Jacquie Withers, Conquering Your Fear (ANIMALS 2021)

I am one of the millions of people who have a fear of spiders. The bigger the spider the bigger my fear and the more likely I am to run screaming from it, without any regard for anything around me, if it moves. Life sometimes presents you with situations that, in spite of your fears, you find yourself capable of things you never thought possible. So it was for me when I found myself in a situation where I had the opportunity to photograph a Golden Huntsman in a controlled studio setting. Fighting every nerve in my body that was telling me to run and my brain that was telling me swimming with the Blue-Ringed Octopus was the safer option, I managed somehow to breathe and take the photos. Whilst I am still fearful of these creatures, this experience has allowed to appreciate their unique beauty,

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