Handling T's for Photoshoots?

AwkwardLettuce

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
17
I'm wondering what people think about it because I have mixed feelings.

Preface: I work with models and photographers professionally, so I have the opportunity to have my Miss Muffet model as well. This would obviously involve handling. My personal intent would be to show the beauty of spiders in an artistic fashion by superimposing her with traditional beauty or even implied shots. But I'm sure we've all seen very cringey photos of models with a tarantula on their face like a toy.

SO. What do you guys think of my project? The overall intention being to share a message spiders aren't something to be feared and are beautiful creatures. Safety precautions would of course be taken like being on the ground, an enclosed area indoors, proper temperature, signed waivers, etc. She's very docile (I know it can change, this is her norm). But if I did it I'd be afraid to share in this group. Just looking for some input.
 

MikeofBorg

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 12, 2017
Messages
91
You could do natural setting pics with your T on a cut log or on the grass. I find most tarantulas look stunning under natural sunlight. It would not require handling, just gentle prodding into a catch cup and then out for the photos. This would be safer for the Ts and you could have your models pose behind the spiders in the shots, requiring no unnecessary handling.
 

AwkwardLettuce

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
17
You could do natural setting pics with your T on a cut log or on the grass. I find most tarantulas look stunning under natural sunlight. It would not require handling, just gentle prodding into a catch cup and then out for the photos. This would be safer for the Ts and you could have your models pose behind the spiders in the shots, requiring no unnecessary handling.
Awesome idea!

I should clarify by "handling" I simply mean physical contact. The model would not actually interact with Miss Muffet, they would be a prop for her. If she wanted to move, she could, if she wanted to stay still she could. We wouldn't be playing with her. At most she would be gently scooped and placed in a different area IF she seemed in a good mood. Totally dependent on her.
 

Taysha

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
96
I personally love this idea, and would love to see the outcome of this photoshoot! I didn't get much of an idea of the aesthetic for the photoshoot from the post, what is your idea for the theme just curiously?
 

Minty

@londontarantulas
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
488
I’d recommend against it, on the basis that there are plenty of good reasons not to handle tarantulas, and no good reasons to handle them.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
The single best way to absolutely ruin a t pic is to have it on human skin....nothing is worse than handling pics IMO. All it does is perpetuate the idea of handling.
 

AwkwardLettuce

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
17
I personally love this idea, and would love to see the outcome of this photoshoot! I didn't get much of an idea of the aesthetic for the photoshoot from the post, what is your idea for the theme just curiously?
Bodyscapes and implied nudes haha. I didn't want to put it in the post and distract people. You'll have to Google photos if you don't know what those are
So the model would be laying down the whole time versus the photos where they plop a spider on someone's face while they're standing. I know tarantulas can scale walls and all that but gosh those scare me.

The single best way to absolutely ruin a t pic is to have it on human skin....nothing is worse than handling pics IMO. All it does is perpetuate the idea of handling.
That's kind of how I thought people would respond. I did actually want input but also to know whether, should I ever be a part of an art series like this, it would be safe to post those here.

I personally love this idea, and would love to see the outcome of this photoshoot! I didn't get much of an idea of the aesthetic for the photoshoot from the post, what is your idea for the theme just curiously?
Though based on replies, if I did it, I wouldn't post any photos. Or talk about it. I've seen how aggressive people get on questions about handling and the more I read the less welcoming the forum seems to be, and I feel like I'd just be met with harassment.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
There is a bit of a double standard going on when it comes to photographs. Despite what people like to think - using tarantulas in photo shoots involve the exact same risks to the spider as handling does. Maybe even more so, since your concentration is removed from the spider itself and is being used by the photo taking process. And those risks are exponentially higher when they are removed to the outdoors and not contained.
Lots of people condemn handling, but don't condemn photographs that have been staged, when both introduce the same risks to the spider.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
. I've seen how aggressive people get on questions about handling and the more I read the less welcoming the forum seems to be,
A difference of opinion isn't the same as being unwelcomed.

I think I speak for the masses when I say that you are welcome here with open arms...regardless of whether or not there is or isnt agreements in opinions. I hope you stick around, keep posting and see just how welcoming we can be here.
I feel like I'd just be met with harassment
Opinions are always ok, but harassment is not. If ever you feel harassed, you can always report the posts and let moderators take care of the issue...you can also message a person, or even a mod and talk things through...I find most of the time people get bad vibes, its just a misinterpretation of the written word, which isn't uncommon...sometimes its not the case though, and we would always like to know about such behavior, as harassment of any kind is a violation of our terms of service.

Post with confidence and never feel like you aren't welcome to do so any time.
 

AwkwardLettuce

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
17
There is a bit of a double standard going on when it comes to photographs. Despite what people like to think - using tarantulas in photo shoots involve the exact same risks to the spider as handling does. Maybe even more so, since your concentration is removed from the spider itself and is being used by the photo taking process. And those risks are exponentially higher when they are removed to the outdoors and not contained.
Lots of people condemn handling, but don't condemn photographs that have been staged, when both introduce the same risks to the spider.
Have you actually worked on set with animal handlers? I'm okay with people saying it's equally dangerous to handling, but it's not exponentially so. We have contained environments with professional staff on hand. There are people monitoring animals at all times. Not just tarantulas, any animal.
There is a bit of a double standard going on when it comes to photographs. Despite what people like to think - using tarantulas in photo shoots involve the exact same risks to the spider as handling does. Maybe even more so, since your concentration is removed from the spider itself and is being used by the photo taking process. And those risks are exponentially higher when they are removed to the outdoors and not contained.
Lots of people condemn handling, but don't condemn photographs that have been staged, when both introduce the same risks to the spider.
Actually, if you go to a professional photoshoot with animals, we have people monitoring the animal at all times.
There's more safety precautions to protect the animal than there is with people rehousing. I'm not even a photographer.

A difference of opinion isn't the same as being unwelcomed.

I think I speak for the masses when I say that you are welcome here with open arms...regardless of whether or not there is or isnt agreements in opinions. I hope you stick around, keep posting and see just how welcoming we can be here.


Opinions are always ok, but harassment is not. If ever you feel harassed, you can always report the posts and let moderators take care of the issue...you can also message a person, or even a mod and talk things through...I find most of the time people get bad vibes, its just a misinterpretation of the written word, which isn't uncommon...sometimes its not the case though, and we would always like to know about such behavior, as harassment of any kind is a violation of our terms of service.

Post with confidence and never feel like you aren't welcome to do so any time.
I just mean I could have a beautiful photo for an art series of a tarantula on a person and every precaution could have been taken and the spider could be completely relaxed and no hands in the photo, maybe just someone's back, and I'd get very mean responses to it.

While in reality I've handled poisonous animals and worked with experts and handled exotic animals. I'm not a tarantula expert but I know biology. It just saddens me that the forum seems black and white. That if I ever did this I wouldn't be able to share it here even if it were in an art gallery. Everyone has seen spiders. We can show them all the photos we want of them in natural environments. Tell them all about them. But if people are afraid they'll stay afraid. Nothing changed. To change people's minds they need to see something different.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

SteveIDDQD

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 4, 2018
Messages
71
There will always be people who will not like the photos because of the handling aspect, regardless of how good they are - they are tarantula lovers and will always point out the reasons why it shouldn't be done because they don't want to see any spiders or keepers get hurt. You just have to live with this I'm afraid, it will always be black and white to the vast majority of passionate and experienced keepers and you will not win them over.

In terms of how it may influence others (have you considered this?), if its ok to handle a T for a professional photo shoot, surely it's ok for 15 year old what's her/his face to handle their T for an Instagram pic, right? This may be an unexpected, but very real, one of the bad consequence you have to live with...
 

Swagg

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
262
Have you actually worked on set with animal handlers? I'm okay with people saying it's equally dangerous to handling, but it's not exponentially so. We have contained environments with professional staff on hand. There are people monitoring animals at all times. Not just tarantulas, any animal.

Actually, if you go to a professional photoshoot with animals, we have people monitoring the animal at all times.
There's more safety precautions to protect the animal than there is with people rehousing. I'm not even a photographer.



I just mean I could have a beautiful photo for an art series of a tarantula on a person and every precaution could have been taken and the spider could be completely relaxed and no hands in the photo, maybe just someone's back, and I'd get very mean responses to it.

While in reality I've handled poisonous animals and worked with experts and handled exotic animals. I'm not a tarantula expert but I know biology. It just saddens me that the forum seems black and white. That if I ever did this I wouldn't be able to share it here even if it were in an art gallery. Everyone has seen spiders. We can show them all the photos we want of them in natural environments. Tell them all about them. But if people are afraid they'll stay afraid. Nothing changed. To change people's minds they need to see something different.
It sounds like you already have your mind made up that you are going to do it. Nobody here is being mean or harassing. There are plenty of people on here that do handle, the majority of us don't agree with the practice and will never handle. At least on purpose. Most of us see this as a purely selfish act and aside from the bite risk, it puts the spider at risk.
My question is, you asked for opinions and you got them. You seem unhappy that the opinions you received didn't support the idea of handling and you seem like you are going to do this anyway. So why ask in the first place?
Nobody is going to beat you up for doing the shoot, but you asked what we thought and we told you. I hope you will stick around because this is a great place to be. But we will always give you honest opinions. Whether or not you like them is up to you.
 

AwkwardLettuce

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
17
It sounds like you already have your mind made up that you are going to do it. Nobody here is being mean or harassing. There are plenty of people on here that do handle, the majority of us don't agree with the practice and will never handle. At least on purpose. Most of us see this as a purely selfish act and aside from the bite risk, it puts the spider at risk.
My question is, you asked for opinions and you got them. You seem unhappy that the opinions you received didn't support the idea of handling and you seem like you are going to do this anyway. So why ask in the first place?
Nobody is going to beat you up for doing the shoot, but you asked what we thought and we told you. I hope you will stick around because this is a great place to be. But we will always give you honest opinions. Whether or not you like them is up to you.
I'm unhappy because it doesn't seem like the purpose was taken into consideration.

There will always be people who will not like the photos because of the handling aspect, regardless of how good they are - they are tarantula lovers and will always point out the reasons why it shouldn't be done because they don't want to see any spiders or keepers get hurt. You just have to live with this I'm afraid, it will always be black and white to the vast majority of passionate and experienced keepers and you will not win them over.

In terms of how it may influence others (have you considered this?), if its ok to handle a T for a professional photo shoot, surely it's ok for 15 year old what's her/his face to handle their T for an Instagram pic, right? This may be an unexpected, but very real, one of the bad consequence you have to live with...
Yes. If there is a zookeeper photographed with a lion, it's okay for anyone to approach a lion, correct?
If people own deadly animals surely it's safe.
No one is responsible for other people's bad decisions.

It sounds like you already have your mind made up that you are going to do it. Nobody here is being mean or harassing. There are plenty of people on here that do handle, the majority of us don't agree with the practice and will never handle. At least on purpose. Most of us see this as a purely selfish act and aside from the bite risk, it puts the spider at risk.
My question is, you asked for opinions and you got them. You seem unhappy that the opinions you received didn't support the idea of handling and you seem like you are going to do this anyway. So why ask in the first place?
Nobody is going to beat you up for doing the shoot, but you asked what we thought and we told you. I hope you will stick around because this is a great place to be. But we will always give you honest opinions. Whether or not you like them is up to you.
I'm also unhappy that a forum about arachnids treats them like captive animals. They're not glass. There's no acknowledgement they're undomesticated and self-sufficient. They're not treated like spiders, they're treated like puppies.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Swagg

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
262
I'm also unhappy that a forum about arachnids treats them like captive animals. They're not glass. There's no acknowledgement they're undomesticated and self-sufficient. They're not treated like spiders, they're treated like puppies.
We will have to agree to disagree.
 

AwkwardLettuce

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
17
We will have to agree to disagree.
Exactly why I feel I don't belong here. They're not my trophies. They're living creatures.

My background is in biology. My first grant was environmental research. I know the entomology professor who loves spiders.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Exactly why I feel I don't belong here. They're not my trophies. They're living creatures.
See, that's exactly how most of us feel.

Many feel that handling pics show them more as those "trophies" or "look at me" stunts, than living things to be respected. Just so you see where people are coming from on the subject.

There's nothing I have seen you post that would indicate you don't belong. This is a place for t people, and you more than qualify.
 

AwkwardLettuce

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
17
See, that's exactly how most of us feel.

Many feel that handling pics show them more as those "trophies" or "look at me" stunts, than living things to be respected. Just so you see where people are coming from on the subject.

There's nothing I have seen you post that would indicate you don't belong. This is a place for t people, and you more than qualify.
How do you show p
See, that's exactly how most of us feel.

Many feel that handling pics show them more as those "trophies" or "look at me" stunts, than living things to be respected. Just so you see where people are coming from on the subject.

There's nothing I have seen you post that would indicate you don't belong. This is a place for t people, and you more than qualify.

Yeah. People love stunts with people but not with animals. Even though no one can see all the safety precautions.
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
2,755
Just take pics of your T’s then photoshop them in. Then when anyone loses it on you, you can be like jokes on you bro, it’s photoshopped. Just think, you can even post pics of nude models with OBT’s on them.
 

Polenth

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
Messages
460
I'd go for the model peering at the tarantula and so on. It shows the same lack of fear, but without any handling. The issue would be if the spider did decide to bite when crawling on someone's back. The most likely reaction of someone lying down is to rapidly get up to move away from the pain, most likely knocking the spider to the floor in the process. Nobody will have time to do anything and you can't use a safety harness for the tarantula.

Now, for an invertebrate that's built like a tank and takes to handling, hissing cockroaches are the winners. You can also have a whole bunch of them, so you can keep swapping out models to reduce the potential stress.
 
Top