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