Strings Of Pearls

On rare occasions everything falls into place. The right atmospheric conditions, the right light, the unexpected opportunity. This was one of those times. Overnight rain, clear morning skies, and prolific spiders building their webs all came together to create the opportunity to photograph this beautiful sight.

I could be melodramatic and say that this was a once in a lifetime occurrence. But that would not be far from the truth. I have never seen such a perfect web, with such perfectly spaced water droplets, lit beautifully, with a simple non-distracting background.  

There were several webs to choose from, all backlit in the early morning light. The water droplets from the overnight rain were still hanging onto the webs, evenly spaced and perfect.

I had the liberty of selecting the best web to photograph. This one was nearly perfectly formed. If you ever stumble across a similar photographic opportunity, consider yourself very lucky, and photograph it with gusto and deep gratitude. In over 30 years of being a professional photographer, this was the first time I have encountered such an opportunity.

TECHNICAL DATA

Shutter Speed 1/1600 sec.  Aperture f/5.  ISO 400.  Lens: Canon 100mm macro f/2.8L IS.  Camera: Canon 5D Mark III.  Handheld.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “I will prepare and someday my chance will come.”  --Abraham Lincoln