First off, I messed up yesterday. I was trying to do this “blog every day during November” thing, but I missed yesterday. I had a long Friday away from the computer, then I had the art show opening to attend, then we got home and put the boys to bed. The oldest boy asked if we could all lay down together, and I did. Next thing I know, I wake up in bed with two snoozing babies and it is 1am. No point in trying to blog for Friday, because I just missed it.
It was worth it, though. I had a busy afternoon, a great art show opening that I attended with my wife and my friend John, and I got to snuggle up with two of my three favorite boys. Anyway, I’m hoping that is the ONLY day I miss. Let’s see if I can keep it that way…
To get back on track, I’ll probably post some cool pics from a recent client shoot or talk about an upcoming shoot with a new client. But for now, I thought I’d share this odd shot I took on a recent day off:
I was sitting on the back patio watching my boys play in the back yard. I see a wasp or hornet or something nasty fly over my head, towards the back door. Then I see it stop near a spider web. I didn’t think he was going to get stuck, but he sure did. Immediately after, a spider comes out and they begin to fight.
Luckily, I had my camera pretty much ready to go, since I had left it set up from a shoot the previous night. I threw on some extension rings and got in close – a little too close for comfort, really. I shot some of the action, and this is what I got.
Now, I am well aware that I’m NOT on the level of a National Geographic nature shooter. This is not the best insect picture around. Heck, I don’t even know enough about the specific bugs/insects/whatever to tell you much about them. I am a lifestyle shooter. People hire me to shoot people. I do that well – not creepy, stingy things.
It’s more about the fact that I never expected to see a possible fight to the death between a wasp-looking thing and a spider. And the fact that I was brave enough to put on a 50mm and some extension rings to shoot this duel from no more than a couple inches away.
For the camera nerds, it was shot at iso 2500 on my Canon 5DmkII, 1/100th sec, f8, with bounce flash under my patio cover. And, for the PETA fans, I saved the flying insect. The spider retreated after a while, I think in hopes that the stuck insect would tire itself out trying to escape the web. I unstuck it and untangled it using a twig, then set it free. Don’t ask me why…