to use an element in the scene as a prop.
I've been watching this sheet web weaver for a few days now. Tonight there was another spider in its web. I hope it didn't get eaten. Sheet web weavers are pretty common, but most of them are very small. They usually have strong barbs on their legs, like this one. There are hundreds of species in North America.
Robberflies are large predatory flies. Their larvae usually prey on beetles.
I think this is called a rabid wolf spider. They aren't large, or particularly dangerous, so I don't know where the name comes from. They are related to the nursery web spiders. These are called wolf spiders, or huntsman spiders in some locales. You can tell they are related by the eyes. This one is a large female. Her leg span was over two inches I'd say. I know she was a female because she was guarding her nursery web, full of hundreds of young spiders. Even this young they are fully formed and have all of their limbs and eyes.
I found this mite feeding on a harvestman, or daddy-long-legs. Harvestmen aren't really spiders, though they are related. Maybe you've never looked close enough to see one's eyes, but here they are. They are very tiny, and they only have two of them. If you look really closely you can even see the tiny eyes of the mite!:Q It's ironic that one arachnid species would parasytize another like this, but it's a fierce world.
I've posted an in-your-face shot of a cranefly before, but I think this one is much better. I'm not a big fan of the craneflies, but they were so numerous this year I figured I might as well. I think the long mouthparts look like a fu manchu.
I found this little guy on a tall ironweed. It's a true bug, and very immature. All parts of it were totally translucent. It was really cool. I figured out what it is just a minute ago, by the two yellow spots on its back. I have a crappy picture of the adult around here somewhere, but it would probably take me a while to find it. The adults look just like this but not translucent, and green. I don't have a name for it.
I found these aphids on an orange jewelweed flower. I took several shots of these at different magnifications and framed different ways, but I like this one a lot. We look at pictures the same way we look at a printed page. We start in the upper left corner and work across the top. Since the upper left corner is out of focus the viewer's attention is instantly drawn to the aphids in the upper right. From there the eye follows the curve of the flower more or less back to the beginning where it starts over again. I think this is an attention holder. It is for me anyway.
That's all for now. As always, here's the equipment I used for these. My trusty EOS D60, with a MP-E 65mm macro lens and a MT-24EX macro twin flash.
Let me know what you think.
I've been watching this sheet web weaver for a few days now. Tonight there was another spider in its web. I hope it didn't get eaten. Sheet web weavers are pretty common, but most of them are very small. They usually have strong barbs on their legs, like this one. There are hundreds of species in North America.
Robberflies are large predatory flies. Their larvae usually prey on beetles.
I think this is called a rabid wolf spider. They aren't large, or particularly dangerous, so I don't know where the name comes from. They are related to the nursery web spiders. These are called wolf spiders, or huntsman spiders in some locales. You can tell they are related by the eyes. This one is a large female. Her leg span was over two inches I'd say. I know she was a female because she was guarding her nursery web, full of hundreds of young spiders. Even this young they are fully formed and have all of their limbs and eyes.
I found this mite feeding on a harvestman, or daddy-long-legs. Harvestmen aren't really spiders, though they are related. Maybe you've never looked close enough to see one's eyes, but here they are. They are very tiny, and they only have two of them. If you look really closely you can even see the tiny eyes of the mite!:Q It's ironic that one arachnid species would parasytize another like this, but it's a fierce world.
I've posted an in-your-face shot of a cranefly before, but I think this one is much better. I'm not a big fan of the craneflies, but they were so numerous this year I figured I might as well. I think the long mouthparts look like a fu manchu.
I found this little guy on a tall ironweed. It's a true bug, and very immature. All parts of it were totally translucent. It was really cool. I figured out what it is just a minute ago, by the two yellow spots on its back. I have a crappy picture of the adult around here somewhere, but it would probably take me a while to find it. The adults look just like this but not translucent, and green. I don't have a name for it.
I found these aphids on an orange jewelweed flower. I took several shots of these at different magnifications and framed different ways, but I like this one a lot. We look at pictures the same way we look at a printed page. We start in the upper left corner and work across the top. Since the upper left corner is out of focus the viewer's attention is instantly drawn to the aphids in the upper right. From there the eye follows the curve of the flower more or less back to the beginning where it starts over again. I think this is an attention holder. It is for me anyway.
That's all for now. As always, here's the equipment I used for these. My trusty EOS D60, with a MP-E 65mm macro lens and a MT-24EX macro twin flash.
Let me know what you think.
When I was typing this my cat walked across my keyboard. I thought I found everything but I guess not
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