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My New Friend


My New Friend
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul Prince (PDP) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11755)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-06
Categories: Spiders
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Sigma 50 mm 2.8 EX Macro, Digital ISO 400, Kenko 2x MC7 Teleconverter
Exposure: f/11, 1/250 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Argiope bruennichi [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-08-07 4:15
Viewed: 1645
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 74
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Well, I'm chuffed to bits with this. In the past week I have found three of these spiders. One in Buckinghamshire and the other two at Bushy Park (I'm confident that I found a male too - they are very small). I'm pretty sure that this has not been seen at either of the two locations before. I am waiting for some bits and pieces to come through in the post and then I will record the sightings.

Argiope bruennichi (female)

This is the only species of Argiope that occurs in northern Europe. In the south of the region, a second, A. lobata is found and the female of that species has three to four large lobes along the abdomen.

Females of this species have a striking and unmistakable appearance and make large orb webs close to ground level. These webs are often decorated with a zig-zag ribbon of silk running from side to side. Immatures seem to add more decoration to their webs than adults. The males, in contrast to the large and striking females are very much smaller and have an overall brown colouration.

female body length = 11 - 15 mm
male body length = 4 - 4.5 mm

This spider was first recorded in the UK in 1922 and well established colonies on the the south coast. It has been moving north and there is even one sighting from Derbyshire.

I'm very happy that I found these spiders and if I did find a male it suggest they will breed there.

I hope you like it.

This shot was ****ing difficult, I now have a pair of muddied jeans and I've ruined another set of footwear!
NitzanCK, correp01, Janice, marhowie, electra, slrnovice2, liquidsunshine, LordPotty, thistle, wallhalla15, naki, lglandon, Signal-Womb, AndyB, scottevers7, Comandante, halki, Luc, novaman, peter_stoeckl has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Designsoul: LOLPDP 1 08-12 18:29
To naki: ThanksPDP 1 08-07 18:14
To luvsdogs3: HairsPDP 1 08-07 17:54
To thistle: he hePDP 1 08-07 17:52
To cafecrem: Hi JoannaPDP 1 08-07 17:47
To LordPotty: Gum boots?PDP 1 08-07 17:42
To liquidsunshine: Males...PDP 1 08-07 17:15
To sAner: WebPDP 2 08-07 16:38
To Jancie: yes...PDP 1 08-07 15:55
To slrnovice2: Footwear and Jeans...PDP 1 08-07 13:30
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Paul,
Very good work on lighting, I really like the background, and the colour, sharpness are great.
TFS!

Excellent macro Paul, superb bokeh and sharpness!
Light is perfect and the spider looks really scary- but beautiful :).

TFS! well done!

Hi Paul,

It’s a pity, not having the video of the efforts needed to take some shots. Sometimes the effort is big and the result quite moderate.
Is the case for this picture, the quality is good (otherwise you don’t post), but without the atmosphere and details habitual is your pictures.

Regards
Pedro

Ah, the it was worth ruining the jeans and shoes, wasn't it?
Spectacular Paul. No softness at all, nice and sharp all over! Stunning spider, great colurs and deatails. Definitely worth a big smiley. Well done.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3069 W: 231 N: 5857] (19698)
  • [2005-08-07 5:11]

Your efforts were well rewarded, Paul. This is a stunning capture of a beautiful spider. Perfect in every way. Congratulations, and TFS. : )

Hi Paul, This has excellent DOF, colors, sharpness and exposure..I like the head-down composition. Excellent note, Great work!

Hi Paul,
Good job. At the moment is spidertime. And I think these kind is a really beautiful kind.
Well done and TFS.

Martina

Hi Paul, this is an interesting capture, I've certainly never seen one. I especially like the colours, updsidedown POV and that terrific BG. Come on, I want to know how you muddied those jeans and ruined your footwear ;).

Paul, that's what nature photography is all about, wrecking jeans and footwear. It's worth it and rewarding after a couple of days. :)

A beauty, excellent details, well exposed. I must say, you controlled that flash well. Excellent work.

Mike

Congratulations Paul,
I hope you do find a male. This one has lovely markings. As always the quality of the shot is excellent, and the notes are informative.
You'll have to start wrapping yourself in bubblewrap to avoid ruining any more clothes!!
Thanks for posting, have a good week.

You need some gumboots (NZ)...read Wellington boots,Paul...no,make that waders (for trout fishing;)
I'm sure it was worth it though.
Well done on your new find,and well done on a splendid shot.

My shoes are still not entirely dry after yesterdays little trek ;)
I went on the river bank (really muddy river bank) just after the rain to take some photos of spiders. I found some species I haven't seen ever before and plenty of A. bruennichi ( at least 20 webs at the about 30 meters long part of bank). I took some shots, difficulty of which can be described in the same way you described it ;)
As I know A. bruennichi are still under protection in Poland, but their number in some regions increase year by year - it's possible that the same happens in England. In my region A. bruennichi is probably the most common orb web spider in the late summer - at least I see them everywhere now.
As for the shot: as always great mood, perfect quality and very interesting note.
WELL DONE & TFS

Wonderful, Paul.. the details are magnificent... I don't know the term for the "hairs" but it sure shows the details of the photo. Well worth your effort :-) For a newbie, inspirational!
Thanks for sharing it!

Great macro Paul. Colorfull with very good sharpness and very good details Very good job. WEll done

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16856)
  • [2005-08-07 14:00]

Paul, I'm sure the effort was worthwhile.

Great image to show us this spider.

I do enjoy pov and composition. The bg highlights the spider.

Congratulations on the picture and on your effort.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1654 W: 79 N: 1456] (4742)
  • [2005-08-07 15:17]
  • [+]

Hi Paul,

Great shot. BG is wonderful and the exposure really is spot on. Excellent colors and superb details. The moist web is a real bonus. Your note is very good aswell. I am a sucker for frames and your photo doesn't have one, but that doesn't make the picture less good. Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

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  • naki Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 421 W: 27 N: 782] (2694)
  • [2005-08-07 15:48]
  • [+]

Hi Paul, what a wonderful spider and what a good shot. Never saw any of them yet. Very good details and DOF. I love to read your notes, they are very informative.
Thank you for knowing them so well.:)
Very well done.

My goodness, I never thought I would say something positive about a spider. UGH!!! I have to say though that it is a very nice picture. The focus and DOF are perfect, as well as the blurred BG. Well done and TFS.

Hi Paul,
I did the same experience for the same spider ... (post it later)
Very nice shot.
The guideline is really useful.
TFS, Laurent

Brilliant looking spider Paul, love his colours and markings. I'm sure you are chuffed to have found such a rare species. Your low POV on this one has worked well making sky a good BG for the spider. Fill flash illuminates the subject well and shows his bright colours. V good sharpness also. 7/10 Great work.

Hi Paul,
Greg told me today he is a little jealous because you first posted this amazing spider. He wanted to do the same.
But your spider is just excellente!
Just amazing shot!

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1592 W: 32 N: 1361] (3978)
  • [2005-08-07 18:06]

Hello Paul,
Well done on finding this rarity!
You've captured it very well.
Nice and sharp,great colours and very good DOF.
Excellent work and well worth getting mucky for :-))

TFS

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2828 W: 75 N: 8007] (26809)
  • [2005-08-07 18:43]

Hi Paul, welcome to the club :-) All today's morning I tried to take clear shot of this spider in The Garden. On my knees, with lifted backside and legs spreaded over alley. All passing people have got good show to watch ;-) I was quite happy with results but thet you posted this perfect picture. Now my photos will go to drawer :-)

As Monika said - wasp spiders were very rare in Poland, but last few years we can watch their big expansion. On nearby meadow there are hundreds of them and today I saw it for first time in The Garden.

Hi Paul,
Superb capture on this spider. The color and detail are excellent. Nice OOF backround, and the tight crop works very well on this shot. Excellent Work!
Scott

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2005-08-08 2:35]

Hello Paul!
Wonderful capture.Large DOF,colors,POV and composition are excellent.TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2005-08-08 2:45]

Gerhards has friends like these too, but then again he lives in the Freestate :)

This is excellent as usual and the DOF + sharpness great.

Very well done and thanks for posting

  • Great 
  • urban Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 71 W: 4 N: 79] (413)
  • [2005-08-08 5:31]

beautiful little spider Paul. Especially fun if it is so rare there. Good composition and colors!

Excellent shot, well worth the muddy boots I think.
Good POV and DOF. Well done.

Great spider shot, Paul.
Very well composed, good exposure and very good details.
I think it was worth a pair of muddy jens and ruined footwear.
All for a great shot, my friend.
Excellent work.

  • Great 
  • halki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 253 W: 8 N: 105] (467)
  • [2005-08-08 10:50]

Hello Paul!
Wonderful spider shot.DOF,colors,sharpness and compositio are beautiful.Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2058 W: 315 N: 4404] (14713)
  • [2005-08-09 1:32]

Sorry, I have no time to comment today. But I give you the well deserved smily.

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  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 5 N: 2144] (11878)
  • [2005-08-09 7:15]

Belle prise, la netteté et l'éclairage sont parfait.

Bien fait !

Hello Paul!
Wonderful spider capture.DOF,lighting,POV and composition are perfect as always.Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • klemmg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 40 N: 484] (1719)
  • [2005-08-11 18:00]

Wonderful colour contrast yellow spider with the blue BG, low POV worked very well here. Good detail and sharpness. Good DOF for this difficult subject. Grass blades in BG nicely blurred not to distract but emphasize the lines of the spider's legs. Very well done!
Gabi

Hi Paul, I should say (sorry for the reminder) that it was well worth ruining your shoes and jeans for this sexy little Argiope bruennichi! :) Wonderful shot, as always...
Sarolta

Such a rare species and you managed to find one. I can hear the excitement in your voice. Well worth getting your clothes ruined for this great macro Paul.

I have been putting much of interest in spider, this one is just perfect.

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