How to take spider macro pic (with web)?

HeWolf · 24th June 2004

Not sure if its my flash, but can only see the spider (correctly exposed), but the beautiful web is 95% not visible. Hence looks like the spider is suspending in mid air, instead of sitting in the centre of the web.

Flash used with Omni-bounce on.

Or do I need main or secondary light source from another direction (like using a slave)?

Or do I need to place a dark background behind the web?

Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

drummercow · 24th June 2004

Originally Posted by HeWolf

Not sure if its my flash, but can only see the spider (correctly exposed), but the beautiful web is 95% not visible. Hence looks like the spider is suspending in mid air, instead of sitting in the centre of the web.

Flash used with Omni-bounce on.

Or do I need main or secondary light source from another direction (like using a slave)?

Or do I need to place a dark background behind the web?

Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Haha hallo hallo... quite a noob here, but i tried shooting web too that day at the zoo... perhaps polarise?? sorry i cant post pic.... but i managed to get the web quite visible.. unfortunately,was in violation of the reciprocal rule, so got camera shake and i deleted the photo.

Again, am a noob, but hope the advice helps.

mr_jason · 25th June 2004

You mean like this pic?

1/160s f/5.6 at 180.0mm iso400 with Flash

Usually just ambient lighting like sunlight, or external source like flashlight should be able to make the web show up. This is especially the case for external flash, as the web will cause reflection when the light hits it, thus making the web show up.

Play around with the depth of field preview first on your camera, then the flashlight settings. If your focusing plane is on the web itself, then fosen't matter if you're shooting at f/2.8 or f/8, the web will still show up when the light hits it. It all depends how near (or zoomed in) you are to the subject. As the spider and web are on slightly different planes, if you go in too near and focus on the spider, the web will be out of focus and not clearly visible. Try standing further back and shooting again and see how it goes.

24th June 2004	#1
HeWolf Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Punggol 21 Posts: 397	How to take spider macro pic (with web)? Not sure if its my flash, but can only see the spider (correctly exposed), but the beautiful web is 95% not visible. Hence looks like the spider is suspending in mid air, instead of sitting in the centre of the web. Flash used with Omni-bounce on. Or do I need main or secondary light source from another direction (like using a slave)? Or do I need to place a dark background behind the web? Any advise is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

25th June 2004	#3
mr_jason Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,076	You mean like this pic? 1/160s f/5.6 at 180.0mm iso400 with Flash Usually just ambient lighting like sunlight, or external source like flashlight should be able to make the web show up. This is especially the case for external flash, as the web will cause reflection when the light hits it, thus making the web show up. Play around with the depth of field preview first on your camera, then the flashlight settings. If your focusing plane is on the web itself, then fosen't matter if you're shooting at f/2.8 or f/8, the web will still show up when the light hits it. It all depends how near (or zoomed in) you are to the subject. As the spider and web are on slightly different planes, if you go in too near and focus on the spider, the web will be out of focus and not clearly visible. Try standing further back and shooting again and see how it goes.