Phidippus audax, Red Top, Texas
Nikon D60, Lester Dine 105mm f/2.8 macro lens focused at infinity, with the objectives from two Soligor 90-230mm zoom lenses stacked (both reversed) on the 105. Pop-up flash lighting bounced off foil reflectors.
I found this spider sitting atop a prickly pear blossom in the middle of a huge patch of cactus that grew on both sides of a barbed wire fence. She was in a bad position, requiring me to lean over the patch at a dangerous angle to get any kind of a shot. Its chelicerae were such an outrageous blue-green color that I was determined to get a pic for my "In your face" album. This is the closest I've ever come to having a major catastrophe while shooting around cactus.
I usually have a long broom stick or mop handle with me to help steady and balance myself when shooting at an awkward angle. On this occasion I had decided to try a monopod with twist-locks on the extensions. I planted the end of the pod in the ground right up against the closest cactus, braced the top end under my belt buckle, then leaned over at a fairly steep angle. Holding the camera with my right hand, I maneuvered the spider around by moving my left hand around to one side of it. I had popped off about a dozen shots when the twist lock on the bottom leg section slipped completely, collapsing that extension, sending me down toward the cactus. I was able to grab the top strand of wire with my left hand, and hook my right arm over the same strand, luckily avoiding the barbs with both. This left me suspended at better than a 45 degree angle over cactus having spines well over 2 inches long. The spider bolted for a spot deep within the patch and never reappeared. If the wire had been old and rusty, it could have snapped or pulled free from a post, sending me into the patch completely. But... it was new, with sturdy T-posts, preventing what would have been a really bad ending to a fairly successful photo-op. I hooked one arm of the macro bracket over the wire, letting the camera hang there, freeing up my right arm. With both hands on the wire I was able to move slowly to my left, away from the cactus, then, after resting a bit, retrieve the monopod and camera. I no longer use a monopod of any kind for bracing myself in similar shooting situations. It's a mop handle, broomstick, or nothing. I should have known better than to trust a twist-lock fitting, but wanted to take advantage of the pod's variable extension length capability. The only harm done was one cactus spine stuck in the side of my left knee (not very deep), and sore arms from hanging on the wire while figuring the easiest way to work clear of the cactus patch. The monopod has been retired.
20110503B-048
Phidippus audax, Red Top, Texas
Nikon D60, Lester Dine 105mm f/2.8 macro lens focused at infinity, with the objectives from two Soligor 90-230mm zoom lenses stacked (both reversed) on the 105. Pop-up flash lighting bounced off foil reflectors.
I found this spider sitting atop a prickly pear blossom in the middle of a huge patch of cactus that grew on both sides of a barbed wire fence. She was in a bad position, requiring me to lean over the patch at a dangerous angle to get any kind of a shot. Its chelicerae were such an outrageous blue-green color that I was determined to get a pic for my "In your face" album. This is the closest I've ever come to having a major catastrophe while shooting around cactus.
I usually have a long broom stick or mop handle with me to help steady and balance myself when shooting at an awkward angle. On this occasion I had decided to try a monopod with twist-locks on the extensions. I planted the end of the pod in the ground right up against the closest cactus, braced the top end under my belt buckle, then leaned over at a fairly steep angle. Holding the camera with my right hand, I maneuvered the spider around by moving my left hand around to one side of it. I had popped off about a dozen shots when the twist lock on the bottom leg section slipped completely, collapsing that extension, sending me down toward the cactus. I was able to grab the top strand of wire with my left hand, and hook my right arm over the same strand, luckily avoiding the barbs with both. This left me suspended at better than a 45 degree angle over cactus having spines well over 2 inches long. The spider bolted for a spot deep within the patch and never reappeared. If the wire had been old and rusty, it could have snapped or pulled free from a post, sending me into the patch completely. But... it was new, with sturdy T-posts, preventing what would have been a really bad ending to a fairly successful photo-op. I hooked one arm of the macro bracket over the wire, letting the camera hang there, freeing up my right arm. With both hands on the wire I was able to move slowly to my left, away from the cactus, then, after resting a bit, retrieve the monopod and camera. I no longer use a monopod of any kind for bracing myself in similar shooting situations. It's a mop handle, broomstick, or nothing. I should have known better than to trust a twist-lock fitting, but wanted to take advantage of the pod's variable extension length capability. The only harm done was one cactus spine stuck in the side of my left knee (not very deep), and sore arms from hanging on the wire while figuring the easiest way to work clear of the cactus patch. The monopod has been retired.
20110503B-048