I've always been fascinated with spiders and have kept a few as pets, including a Mexican tarantula.

 

I do have a problem and that is I can never get a descent picture of the spiders. I've seen some great shots, some were even done *supposedly* by a disposable cameras, but I've always had this problem. I've even used the conventional film cameras and some quality digi cameras to no avail.

 

So my question is, how do these people do it?

If anybody has any experience at taking pictures of spiders in their natural habitat and obtain results better then mediocre, how do you do it and with what? I'm not willing to buy professional grade equipment as like I said, I've see(or so I've been told) that some pics I've seen were the product of those cheap disposable cameras.

 

Some of the spiders I've tried taking pics of were: Black Widow(have a few in my yard), various orb weavers, brown recluse, wolf and many smaller specimens. And the rate of failure is 90-95% in obtaining quality pictures.

I've also tried one of those Photography books, but I'm not trying to disturb the spider or artificially enhance the lightning/shadow combination. Even if I do, most of the pictures come up very fuzzy, in most cases, regardless of the size of the spider.

You'll need to be a mite more specific on your problems. What sort of issues are you having with the pictures (grain, colour wash, undefined shadow), what sort of conditions are you taking pictures in (indoors, outdoors, ambient light levels). Even what sort of film your using and the shutter speed of the camera will effect what your doing.

 

If you could show a picture, I'll tell you what is wrong with it. It's a gradual process of eliminating each problem in turn and after a while you'll have great pictures. Unless your just crap with cameras, which happens sometimes.

the pictures all come out very blurry and in some cases in an up close shots, you'll realize what is in the background way before what's in the foreground.

i generally use 4megapixel camera. the same thing with conventional camera, can't remember the max zoom on it, i'll post that tonight.

 

i'll also try get some pics in as well.

 

{edit}

 

most pics are/were taken outside.

Sounds like the minimum focal length might be the problem rather than the maximum zoom.

how does one go about fixing that? the cameras i have do not have detachable lens on them.....

I'm not sure but I'll bet there's a vast abundance of similar questions under discussion on photography forums.