# My resident House spider



## groan (Mar 30, 2012)

I started shooting this spider last week and he (she) decides to come out once in a while for another shoot.

This one was taken on a dark brown countertop. A little de-saturaion and a tonal shift and now it's a nice complimentary blue.

Thoughts?

Oh and Hi! I'm new here!


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## amg (Mar 30, 2012)

Eeeek makes me want to step on it!!!! Looks huge! great shot though


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## groan (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks! It's about the size of a 5c coin.


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## ShootFL (Mar 30, 2012)

Great macro! what lens you using? and do you use any extension tubes?


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## groan (Mar 30, 2012)

ShootFL said:


> Great macro! what lens you using? and do you use any extension tubes?



Thanks! This is shot with Nikon 60mm AF-D Micro 2.8 on a Nikon D90 with off-camera flash.
Nikon 60mm AF-D Micro
Amazing lens and comparatively cheap. It was originally made during the film SLR days and has been around forever. I just got mine new a couple of months ago for under $500. The new replacement of this lens, the S sells for another $100 and does the same thing except you can use it on some lower-end DSLRs.
I'll post a shot of my setup shortly. I've ordered some cheap Chinese Ebay extension tubes but I don't have them yet. Looking forward to trying them and see if they are worth the whole $10 i spent!


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## groan (Mar 30, 2012)

Here are some shots of my setup.





The Nikkor 60MM AFD lens






I use a popup flash shield to stop unwanted light when I use the popup as a commander light for off-camera.





sorry about the focus on this one)The flash bracket is a DIY one made of LocLine and works fairly well though with the SB700 on there it bends a bit easier than I'd like, still not bad.
I have a ball head coming in the mail soon to attach to another flash bracket. Should be sturdier.


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## ShootFL (Mar 31, 2012)

awesome setup i just got a 90mm tamron and im thinking about getting extension tubes soon


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## groan (Mar 31, 2012)

Mine is basically a 90mm since the 60mm conversion from Film to DSLR sensor (x1.6) brings it pretty close. I love this lens for portraits as well. It's a tad close at 90mm, a 50 would be nicer and I'll likely get one, but this takes great face shots and is very sharp.

Excellent lens for one on a bit of a budget.


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## JessicaLynn (Mar 31, 2012)

how scary!!! lol makes my hair stand up on my arms hahaha but awesome shot!!! He looks like a big mean spider =P


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## Rgollar (Mar 31, 2012)

Awesome picture. I think I am going to get an extension tube and give this a shot. Thanks for sharing


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## groan (Apr 2, 2012)

JessicaLynn said:


> how scary!!! lol makes my hair stand up on my arms hahaha but awesome shot!!! He looks like a big mean spider =P


Nah, he's a teddybear. if he were bigger i'd snuggle with him!


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## groan (Apr 2, 2012)

Rgollar said:


> Awesome picture. I think I am going to get an extension tube and give this a shot. Thanks for sharing


I can't wait to get mine. I used to have some but I have no clue where they went! I hope my cheapy Chinese ones are OK. At $10 for a set I don't expect much and that I'll be going to my LPS to pick up the real thing for $60.


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## mobiletech98 (Apr 2, 2012)

groan said:


> Here are some shots of my setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



wow that;s owesome set-up... how much it cost your external flash

where can i brought 18-105 lens for nikon d300, & how it cost..thanks


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## groan (Apr 2, 2012)

The flash is the SB700 and was about $400 Canadian. I use an old Lumiquest Softbox for diffusion.

I don't know what you would pay for the 18-105. Check the for-sale forum here or KEH.com.


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## Markw (Apr 2, 2012)

Great detail on this one.  Very nice.  I'm dying for an R1 kit!

Mark


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## cgipson1 (Apr 2, 2012)

Markw said:


> Great detail on this one.  Very nice.  I'm dying for an R1 kit!
> 
> Mark



I got my R1 a couple of weeks ago.. still haven't had much chance to play with it. I did make a diffuser similar to what Orionmystery uses.. now I am just waiting for bugs! (Colorado.. it is snowing right now!  )


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## groan (Apr 2, 2012)

I had to look up the R1. Didn't know what you were talking about! 
Looks cool but for $500 its out of my league. Have you seen the setup Thomas Shahan uses? I'm mobile right now but have a look at my intro post. I link to his video. 
A setup like he uses produces images that National Geographic commissioned. 

The R1looks sweet though. Wireless too, nice. 
Some day. 

Added from my Galaxy S2 via TapATalk!


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## cgipson1 (Apr 2, 2012)

groan said:


> I had to look up the R1. Didn't know what you were talking about!
> Looks cool but for $500 its out of my league. Have you seen the setup Thomas Shahan uses? I'm mobile right now but have a look at my intro post. I link to his video.
> A setup like he uses produces images that National Geographic commissioned.
> 
> ...



Yep.. used with the SU-800, they are nice! Still working on the diffusion aspect though! Will check out Shahan!

This is what I normally use...


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## groan (Apr 2, 2012)

here's his camera and a link to a LOT of his shots. The page takes a while to load
Breathtaking Macro World by Thomas Shahan | ALAFOTO.com
Usually he doesn't use the bellows, just a reversed lens and sometimes tubes.
http://alafoto.com/?p=8577


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## groan (Apr 2, 2012)

Another shot of my friend.. This was one of my first edits. Not my fave but it was fun to do. 


Added from my Galaxy S2 via TapATalk!


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## groan (Apr 3, 2012)

I had to put this here.


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## carlos58 (Apr 4, 2012)

nice shot


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## printsnpaints (May 24, 2012)

Great close-up photo! Looks like it's about to come out and jump on you.


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## groan (May 24, 2012)

I was up at the cottage on the weekend and got a bunch of spider/insect shots. I just need to find the time to process them and I'll get them up here.

Thanks for the props!


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## Stormchase (May 28, 2012)

Good shot. It's always nice to have a resident close by to shoot. I miss all my spiders at my old place. I like the light box. Need to pick it up soon. Been lurking on it too long lol.


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## castroincome (May 31, 2012)

Wow it's head is perfectly in focus and theres a very nice use of the rule of thirds!


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## groan (May 31, 2012)

castroincome said:


> Wow it's head is perfectly in focus and theres a very nice use of the rule of thirds!



Thanks for noticing! 

I like to follow the rule of thirds. Always have since high-school photography class. Knowing when to break it is the tricky part.

This spider, or another one very much like it, re-appeared again last night. I just let it be this time.


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