Spider, "catch and release"

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:04 pm

Most of my gear is packed away in boxes for a move, and I haven't taken a picture in awhile

... but I found this handsome spider and decided to dig out my 105/2.8 macro and take a few shots.

I quickly made up a small "tank" from an empty, translucent, rubbing alcohol bottle. Added some bark from an old stump where the spider was found, and covered the cut-away open front with a 2x3" microscope slide. The diffused lighting was obtained by directing two flash units through the top and sides of the container.

Even at f16 or f22, DOF was frustratingly small, especially since I wanted the "face" and a good portion of the legs in focus. So I followed the spider around studiously, and when it paused in a good position I tried to shoot a quick stack.

All three were small stacks... 5, 12, and 3 images respectively. I used Rik's Zerene Stacker for these. The top two were at 1:1 with a Nikon D300. For the lower image I taped a 135mm enlarging lens to the front of the 105mm macro in order to get more magnification.

The spider's now back outside catching bugs, and I'm back to cleaning out the garage...

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:32 pm

Wow, I gotta go find one of those smilies for jaw-hanging-open-in-admiration. Until then, these'll have to do:

Great stuff, Charlie! (Make note to self: buy 2"x3" microscope slides...practice for several decades...)

--Rik

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:56 am

Thanks Rik,

I use the 2x3" slides for nearly all my microscope work as well. For me it's much more convenient when working with wet mounts, since it eliminates problems of water getting too close to the edge of the slide and possibly "wicking" underneath. But I find the size allows you to do many other things with them, like making small "tanks", or as a "window" for a container as was done here.

They're probably widely available, and I get mine here (item S-17060):
http://microscope-depot.com/slides_cover.asp

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 12:26 pm

Many thanks for the link, Charlie. The slides will arrive soon. The decades will take a little longer.

--Rik

sagarmatha · Post by **sagarmatha** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:42 am

Seems I have to dig into the stacking business! Great shots.