cgardner
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I'm certain you and I have differences Doug. I had different teachers and work experience so it is not surprising our advice might differ.
But the biggest difference is I don't editorialize about your advice, background, mentors in a derogatory manner, or go trolling after you post your advice. I offer suggestions based on how I have or would solve the problem. If they post a photo seeking critique the only input I can give is how I might approach the same problem differently sometimes editing, sometimes posting a similar photo I have taken, or one as I did here using one that illustrates the point I am making.
I have a far more extensive technical background than most so when it comes to topics like whether or not to sharpen an image I think it useful to explain how the capture process degrades and image and differs from what is seen by eye in terms of detail and how it can be remedied. I offer full service advice not just Art Center platitudes about just trying stuff until it feels right. What you don't seem to understand is that EVERYONE shoots until it feels "right" for them personally even without an art school education. But some also like to understand why it worked, or not, and what if anything could be done better next time.
I got my way of thinking from the professionals who critiqued my work also. I took a portfolio of matted 11x14 zone system prints on interviews. 10 different studios looked at them made very few comments and offered no job. I took them to Monte Zucker, who had advertised in the paper for an apprentice/assistant. He took the time to critique each one in detail with a set of cropping guides. Some he turned upside down and spun around so I could better understand what in terms of tone and contrast was the main attraction in the photo. He did that with every one. On the way home I stopped at a store and bought a mat knife and some mat board. I made a set of L shaped crop guides like he had used and tried to remember all his advice. Then hesitating for what seemed like an hour over the prints I had no way of replacing I made the first cut. By the time I was done there was mat board and print paper all over the floor and my portfolio was much smaller and lighter and far better thanks to the editing of the extraneous distractions.
I called Monte and told him what I'd done, he invited me back for a look and he hired me. He hired me not because the photos where that great, but because I demonstrated he wouldn't be wasting his time training me. But to my credit, since you don't give me any this one in my portfolio did win top honors and Most Creative award the State PPofA competition the next year, judged by the guest speaker Jay Maisel, who obviously liked it he handed me the award but also gave me some constructive suggestions how it could be improved..
http://super.nova.org/TP/BLKPwr.jpg
I learned in two years what it took to be a success in the business from someone who was a success in the business. That's just as valid a way to learn to make a living running a business as going to an art school. Most of the photograph stuff I already knew, it was the insights into sales, marketing and dealing with people which were the most valuable and lasting lessons for me. Monte in addition to shooting weddings taught other pros his style, which given the size of is classes and the amount the students paid seemed to be valid technique to me. I try to simplify concepts and teach in large part because he was a role model. Writing also. He wrote a monthly column in the PPofA magazine. My first every published article was in the same magazine in 1975, about my apprenticeship experience. I have no doubt had I worked for Adams, Ritts or some other famous photographer I would have been influenced by their teaching also, but feel fortunate for the tutelage I received, getting paid while doing. That's was even better than the free advice I dispense 
I have little doubt these lessons I learned were different from yours and others here, which is why our approaches to giving advice differs. But each is as valid as the next because each works for us. I give the reader credit for the curiosity to try all advice given and see what works for them without the need for third party editorials where your advice is predicated on the fact someone else's approach is misguided.
I view taking a photo more as an interesting problem to solve with the goal being to create a desired reaction. The creative part for me is solving the problem. That's why work was so much fun and rewarding all I did most days is solve problems. The problem I saw in this shot was an OOF spider lost in too much negative space. I prefaced my remarks with "Part of the visual impact of bug shots is seeing them larger than life. " and my advice was based on that premise.
Your take on the same photo was "The use of negative space helped convey to me how small this little guy is." I shared that view about macro bug shots my advice would probably be similar to yours.
What we have in common is that we both liked the negative space, you because it was a big space making a bug look small a normal point of view and I because the colors were very unusual which I felt added a creative and artistic element not seem in most bug shots.
Big scary, colorful, creative, heading steeply into the depths worked for me in this one YMMV.
As for refining vison, that's exactly what I thought I was doing when suggest that the OP look beyond what the camera captures to pre-visualize what the final result, after editing can be. The only manipulation I did was cropping and rotating and a bit of sharpening to replace what the AA filter had mangled.
As for spiders in the yard.... I'll show you mine your if you show me yours....
http://super.nova.org/TP/InsectSpider.jpg
http://super.nova.org/TP/InsectFly.jpg
http://super.nova.org/TP/InsectMantis.jpg
http://super.nova.org/TP/InsectWasp.jpg
... oh yeah, I forgot you don't display your work... to pure and artistic to survive the light of day I guess. Too bad, given that its a visual medium its easier to learn from examples.
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