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The Duel


 
BetterPhoto.com Photo Contest FinalistBetterPhoto.com Photo of the Day   The Duel
The Duel

Black-spotted Prominent and Crab Spider

Micro-Nikkor 105 mm, PB-4 Bellows

Featured as POTD #1515
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Bob Cammarata

 
 
 
dmd-photo-art.com - Dominick M. Dimacale

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Great macro image you have here, Bob.

Dominick


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October 16, 2008

 

Dr. Harmeet Singh
  Great image beautifully captured.A winner for sure..


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October 16, 2008

 

Michelle Alton
  Perfect timing on this capture, Bob. Tells a great story.


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October 16, 2008

 

Tiia Vissak
  great colors, light & details!


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October 16, 2008

 
countryimpressions.net - Tammy M. Anderson

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  Super fond and capture, Bob.


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October 16, 2008

 
- Carolyn M. Fletcher

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  A sure winner! It's just great!


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October 16, 2008

 
- Usman M. Bajwa

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  Wow.. what a great timing and find here, Bob. The details and colors are amazing too. UB.


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October 16, 2008

 

Colette M. Metcalf
  Excellent!!!


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October 16, 2008

 

Erin Appelbaum
  Awesome!!! Peter


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October 16, 2008

 

Summer A. Kozisek
  Amazing capture Bob, love it!


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October 16, 2008

 

Bob Cammarata
  Thanks everyone for your nice comments.

This miniscule meeting (or fracas) literally happened before my eyes.
As I was concentrating on how to best portray this interesting caterpillar I'd found, the crab spider scrambled across that tiny twig and appeared determined to steal the show.

It just makes one wonder how many curious little dramas and/or bitter conflicts occur within the macro-world that we never notice.

Bob


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October 16, 2008

 

BetterPhoto Member
  Great find Bob. Love the color and detail. Great job!


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November 04, 2008

 

Donna La Mattino Pagakis
  Great details Bob, congratulations on your potd!


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November 06, 2008

 

A P
  ooyyeee gooyyee wonderful POTD. Incredible macro, Bob


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November 06, 2008

 

Tiia Vissak
  congratulations!


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November 06, 2008

 

Darryl Wilkinson
  That's a great shot, Bob! Congrats on your award!!


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November 06, 2008

 

Susie Peek-Swint
  Fantastic macro Bob ~ great timing! Congrats on POTD!


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November 06, 2008

 
- Les Rhoades

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  Congrats on your POTD selection!


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November 06, 2008

 

Joseph R. Ombrello
  What an outstanding pictyre. Well deserved POTD, Bob.


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November 06, 2008

 

Deepinder S. RANGER
  Excellent use of the bellows with macro lens !
Congrats on well deserved POTD !


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November 06, 2008

 

Mary Timman
  Magnificent macro. What detail and color! Beautifully made. I love your title! Congratulations on POTD!


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November 06, 2008

 
- Usman M. Bajwa

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  Congrats on this wonderful POTD, Bob.

UB.


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November 06, 2008

 
- Guy D. Biechele

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  Fantastic! Congratulations on your POTD.


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November 06, 2008

 

Joy Rector
  congrats on this excellent POTD


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November 06, 2008

 

JO ANN CLEVELAND
  Wowee! Fantastic macro Bob ~ great timing! Congrats on POTD!

jo ann c.


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November 06, 2008

 
- Nancy L. Green

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  HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on this FANTASTIC POTD!!!! So, who won??? <><


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November 06, 2008

 

Mike F. Anderson
  Very nice Bob. Great detail


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November 06, 2008

 

KIM A. RINCONES
  Great picture Bob. There are a lot of things around us we do not see, so this is a special moment. How did you get the background that color? If you do not mind me asking. Kim


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November 06, 2008

 

Kathleen R. Struckle
  Awesome macro. Congrats on POTD!!


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November 06, 2008

 

BetterPhoto Member
  Great luck, great timing, great capture. WOW. congrats on POTD.
If you don't mind a second person asking, how did you get the background color? I am a true beginner myself so just curious.


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November 06, 2008

 
- Erica Murphy

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  This is spectacular Bob!! Congratulations on being the POTD!!


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November 06, 2008

 
- Lisa J. Boulden

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  Such a cool capture!
Congratz on your POTD!
~Lisa


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November 06, 2008

 

Cary Rogers
  Congrats on this unique POTD, Bob!! a great capture and peek at Nature that most people never see or think about!


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November 06, 2008

 

Michelle L. Frick
  Doesn't look like a fair fight! Who won? Congratulations on the POTD and the amazing capture!


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November 06, 2008

 

Kathy L. Clark
  CONGRATS BOB ON YOU VERY AWESOME POTD. WONDERFUL DETAIL, LIGHT AND COMPOSITION. VERY NICELY DONE.


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November 06, 2008

 
- Carlton Ward

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  Great capture Bob - color, sharpness & the subjects are so dynamic.


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November 06, 2008

 

Bob Cammarata
  Thanks everyone for your nice comments.

This POTD was a pleasant surprise when I awoke this morning!
I will attempt to address the many inquiries re:, the technical processes leading to the creation of this image.

First of all, I was out looking for bugs that day so I had my full arsenal of close-focusing equipment.
A macro-lens, a bellows assembly, a sturdy tripod that will get my camera close to the ground, several home-made stabilizing devices (...made from tiny alligator clips attached to sections of coat-hanger wire), a portable flash unit with an infra-red trigger, various reflectors, diffusers and background materials all accompany me on bug forays.
Sometimes they are all used...sometimes not.

In this photo, I'd spotted an interesting looking caterpillar on a low-hanging bush and stabilized the twig it was on with a few of the clips mentioned above.
(This photo was shot in natural light with the natural background at the scene.)

In this version, I laid a piece of beaded plastic diffusion material on the ground behind the subject (on top of black felt) to get a more "smoky" background in an attempt to highlight the vibrant colors of the subject.

While all this was going on, the prominent cat' remained motionless except for a few shifts in its pose.

I noticed this crab spiderresting a few inches away on the same twig and shifted the camera and extended the bellows to capture this tiny but colorful arachnid in its benign position for a few frames. Then, I returned to my caterpillar for a few intimate close-ups.

Suddenly, the spider became active and scrambled across the twig.
It crawled over the caterpillar and rested on its tail.
The cat' swung its head around like a mace...striking a forceful blow which toppled the spider off the twig, where it hung on a thread of silk for a few seconds before climbing back up to continue the the fight.

I was fortunate to have been in place and completely set up to record this little drama.
The background in "The Duel" was the same smoky background I'd setup earlier ().

...and who won the fight?

Since they both went their own way afterwards, I guess we can call it a draw.

Bob



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November 06, 2008

 
- Nancy L. Green

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  Thak you Bob for this informative narrative, I LOVE THIS!!! and I'm glad they both survived!! <><


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November 06, 2008

 

KIM A. RINCONES
  Bob, Thanks for the detailed information. Wow. Still learning and your information is greatly appreciated. Great info. Thanks again. Kim


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November 06, 2008

 

BetterPhoto Member
  WOW! Awesome!!!!


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November 06, 2008

 

Vicki L. Filippin
  MAGNIFICENT *winning* image, Bob! Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. I'll be keeping my eye out for GOLD on this one!


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November 07, 2008

 
- Laura E. Swan

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  Wow! AMAZING photo! Great work here, Bob! -Laura Swan


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November 07, 2008

 

BetterPhoto Member
  Thanks so much for all the details of the shoot. This is such a great place for us real beginners to learn from others. Thanks again.


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November 07, 2008

 
- Lindley Johnson

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  Congratulations on your terrific POTD, Bob! Thanks for sharing your detailed description on how you captured it.


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November 08, 2008

 

A P
  CONGRATULATIONS Bob on this incredible colorful bug fight FINALIST!!!!


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November 25, 2008

 
- Larry L. Redmon

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  Congratulations, Bob! Awesome work!


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November 25, 2008

 

Sam Britt
  Congratulations Bob!!


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November 26, 2008

 

Michelle Alton
  This one is going to the stars, Bob.


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November 26, 2008

 
- Usman M. Bajwa

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  Another Congrats on this stunning capture and Finalist. I think there is one more to go, just yet. GL.

UB.


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November 27, 2008

 

Sylvia Rossler
  Big congrats on your wonderful finalist :) 


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November 27, 2008

 
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