About fifteen minutes ago I was out doing some night photography with my Speed Graphic. The main part of the scene metered at 5:30 minutes exposure after factoring in reciprocity. The darkest parts that I wanted to register where pretty dark, so I needed to use my flash to build up some density.
I opened up the shutter and went off to do my flashing. I added all the light I felt necessary and returned to the camera, and what do I find? Cobwebs! Come on, I know that shooting large format is often slower than other formats, but to return to the camera and finding it covered in cobwebs is just rubbing it in my face.
It wasn't long after noticing the webs, that the spider making them came back into view zipping back and forth across the top of the camera leaving the webs behind it. It was fun to watch him work, knowing that it was all in vain because I was going to destroy them shortly anyways, until the spider started down the cable release to the open lens. At that point I had to give it a big breath of air and blew it back into the night.
End of Story.
The Influence of Large Format Press Cameras
Nikon FE
Unexpected Speed Graphic Sighting
The Night I Almost Died
July 10th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
I have seen this happening often with CCTV security cameras. I always do pity the spiders when their webs go.
Don't ask me about bird poo.
Regards,
Christian