BIG mistake!

[ChrisLumix]

Here's an afternoon of my life I'll never get back again.

 

This is the shot I started with (which was never going to go into 'Macro & Close-ups' by the way - those guys are far too good for this to be set alongside their briliance):

 

 

I thought I could make one improvement though - make the back ground to be more out of focus. It was fairly easy to separate the two using Elements' Magic Extractor. Apply some Gaussian blur to the BG and voilà!

 

 

Not too bad, though I say so myself, at least compared to the first shot. But yes, you've noticed already - the gaussian blur killed the web. Now this is where I say to you all : if EVER you think to yourself, "Oooh, I wonder if I can select a spider's web?", I can tell you right here, right now, NO!!!! Swallow bleach, jump off the Forth Bridge, lie down on the East Coast main line, before you ever attempt this utterly impossible task. This is the mess I ended up with : 

 

 

Let this be a lesson to you all - spider webs CANNOT BE SELECTED! RUN! Don't even think about it.

Meantime I must tell you about this little fellow. A few weeks ago he set up his web home slung between my wing mirror, driver's window, and car body (I habitually park by bushes). His 'beat a hasty retreat' hiding place is between the actual mirror and its casing.

 

However, when I drive somewhere (2 or 3 times a week - short journeys), he is often NOT in his hiding place, but clinging to his web for dear life, buffeted by the breeze of motion, and gusts from vehicles in the opposite direction.

 

He clings, he swings, he sways, but still he holds on, body hunched up as if to gain extra purchase. But not only does he survive, his web does too, completely intact. I reckon they should replicate what spiders' webs are made of and build bridges from it…

 

Actually, I keep saying "he", but with the obstinate survival instinct on display, I reckon it's a "she"!

[bugmeister]

Actually I quite like the second version with the blur. There is still a trace of the web so giving a context.

 

I know what you mean about selections on ultrafine things though, a real nightmare.

[annie]

loving the second version...really showing of the spider..

[NannyFerret]

Watch out, Chris. You could be reported for cruelty to a spider, and putting it's life in danger while driving too fast Lol.

[ChrisLumix]

Watch out, Chris. You could be reported for cruelty to a spider, and putting it's life in danger while driving too fast Lol.

 

Believe me - my 30 mph must seem like 130 mph to spidey!

[Paul]

I think it needs some web to keep it in context - though of course being obviously a spider means a web is needed to recognise it.

 

You did very ell I think to remove the BG.

 

And you're right about the sexing, he is most definitely a she.

 

 

Paul.

[ChrisLumix]

I think it needs some web to keep it in context - though of course being obviously a spider means a web is needed to recognise it.

 

You did very ell I think to remove the BG.

 

And you're right about the sexing, he is most definitely a she.

 

 

Paul.

 

You're speaking entomologically - you actually can tell? Just out of interest, what are the defining characteristics?

[Paul]

The males have "goolies" on their front central areas. They are called pedi-palps...

 

If I can get a good example of both sometime, I will. There are some around the garden still, so might find one of each.

 

 

Paul.