Dear all
First of all an apology for not submitting an HDR image last month. I was so much looking forward to actually try and experiment with this theme, but it just didn't happen. Couldn't find the right time, moment etc. Perhaps we can extent this theme another month?
As I have been lecturing in a game reserve for a couple of weeks, I have had a chance to do a little bit of photography in between the lectures and field exercises. One night I found a bark spider, which is a really cool thing. It is a well camouflaged, beautiful looking, but yet freaky looking too, spider that in appearance mimics the bark of trees. Some even go as far as having thorn look-alike protuberances from their abdomen. As soon as it is dark, it descends from the branches where it has been hiding all day, and makes a classic orb web, where it sits throughout the night catching insects. As soon as the sun comes up, it eats its own web again, to recycle nutrients and energy, and sits on a branch for the rest of the day. When night falls, the cycle starts over again...
I took a few macro shots (Nikon D80, Nikkor Micro 55 prime lens set at F22, 1/200 sec, ISO 100, fill in pop-up flash and a sb800 flash with softbox from the side) at night, and the next morning I looked forever until I found the spider on a branch somewhere, and took another couple of shots during the day (same camera, same settings, softbox flash etc.)
Please let me know which image you would choose from these four, if you could only choose one to send in to a competition. Your feedback and C&C will be much appreciated. If you think none of these images should be submitted to a competition, let me know too, so I don't embarrass myself...
Kind Regards,
Nick
1 comment:
Nick, all four shots are really good. The latter two seem almost like they were shot in a studio. All technically excellent. I think for me the latter two are the better of the series as they have such interesting colour and also the eyes seem slightly more prominent. The second photo is great, but the eye's aren't quite as obvious (extremely difficult in the first place, but important for 'contact' with the viewer). What i really like about the last image is the way in which the spider's protuberances carry on the shape from the thorn, so compositionally there is an echo as well (possibly the thorn coming in front of the spider is slightly off-putting...bu that's nit-picking).
Really great work there Nick!
On a side note about competitions. There is no such thing as embarrassing oneself in a comp. If the image is eye-catching enough it'll get published. If not the only people that will see it are the judges. IMO the more times a judge sees work from an individual photographer the more chance of getting a win...hence the maybe valid criticism of the the 'Getaway Gallery Old Boys Club'. I personally think your work is more than ready to be at the comp level.
E
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