Arachnophobes, avert your eyes. I'm proud of this one, taken so close in the worst light. A lot of tries to get just the right spot in focus in a shallow depth of field.

Nice, Nicole! I didn't set the aperture, so I don't know what it was. I was concerned about the light--had to use a high ISO.

Wait--I can look up the image on PhotoME . . . It was f4 at 1/100, ISO 1600. I have another view of the spider I'll post in today's photo thread.

IF your worried about the light, then use the flash. Spiders stop moving when you shoot them head on, pose your bug moving them with a stick. They don't want you to notice them..becoming prey themselves(jumping spiders are the exception, always moving). Use a tripod and ISO 100. Ladybugs on the other hand move constantly. I use a flash and they just look shiny. :0) You can shoot through a magnifying glass too.....

I avoid flash whenever possible, Nicole. I don't like it, and I especially don't like it when photographing nature. Yeah, a tripod would have been nice, but I was out taking a picture of an apple and happened to spot the spider on my door frame.