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Nice to see you again


Nice to see you again
Photo Information
Copyright: Monika MvJ (thistle) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1309 W: 74 N: 3014] (9282)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-04-02
Categories: Spiders
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 4200, Nikkor ED 38-114 F/2.8-4.8
Exposure: f/4.8, 1/1355 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-04-04 4:44
Viewed: 3588
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus). I had no idea such fellows live in my neighbourhood till I saw them on the bank of our river last summer. They immediatelly become one of my favourite spiders and I took lots of pictures of them.
Last weekend I went to the place they live and it was a lovely surprise to see them already awaken.


Raft spiders are quite fascinating creatures. They can be found only in damp, swampy habitats, with patches of water. They love bogs and probably because of that in Poland they are called Near-bank Bog spiders (or something like that).

These are large spiders (up to 2-3 cm), one of the biggest in Northern part of Europe, but despite their size they have ability to walk on the water surface or even run on it. They do it very often when disturbed and it seems they feel much more safe on the water or under it that on the dry land.
When the spider is really scared he flee into the water and hide between vegetation. He can stay there even for an hour.
When the spider is under water it looks as if it was made of silver. I imagine this is because of the air catched between hairs on spiders body. The view is really amazing and I hope I'll be able to show a picture of it someday.

Apart from the fact they are really fascinating creatures they also are very pretty spiders, well at least they are for me.

The spider on my picture is probably a male. I can guess that looking at his palps and abdomen, but I'm not 100% sure. The picture have been taken in my usuall way: low angle to bring the sky into BG. I had to use fill in flash to get right exposure on the spider. Now the sky looks darker than it really was but I kind of like that.
aido, cedryk, eruyanik, Signal-Womb, dew77, jossim, red45, AndyB, fiyo, dkaved, PDP, TAZ, firelord has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To aido: Sizethistle 2 04-04 06:49
To cedryk: Namethistle 1 04-04 05:49
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-04-04 5:17]
  • [+]

Hi Monika,
Lovely shot, I think the sky is perfect. Is the body 2-3cm or is that legs as well? An excellent shot, nice POV (it's becoming a trademark of yours), detail, colour and DOF are all perfect. Great note too, an enjoyable read.
Cheers,
Adrian

Hello Monica, you called them fascinating, ok, they have interesting features walk on the water, or dive in, But I rather called it horrible then fascinating:)) But still I want to see them, I will look for them if it lives in my country... By the way you are great observer, I like your infos about this spider.
This is well composed, nice macro, well done.
Regards,
Ersin

Good capture Monika, diagonal of the reed makes for good composition. Great details on the raft spider, very nice work.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4432 W: 248 N: 4028] (13270)
  • [2006-04-04 6:24]

Hello Monika!
Wonderful close up.Details,POV,long legs,details,cross framing,BG and composition are excellent.TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2006-04-04 6:34]

Excellente prise Monika!

Félicitations pour le focus bien dirigé et la beautée du spécimen.

Merci pour l'envoie.

joseph

Hello Monika :-)
Dolomedes is also one of the few species in Poland that can bite through the human skin. It also may catch small fish coming close to the surface. Overall a very voracious and effective killer :-)
I like this diagonal composition!
Serdecznosci,
Michal

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 955 W: 0 N: 89] (7805)
  • [2006-04-04 6:47]

Hi Monika,
Lovely shot.Good close-up details, BG, composition are excellent.
Well done

osse

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9091] (31094)
  • [2006-04-04 7:08]

Hi Monika!
Yes, Spring is here and all insects and spiders are ready to be photographed ;-) I saw few species of spiders last weekend, I'll try to post them soon. Very good details and composition, BG works good, light is perfect. I enjoyed your note also. I hope you'll send many pictures of your favourite subject :-)

Hi Monika,
A very nice shot! The composition is excellent. The sky backrounds looks really good. Colors and detail also look excellent. Great note.
Scott

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1366 W: 32 N: 1351] (3982)
  • [2006-04-04 8:42]

Hello Monika,
A very nice macro.
Good detail and colours and an excellent POV.
Very well captured and an interesting note too.

TFS

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 5 N: 3475] (15161)
  • [2006-04-04 9:02]

Hello Monika,
Excellent macro.
Lovely detail and colours,nice composition.
Nice work,very well done

Hello Monika,
Very good detail and angle showing the size of this Raft Spider. They are very large!
Steve

Hi Monike, Great Photo, Perfect colors, BG, DOV, details, Just excellent, Perfect, TFS Kyle

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2006-04-04 10:56]

Hi Monika,
Very well composition, where you and the spider work togother to get this exceptional result.
Well done!
José M.

  • Great 
  • dkaved Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 259 W: 17 N: 431] (2114)
  • [2006-04-04 12:54]

Hi Monika,
Lovely macro, everything so sharp and clear down to the smallest detail.Good composition and i like the contrast of the background.Looked at some of your other work...very nice.
Regards, David

  • Great 
  • pat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 87 W: 0 N: 125] (414)
  • [2006-04-04 14:01]

Hi Monika,
Brilliant photo, excellent composition, razorsharp details. It really seems to hug that dried-out plant, or does it want to hide and make itself disappear ?
Really nice and informative note. Makes me want to chase that spider species too.
Thanks for showing, Patrick

Hi Monika,
it's sitting there in a nice position, very well done, but I can't say that I love spiders.
I also made some shots of small ones this year, but when the will come nearer to me, perhaps on my hand - than I will cry and run away ;-) Thanks and bye
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hi Monika,
And it's very nice to see you again ;)
Good detail, colours and sharpness.
Composition and lighting are excellent. Good POV and framing.
Thanks for posting, have a good week my friend.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2006-04-04 18:29]

Hello Monika, beautiful composition and an excellent pose from our friend. Definitely a male, I often see large males at this time of year but not later in the year, they must overwinter and mature in spring. Lovely work.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-05-03 7:10]

Wonderful and interesting shot ! I like the smart composition in diagonal and the spider pose. Instructive note also... Congratulations Monika and thanks for sharing.

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