As much as I adore the manatees, elephants and big cats of the this world (heck, I have even become a twitcher), there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a spider. Not only are they incredibly intricate and stunningly beautiful to photograph, they also create what I consider to be one of the world’s most beautiful structures…the web.
This love has not emerged overnight – far from it. But over the last few months I have been studying these most fascinating of creatures at home and abroad. I thought my love for them was sealed when I discovered the giggly wee fellow in France – but it was not until a wintery weekend in Yorkshire that I fully appreciated these incredible creatures.
Whilst wandering in the forest of Fairburn Ings, Yorkshire (a RSPB reserve), one misty afternoon, my attention was grabbed from sky to ground as I noticed hundreds upon hundreds of stunningly beautiful dew laden spider’s webs, bouncing light around like crystals. They were on trees, holly bushes and formed a bejeweled carpet under my feet. I did not hesitate to grab my macro lens and jump right in. These images (above and below) were my results.
Both photos were taken with a Canon EOS 7D with my EF 100mm macro lens at f/2.8, ISO 640. On a misty, winter’s afternoon it was quite dark in the undergrowth, hence the need for a higher ISO than usual with my macro shots. I hope you like them as much as I do!
Additional macro shots are available in our online macro gallery.
