Spidery Visitor
Opportunist.
Today’s garden visitor, hard at work, clever little orb weaver. I’m surprised my smartphone got such clear photos, and the light was only angled into that spot for a few minutes. I posted it first on Facebook, but I always download my phone photos to my computer and I can do so much more retouching in Photoshop, adjusting the light and especially retrieving details in the overdone highlights on the spider, though I don’t get them all back.
Hanging out.
And here is one from 2013 on this date, much more balance taken with my DSLR.
Waiting
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Catching the Sun
Colorful Spider
Lots of spiders around! This spider looks as iridescent as its silk. This photo was pretty challenging as there was a slight breeze blowing and the spider had one support for its web attached to my porch swing. On top of that the sunlight only shines here in dapples, so I had to wait for everything to line up: sun dapple and lack of breeze and swing standing still, AND my camera to be focused all at the same time. I took a lot of photos. Glad for digital.
Spider in a Sling
Dramatic Spider
From Above
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All images in this post are copyright © Bernadette E. Kazmarski and may not be used without prior written permission.
Spider Dance
Spider Dance
You just never know what you’ll get in the background of a black and yellow spider on a summer afternoon. The multi-colored octagonal bokeh behind this spider makes me think of a mirror ball. It’s the refractions of pink and white flowers and dappled leaves set against deep shadows.
Spiders don’t “hang” in the most convenient places. This colorful one had built its orb on the lower branches of several plants in a garden leading to a shaded area, a great place to catch insects as they fly through to nesting areas. The spider is hanging underneath its orb, from the center. I could not get in a position close enough to use my 50mm with the 2.5X adapter that would blend the background into a smooth marbled pattern so I had to use the 70-300mm, hanging sideways and upper body slightly lifted off the ground, doing my best to hold that long lens, fully extended, still for a clear photo. I was immediately grateful for years of yoga practice that developed my abdominal muscles to let me hold myself in this awkward position, as the breeze wafted and shook the web, lifting it up and down, waiting between each little gust. To my neighbors I’m sure I looked like I’d passed out on the sidewalk. But they know my ways.
It never really did stop moving so I didn’t get the closeup I’d wanted, but I liked the bokeh so much I could live with that. Hope the spider likes it. I believe it is a black and yellow garden spider.
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For a print of any photo, visit “purchasing” for availability and terms.
All images in this post are copyright © Bernadette E. Kazmarski and may not be used without prior written permission.
Waiting
Waiting
This spider has built an award-winning orb and is waiting for its first customer.
The orb is attached on the back of my car, in front of the wagon door, with threads connected to both ends of the bumper, which is the dark pink you see, the window above, the recycling bin about two feet away, and the shed about four feet away. I really think this guy is having a good long nap after running back and forth, probably several miles in the construction of this thing! I went to open the wagon door this morning and saw him, took a photo instead and let him be. Not sure what he’s going to catch hanging out in front of my license plate, though. I won’t question his judgement.
Gems in the Garden, 2011
Gems in the Garden
After a rainy night, everything in the yard was decorated with droplets catching the morning sun. Appearing like tiny pearls suspended in air, this little cobweb close to the ground holds its moisture. The resident spider is back in the shadows, probably annoyed with me since I’m blocking the insects who might typically visit.
Gems in the Garden
Gems in the Garden
After a rainy night, everything in the yard was decorated with droplets catching the morning sun. Appearing like tiny pearls suspended in air, this little cobweb close to the ground holds its moisture. The resident spider is back in the shadows, probably annoyed with me since I’m blocking the insects who might typically visit.
Today 