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.

Foliage viewed through dewdrops on a spider web.

I took this during a walk through the woods at Hardcastle Crags in November last year. It's a crop from a bigger image - I really like how abstract it is (and being slightly out of focus seems to help!).

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

Dew droplets on a spider's web spun in long grass

This was a totally unexpected find in early November at Hardcastle Crags this year. It was a foggy morning and the trees were in full autumn colour so I took my tripod hoping to get some atmospheric woodland shots. Whilst walking through the trees I noticed lots of these webs in the tall grass, all glistening with the dew drops that had settled on them from the fog. Luckily, I'd also packed my macro lens, so I set up the tripod and got a few shots from different angles.

I converted to black and white to take away the distracting bright greens of the grass.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/22, 1.6s, 90mm, tripod.

Sun-lit spider web under a garden table

I took this in my garden this evening. The web is underneath my patio table - I spotted it from my front room because the sun was catching it. I had 2 dogs trying to lick my face as I crouched under the table so it's a miracle it's in focus! The spider was absent...wonder where it is?

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/5.3, 1/125s, 46mm, hand held.

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.