Dennis Hirning, FPSA, MPSA
October 2026 - Cat-faced Spider
About the Image(s)
Canon 5D III, 100mm Macro, f/9, 1/500 sec, ISO 25600
I saw one of these last year but found out that it was probably the male. It didn't have all the spikes on it like this, which is the female. It built it's web across the opening to a garbage container.
7 comments posted
Wow! I have never seen such a creature. Good detail and I like that you were able to get just enough web for context. How big are these? The strand that is coming out of its hear on the right is distracting. Could be darkened just a bit or removed. Posted: 10/10/2026 20:36:11
My guess would be the size of a nickel. Just a guess but I don't think it was any bigger than that.
Posted: 10/11/2026 00:50:05
Posted: 10/11/2026 00:50:05
This is a great macro photograph with clear ventral details. My only observation is that the flash seems slightly overpowered. Posted: 10/11/2026 10:55:34
Interesting. Koala bear comes to mind. Looks like it is hung up, captured, in its own web.
I like the composition , frame and background. Though the face is in focus my eye search for the rest of the spider to be in focus. Posted: 10/11/2026 18:50:53
I like the composition , frame and background. Though the face is in focus my eye search for the rest of the spider to be in focus. Posted: 10/11/2026 18:50:53
I had some difficulty seeing the subject clearly. The web inclusion helps a lot. The contrast seems a bit too much. Posted: 10/12/2026 18:04:15
At first it seemed like a new version of a Rorschach test. Your caption helped a lot to understand the image. I noticed the high ISO which tells a lot about the conditions you were shooting under. Posted: 10/14/2026 17:30:47
I had no idea what this was. I would have liked it to be sharper but, given the conditions you shot it in, it's remarkable. Just enough of the web for context. Posted: 10/21/2026 12:30:08