A Dangerous Proposition : The Mischievous Spider of Kurt Lolo

The world of spiders is enormous, and the Araneus genus has about 650 species, of which the Araneus circe can be found throughout the Palearctic region, and that covers all of Europe, Asia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, North Africa, and the central part of the Arabian Peninsula. Yesterday, nature photographer Kurt Lolo shared a photograph of this spider, Araneus circe, and he gave the photograph the title of  " Frissons ", which means " Shivers ". This title is perfect for this picture that derives its unique quality from the eccentric angle of the shot. The photograph, which is bathed in an ample green light, shows the branch of an evergreen tree at the end of which hangs a spider, four of its bristly legs extended in a camouflage that matches the bristly pine branch, and its abdomen brown with small white patches, also in a game of hiding with the brown colour of the  buds of the branches. The effect is captivating and unnerving all at once. The spider gives the visual impression, in this seductive illusion, of having its spiny legs be indiscernable from the spiny needles of the branch from which it is suspended, and the harmony of the green and brown colours of the tree and of the light and dark brown colours of the spider create a scene that is both irresistible and repugnant, which transmits exactly our ambiguous attitude towards spiders. The fact that the spider finds itself in a balancing act with the photographer and the spectator in this disarming and unsettling tableau adds to the elegance and grace of this creative photograph.
The world of photography allows individual expression to each artist, and the nature photographers of Aokas continue to impress me with their varied and unique artistic visions. Kurt Lolo also expresses himself with a unique style and vision, and it is delightful to discover his talent and the motifs of his aesthetic perspectives.
Trudi Ralston

The information on the vast world of spiders and the Araneus genus of the Palearctic region, are courtesy of Wikipedia.