Chomp
Canon EOS REBEL SL1
Aperture f/5 ISO 1600 Shutter 1/250 Focal Length 35/1 
Menlo Park, California, US
Jan, 2019Views
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2020 Choice Award
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo during a hike at Wunderlich County Park in the SF Bay Area.Time
It was late afternoon, and I had decided to end work a little early and go out to the park for a bit of hiking and photography. It wasn't quite to golden hour, but the sun was starting to dip behind the tall trees that line the park's trails.Lighting
I was very fortunate to spot this pair in a patch of sunlight just off the trail. I wanted to catch the light on the bee's wing and on the almost translucent legs of the spider, and show them and the white flower against the deep green of the background.Equipment
This was shot with a Canon Rebel SL1, using a 35mm lens with a 21mm macro ring attached to it. I didn't use a flash or tripod for this shot, since I wanted to be able to maneuver as close to the spider as possible.Inspiration
During the first part of my hike, I had mostly been photographing the flowers and plants alongside the trail I was walking on. I first noticed a lovely patch of white blossoms in a splash of sunlight coming through the trees, and when I bent down to look more closely, I spotted the spider and bee locked together. I knew at once that that was the photo I wanted, and so I started very carefully and slowly trying to move closer to them without scaring off the spider.Editing
I really wanted to make sure the spider and bee were clearly visible in the final image, so I did a bit of lighting and color adjustment in Lightroom to ensure they would stand out. In particular, I liked the contrast of the dark body of the bee with the lighter one of the spider and wanted to play that up as well.In my camera bag
I shoot primarily with a Canon Rebel SL1, which I love because of its small size and light weight. I need a camera and set of lenses that I can take with me hiking and backpacking and not be weighed down to much, so my little Rebel does the trick nicely. My favorite lens is a 35mm f2 prime. I also frequently use a 24mm f2.8 pancake lens and a 100mm f2.8 lens. I have a carbon fibre tripod that I love because it's very lightweight and folds up quite small, and a set of macro rings that can attach to any of my lenses.Feedback
Don't just look around at eye level. Look up, look down, get onto a rock or down onto the ground and practice changing your perspective. Something that looks totally ordinary and uninspiring from one angle could look imposing and impressive from another. Take your time and don't go rushing past things - you never know what you might spot when you're not in a hurry and can just absorb your surroundings.
