Louisiana Banana Spider
The Golden Silk Spider. This female is as large as my hand. They are mildly venomous and very abundant. We use to play in the woods a lot and would run into a w...
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The Golden Silk Spider. This female is as large as my hand. They are mildly venomous and very abundant. We use to play in the woods a lot and would run into a web with the spider on your face.
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Oct, 2020Views
60
Likes
Awards
Winter Award 2020
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve outside New Orleans Louisiana. It on a nature trail just past the parking area. They build large webs between trees and leaves. This is a female and she is about four inches long give or take. She is a Golden Silk Orb Weaver or as Louisianan's call it, the Banana Spider. The males are much smaller than the females. As a kid we used to run through the woods playing and run through the webs and next thing we knew this big spider is stuck to our face.Time
Photo was taken around 10:00am in the Preserve.Lighting
It was a bright and sunny day. Very hot and humid but was in heavy tree cover, so shade for nice conditions.Equipment
Canon 77D, FL-105mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 640Inspiration
I'm from Louisiana but I live in the Rocky Mountains now. So I wanted to get back home to photograph some Louisiana native wildlife. I also very much enjoy macro photography. I was there for alligators but only the little guys were out at that time so I switched plans and started focusing on spiders and butterflies. Things don't always workout the way we plan, so we have to improvise and make something out of nothing.Editing
I shoot in RAW format, so I did do some light editing highlights and shadows etc.In my camera bag
I carry a Canon 6D full frame DSLR and Canon 77D cropped sensor DSLR. I shoot wildlife, landscapes and travel. So for lenses I have a Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM with a 2x teleconverter for wildlife shots. A Sigma 100mm macro lens for the little guys and a 50mm f/1.8 for people and some landscape as well as a 28-135mm wide angle lens. I also have a Canon 600mm telephoto lens that is old and very heavy so I don't take it out of town with me. I also have an array of filters, sturdy tri-pod, fast SD cards, remote trigger and plenty of batteries.Feedback
Research what your wanting to photography. Learn as much about it before you spend the time and effort to photograph it and if things don't go you way, improvise and adapt to what's around you. For insects and spiders or anything small, a macro lens is amazing but not necessary. I have taken just as many macro style shots with regular lenses. A extension tube will help a lot too and they are pretty cheap. The important thing is to get out there and shoot. practice your craft and the rest will come. It's hard work but also fun and rewarding.
