23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Spiderweb catches droplets
This black-and-white photograph captures a close-up of a spiderweb adorned with water droplets, taken after rainfall during an excursion to the "Ciane's river" reserve in Sicily. The droplets form a delicate necklace-like composition, each sphere reflecting light against a dark ethereal background. The barely visible silk threads and the high contrast between white and black create a surreal, almost dreamlike atmosphere. Conceptually, the image explores a quiet dualism: a structure designed to trap living prey now holds water, life’s essential element, suggesting that nourishment has many forms in nature.
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 09.2025 |
| Date Uploaded: | 10.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Siracusa, Italy |
| Camera: | Canon EOS M50 |
| Copyright: | © Mirko Caggioni |