I would perfectly happy putting #2 on my wall. Excellent work on the color.

I thought I had replied here, but I guess not.

I wrapped a couple layers of lab tape (similar to masking tape but a bit stickier) around the barrel of the JML and it push-fits snugly in an Edmund optics T>RMS adapter. Cost: roughly $.02.

So I suppose there you have it: My two cents' worth!

That is beautiful.

Thanks all. And thanks for the studio critique, lauriek :) I'll start with single shots and hope to later get some stacks. We'll see how it works out. The spider will be living in a gladware dish as my pet until I get it figured out. I'll post up what I come up with. Sonynut, I have indeed tried eth...

Well, the spider is now captive. Now that I'm no longer concerned with it popping up somewhere else in my house and scaring the bejesus out of me again at a later date, I'll research and try to get some photos without offing it. Though if anyone has some specific advice, I'd love some!

Absolutely not! Not when the previous workday started with this: :) http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5313/5843798815_5b1b64a173_b.jpg I picked up some nail polish remover as a last resort. Can anyone tell me how long one might be able to effectively "conk out" a spider like this using carbon dioxide? ...

Oh, and yes the toilet's nasty - I haven't gotten around to remodeling this bathroom yet

Prior to work and in that groggy half-awake state that plagues we evening/night people well into the morning hours, I popped up the toilet seat to take care of some business and immediately snapped fully awake. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/5852790111_5200b359f9_b.jpg I had to get to work, so ...

Well I can't be certain as the color's all wrong, but it looks to me like sunny-side-up. Nuclei get hungry, too

I know I'm no help, just wanted to say "nice photo"!

I like the background, it gives context that you wouldn't get if you cropped a lot of it out - context that you don't get very often in a shot this close.

I love this photo. Well done.

The seed looks blurred ?) What objective is that??... To help with your small steps, have you considered moving the rear standard of the bellows, instead of both together? It's the 10x nikon from edmund optics. If it looks a bit blurred it is undoubtedly due to my impatience/coarse steps rather tha...

A stackshot would be perfect. Anyone wanna buy me one? :) Unfortunately I am a volunteer with zero financial backing. I'm putting together a resource for people studying for a certification in my field. I did not have that resource, and I'm bitter about it. Further, I'm broke! I have another potenti...

1st one, quite happy with it. This is a Brassica sp ., maybe 2mm across. http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n287/ryansholl/New-Out99999.jpg As I suspected I can't make fine enough adjustments with a 10x objective. My macro rail is very, very smooth and not binding. Is there a manufacturer that makes...

One more thought... Go prepared with an assortment of opaque backgrounds for the seeds to sit on, big enough to cover the bottom of the cup. And be sure to check the inside of your optical path for stray reflections that might need flocking or masking. With so much light bouncing around, there's po...

I think this will work well. I was about to suggest filling in around the lens, but I see that's in the plan already. Yes, eminently sensible. --Rik Thanks Rik. Yours is a good endorsement to have, and I definitely feel better about blowing an hour on this little project tonight! Will post pictures...