Spider beneath a dew-covered web.

Another one from around this time last year. This was a lucky find high up in the woods at Hardcastle Crags. I had my tripod and macro lens with me so set about taking photos of the lovely dew droplets on the web. It wasn't until I reviewed the pictures at home that I realised the spider was there. It's well camouflaged amongst the greens and browns of the foliage, so I desaturated the rest of the image to make it easier to spot.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/22, 1/2s, 90mm, tripod & cable release.

Spider on its web spun from a fern

I took this one in my garden this summer. It was early evening and the sun was on its way down, side-lighting the fern and web.

I didn't have much time to get my camera out (and no time for a tripod) or to get my settings right before the sun moved on and the picture disappeared, hence the focusing could be sharper. I still love the image though - the highlights from the sun; the contrasting lines and shapes etc.

I reduced exposure slightly in post-production to darken and blur the background a bit more.