Found this spider exoskeleton (what the spider leaves behind after molting) among the rhubarbs in the garden while looking for some pie raw material. Propped it up as best I could in my makeshift macro studio and shot a few stacks.
Specific Feedback Requested
The image is devoid of strong colors and the exoskeleton is rather translucent as well. Tried to make the background (underside of a rhubarb leaf) a little bit colder and the exoskeleton a hint warmer to separate them better. Did this work?
I’m also wondering about the crop - It’s “looking” towards the right side with less open space… What do you think?
Technical Details
Is this a composite: Yes
Canon EOS RP, Laowa 100mm f/2.8 macro @ 2x, flash. ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/160s, 79 images stacked in Zerene using Pmax. Post-processed in Affinity photo with the usual methods (sharpness, adjusted colors, dodge & burn, etc)
79 shots! Wow. I laughed because I’d probably do the same thing (and have done - found some weird thing and took it home or saved it to take a picture).
I think the pale qualities you’ve emphasized are appropriate. While it’s not a dead spider, the shed skin is rather ghostly. The detail is amazing. S/he didn’t tear it much getting out of it. The crop is an odd one I think. I’d rather have more leg over there and have the head be more centered (those jaws!). I’d also see about lowering the bg exposure just a bit. the fine detail in the back (that 79th image) gets a little lost. Terrific find and well photographed.
Ingemar, I agree with @Kris_Smith on this one. I am just amazed at the details of this. I didn’t even realize spiders did molt, so you have educated me on that as well. A great find and captured nicely. I hoping you cropped it that way so it was off center. I would hate for you to have to go back and shoot 79 more shots!
Ingemar, the details are amazing. I think the spider exoskeleton is nicely separated from the background. I also like the exoskeleton’s translucency. While I a more conventional approach, shifting the subject to the other side of the frame would be better, this is nicely interesting as presented.
