Derbyshire photographer hits the headlines in Mexico with rare bark lynx spider shot

Joe Joyce, 49, has turned his professional lens on many subjects over the years from architectural mosaics to motorsport but since effectively retiring in 2017 he has had more time to focus on the smaller things in life which are often overlooked.

The area around his temporary home in San Miguel de Allende, in Mexico’s central highlands, is inhabited by all manner of creepy crawlies and when Joe caught the perfect shot of one tiny spider a few weeks ago the reaction was much bigger than he had anticipated.

Joe, whose CV also includes stints as a sound engineer and nightclub DJ, said: “I love all nature and the macro world that’s all around us that nobody sees. I like details and I like clarity so seeing and sharing that through my lens is perfect.

“Completely by chance I found this bark lynx spider on a plastic garden chair. Even then, being so small, I assumed it was a jumping spider that many people are familiar with these days and are kept as pets.”

He added: “Living in different countries around the world and being interested in spiders it’s always advisable to know what you are looking at. I normally familiarise myself with the spiders that are medically significant but as soon as I saw this spider’s features I knew it was unusual.

“I posted it online and it went crazy with over 1,000 reactions overnight to my surprise and it was clear this was a rare spider with little information available and even less in the way of images. Then the news services here in Mexico asked for the images to run a story.

“The reaction has been international and amazing, and locally it’s gathering momentum all very unexpectedly. I’m now talking with local schools to produce a presentation for their students using my photography.”

The Hamataliwa grisea, to give the spider its scientific name, has been found across Mexico and the United States, but measuring just millimetres in size it is not often correctly identified, especially as it mimics the behaviours of more common jumping spiders.

Aside from the rarity of Joe’s shot, the spider’s anthropomorphic qualities have also generated a lot of interest, with its appearance drawing comparisons to the likes of Star Wars Wookiee Chewbacca and the American actor Ron Perlman.

Joe has been photographing insects at macro level for many years, long before dedicated lenses were available, but advances in technology have allowed him to capture the microscopic world like never before.

The final images of the bark lynx spider was composed from around 50 individual magnified shots – a technique called focus stacking – which Joe then combined to bring out an extraordinary level of detail.

Joe said: “Every spider and insect has character and my job as a macro photographer is to show you that. They have more to fear from us than us fear them.

“I’ve never encountered an aggressive spider, in fact it’s the opposite, especially when it comes to jumping spiders. They are particularly friendly and will interact with you given some time.”

“A few spider groups and an insect group I’m a member of enjoyed the images and made many comments about its the spider’s expression.

"I hope to submit the information gathered and the detailed macro images to provide Wikipedia and other insect databases with more up to date records.”

Though Joe has previously enjoyed success with online nature photography competitions, the response to his latest work has given him great encouragement to continue developing his art amid a period of personal upheaval.

He is currently based in Mexico as it is the homeland of his wife, ballet teacher Julietta, who he met following the death of his previous partner of 20 years.

Though he is enjoying travelling the country and sampling its “great food, lots of fireworks and colour”, the family are plotting a move back to Derbyshire later this year so Joe’s 18-year-old son Jacob can pursue his own creative career ambitions and Julietta seek new opportunities in the world of dance.

Joe said: “After putting down the camera for two years I’ve now set myself some goals and gaining more experience. Macro photography is a process, and one that I love. The images you can achieve are simply awe-inspiring.

“I am a perfectionist at heart so I can always do better as a photographer looking back, but the reaction online tells me this is a great shot.”

He added: “I’d like to provide a service as a macro photographer when I return to Derbyshire, having started a social media page for myself this year and seeing the response and amazing feedback received, that’s motivating me moving forward.

“I’m always on the lookout but when I look I don’t find, I maintain that macro photography finds me.”

For more of Joe’s work, follow the JJ’s Lens page on Facebook.

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