Comments on: Golden Orb Weaver

By: marit fp

marit fp — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 05:16:57 +0000

I am also of that breed of crazy, with one qualifying factor: if it’s in my house, I get squicky, and if it’s on my person, I shriek, flail, levitate away, and then shudder involuntarily for a few moments. however, with or without camera, if I’m outside, I just brush it away, or grab for camera. don’t know why.

By: wright

wright — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:32:37 +0000

I have a similar reaction to scorpions AND spiders. If I spot them beyond arm’s reach, my first impulse is to close the range and admire them. If they surprise me, then (as is the perogative of a 6′ 5″ male weighing over 200 lbs) I quite naturally scream like a cockateel, flail wildly at my surroundings, and backpedal like an off-kilter unicycle.

And yes, gorgeous pic.

By: JFargo

JFargo — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:17:58 +0000

Tceisele - The shutter delay is a BIG thing for me, and is why I’m going to do my best to save up for a dSLR. The lack of detail in the little window doesn’t bother me so much; it’s almost like a little surprise present when I see the final image, like with this spider.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:16:08 +0000

@tceisele: The dSLR doesn’t help in missing details until you upload them to the computer. I constantly miss detail and I shoot with a Canon Digital Rebel. That part of my brain that wants new toys is trying to convince the rest of me that I would see this detail with a new 12 MP SLR and/or — preferably and — a 100mm macro lens.

The shutter delay problem is true, though.

By: tceisele

tceisele — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:48:24 +0000

“didn’t even notice the beautiful markings on it”

If there is one thing that makes me crave a digital SLR, it is the fact that it is difficult or impossible to see fine detail on the little LCD screen on a digital point-and-shoot camera. The number of times that I didn’t even *see* things until after I’d uploaded the pictures to the computer, where I could finally look at it full-sized, doesn’t bear thinking about.

Well, two things: I really miss the whole “hit the shutter and it takes the picture NOW” feature. The one-second delay doesn’t sound like much, but a bug can move a long way in one second.

By: JFargo

JFargo — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:24:27 +0000

Thanks David! I’m glad you like it, and that I’m not alone!

If I go back, I’ll have to get a better picture of that abdomen. Seriously, I wasn’t really paying attention to what I was doing and didn’t even notice the beautiful markings on it.

By: David Brady

David Brady — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:31:46 +0000

JFargo: Awesome pic! Photography certainly has helped with my own arachnopohobia as well. (Yes, really. I has it. It’s largely under control because I’ve been working on it for several years, but it occasionally rears its ugly¹ head.)

Everyone: Buffer Status: 0w/7p. 0 writeups (gotta blog tomorrow’s tonight), 7 photos slotted. I’m falling behind. Current goal is still to get ahead with writeups while hanging onto the slotting lead.

¹ Technically, its ugly eight-eyed head

By: JFargo

JFargo — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:59:36 +0000

tceisele - I’ve got a thing with heights too. Cameras don’t help me at all with that one, and actually seem to amplify it. But yeah, you make a good point. I guess I’m not alone!

Scott - Thank you for the compliment. I completely agree about the detached POV, and I’d guess that’s what I’m experiencing. People around me were watching in awe as I reached past these spiders, saying things like “Wow, you’re brave!” The second I stepped back and put the camera down I had to tell them “Well, really, I’m shaking like a leaf and scared out of my mind, but I wanted to take a good picture!”

Steve - It looks like it, doesn’t it?

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:38:46 +0000

Is that paisley on its abdomen?

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:38:06 +0000

Beautiful shot btw.