Selection of Spiders from 2017!

I am currently in the midst of planning for my upcoming trip to Borneo in April and I cannot help but get excited by the prospect of seeing and photographing spiders from my current Wish List. Be sure that I will be blogging about it here, so continue to watch this space!

In the meantime, here are some photographs of spiders i shot last year. I have been practicing on improving my handheld stacking over the past 2 years, and I think this has significantly improved the outcome of my shots, despite using the exact same set-up when I first started. Let me know what you think! Also, all of these shots were taken entirely out in-the-field where there isn’t much control over the variables. It is a slow learning process but in the end, it is worth it. I hope you enjoy these images as much as I do taking them. Please take the ID suggestions with a pinch of salt. *Click on the image to enlarge*

Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you my first ever photograph of a British spider! Here is a photo of a rather common Araneus diadematus, but still gorgeous in my standards. Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

Next time someone says you look like crap, don't feel offended. This spider doesn't conform to society's standards of beauty and yet it is rumoured to live longer and eat better. Be like a Bird-Dung Crab Spider (Phrynarachne sp). Singapore.

One of the largest Sparassids in South East Asia. To find these giants, you'll need to look up at the trees. You might just find one staring back at you. Heteropoda cf. lunula. Singapore.

This photo is more than 10 years in the making. The final Singaporean spider on my Top 5 wish list, finally fulfilled! Manoj and I found a mating pair 3 years ago but were forced to abandon photography, no thanks to the weaver ants that were crawling up our pants. Chrysilla sp., probably C. lauta, (7mm). Singapore.

Epocilla cf. calcarata, male. Singapore.

A mommy huntsman spider holding on dearly to the her egg sac. The first instars are starting to leave the safety of the egg sac, as they embark on an adventure called Life. Singapore.

Parabathippus sp. male. Palawan, Phillipines

 Plexippus sp., female. Porto princessa, Phillipines

Heteropoda sp. Not H. davidbowie. West Malaysia.

Managed to get the shots minutes before the rain started pouring. We were all drenched by the time we left the forest. Portia labiata with her precious eggs. She reminds me of a Silky Terrier. Singapore.

Another British Spider! I was investigating a wild hare's burrow, when i came across this large "Hobo" spider scuttering. This spider has a legspan of around 55mm (5.5cm) which is pretty big, even for asian spider standards! And look at the size of those Chelicerae! Eratigena cf. atrica, in full autumn colors. Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

Another shot of a female Portia labiata in all her glory. Singapore.

A female Hyllus cf. diardi. Strong contender for the largest jumping spider in the World! Singapore.

A handsome Hyllus cf. keratodes. Singapore. 

I was contemplating if i should even post this. Please take a second look. Poltys cf. elevatus. Singapore.

A backlit Wraparound Spider. Singapore.

Another Poltys cf.elevatus doing her best to mimic a tree branch! Probably an adult specimen. Singapore.

A male Portia cf. labiata. Singapore.

Not sure which species but pretty nonetheless. Singapore.

The elusive Selenocosmia sp. from Singapore; one of the 5 described tarantula species here. A recent study has shown that it is a different species from Selenocosmia javanesis, despite looking exactly the same. Received a call from a friend at 2am to rescue this beauty, found on a road somewhere near the Catchment Area. Legspan around 4-5 inches!

Psechrid? Missing leg 1. Singapore.

Another Wraparound Spider doing her best to blend in. Singapore.

Yet another one, but with a greenish tone and flatter profile. West Malaysia.

A shot of Gasteracantha sp. with the Olympus OMD EM1 mark 2. I don't know if it is enough to justify an upgrade, considering the price point. What do you think? 

The Singapore Fishing Spider (Nilus sp.) from the Pisauridae Family. We had to dip our lenses into the water to get this shot but it was worth it! Singapore.

Another Wrap-around Spider (Talthybia sp.), but this time shot with an EM1 Mark 2. Singapore

Shot on New Year's Eve. A green-form Pandercetes sp. from Singapore.

Carrhotus cf. vidus, Male. Singapore.

Pristobaeus sp., female. This is a single-shot image. West Malaysia.

Bird Dung Spider (Cyrtarachne sp.). Singapore.

An tiny crab spider preying on an ant! Singapore.

Same spider from a different angle..

Could not find my stacked shots of Heteropoda davidbowie from 2017, so here is one from the year before! Singapore.

Hyllus semicupreus, male. Singapore.

An unidentified Huntsman Spider from Bukit Timah. Probably from the genus Gnathopalystes. Singapore.

Another species of hunstman from the genus Gnathopalystes. Also known as the "Jade Hunstman" due to its distinct coloration.

A rare shot of a Poltys cf. elevatus on its web! Singapore.

A fairly common albeit stunning jumper from the Mangrove Swamps. Epeus flavobilineatus, male. Singapore.

One of my favourite shots of all time. She is incredibly tiny and was so challenging to photograph! Apparently, they are pretty hard to spot as they prefer to dwell closer to ground level. Idastrandia sp. Singapore.

Spiders 🕷 from the Uboloridae Family are really special for the simple fact that they do not have venom! A tiny Feather Legged Spider (Miagrammopes sp.) with prey. Singapore.

A tiny Ubolorid, measuring probably less than 5mm? Singapore.

Here is another Feather-legged spider from the Uloboridae family enjoying her soupy "meatball"! Singapore.

An absolutely stunning Gasteracantha sp. on its web.The result of weird yoga poses and lots of patience.This spider made us work for it! Singapore.

A jumper that lives exclusively on tree trunks. Phaeacius sp. Singapore.

Another close-up of a Fishing Spider (Nilus sp.), this time on a leaf, next to a stream. Singapore.

Very tiny spider with a legspan of just 3 mm. Looks brown to the naked eyes but completely transforms into a burst of colors and intricate designs under a macro lens. Singapore.

A well-camouflaged Crab Spider feeding on a Honey Bee. The Bee probably didn't see it coming until it was too late. Singapore.

One of the largest huntsman that i have ever seen! Heteropoda cf. boiei. Singapore.

A sight rarely seen of Tylorida cf. ventralis mating. Does anyone knows the breeding cycle of spiders from the Family Tetragnathidae? Curious to know if she is capable of producing another clutch of egg. Singapore.

A juvenile wandering spider enjoying her dinner. Yummy. Singapore.