It's raining here in the Pacific Northwest & I saw this spider web & tried many times to capture it.

[Jim Olson]

After many shots (& then I just used the pop-up flash) I think it works.
Any comments & critiques would be helpful

 

[Jim Olson]

After posting it here I do see that the sky is a little too bright but I wanted the top of the tree to frame the web

 

[Jim Olson]

I changed the exposure a little bit & cropped a little tighter.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jim,

This is much more challenging than a panorama of a mountain skyline, is its difficult for all of us to focus narrowly just in the web.

if you use a wide open aperture, the web could be in perfect focus, but will the planet of the web be flat and perpendicular to your camera? Likely not.

So you need to close down to perhaps 5.6.

​

But does that dark shiny transparent web have enough contrast against that bright b.g.?

Perhaps a flash will be helpful. In fact, a canon ring flash would be great with a macro lens. I would use a tripod or at least a monopod. Get Will Thompson, our Canon Guru, to set you up.

A 50mm macro would be fine and an original el cheapie vintage Canon Ring flash, from EBay, (or “eWill“), will do a perfect job!


Such spider webs make perfect practice subjects and th effort will pay off in a great series of macro shots of bugs, moths, spiders and cooperative squirrels!

But there is far more benefit for you here!

That exact same lens and flash setup, (with your APS-C Canon camera), is just right for portraits too. That lens is an under recognize beauty!

I guarantee that you and your clients will be moved by the superb quality of portraits with this setup, using just the very minimal flash setting for essential fill only.

Asher

 

[Jim Olson]

Jim,

This is much more challenging than a panorama of a mountain skyline, is its difficult for all of us to focus narrowly just in the web.

if you use a wide open aperture, the web could be in perfect focus, but will the planet of the web be flat and perpendicular to your camera? Likely not.

So you need to close down to perhaps 5.6.

View attachment 5680
​

But does that dark shiny transparent web have enough contrast against that bright b.g.?

Perhaps a flash will be helpful. In fact, a canon ring flash would be great with a macro lens. I would use a tripod or at least a monopod. Get Will Thompson, our Canon Guru, to set you up.

A 50mm macro would be fine and an original el cheapie vintage Canon Ring flash, from EBay, (or “eWill“), will do a perfect job!


Such spider webs make perfect practice subjects and th effort will pay off in a great series of macro shots of bugs, moths, spiders and cooperative squirrels!

But there is far more benefit for you here!

That exact same lens and flash setup, (with your APS-C Canon camera), is just right for portraits too. That lens is an under recognize beauty!

I guarantee that you and your clients will be moved by the superb quality of portraits with this setup, using just the very minimal flash setting for essential fill only.

Asher

I did you the popup flash but I think next time it rains I will use the Flashpoint Zoom Li-on X R2 that Will gave me.
And TNX for the insight...

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jim,

With your great system, hunt for dragon flies, caterpillars and other critters on flowers and vegetables.

Much easier than spiders.

Then when it next rains, you’ll be ready to pounce!

Asher