daaaaaammmmmnnnn! Way to start this contest! Well done author, I hope we see some other GREAT images like this...

They are my favorite thing to photograph but unfortunately the cold (and I'm talking about like 50-60 degree weather) makes them all go away

Holy cow....nice shot

Perfectly done! Don't think I'll bother with this contest...you win!

Sherri! There are many types of ways to get a macro of a bug. Google it and see what kind make the cut. The artistic nature and ways they can be shot is like 1000000000 ways. Trust me! I know you can do it!

Dang it Author!!! I thought i had a good one. You could have waited a day or so to drop the hammer.
Wonderful shot

TY Everyone! That means a lot to me since macro is my most favoritest thing in the whole wide world to shoot!

Wow!!!

Wow...look at those bug eyes!!!! Amazingly Great shot.

Reckon I know who this is, you dragonfly fanatic!

This is a gorgeous shot and will be hard to top.

Daaaaaaaaam....

I'm just going to put my macro lens away now...

I seriously need to pick your brain. Well done and definitely my favorite.... so far

btw, you all HAVE to look at the eyes in high res before you vote. Sharp as a tack!

And I thought I was good at shooting bugs............. how we s'posed to top this, it is simply awesome.

Excellent macro =)

This right here wow, just simply amazing good thing I don't compete in the macro area yet. haha this photo would have me beat for years.

Great shot and detail! can you share the type of macro lens you use?

TY again for all the nice compliments
For my lens... I use a 100mm macro lens (thanks to my mommy) and I usually have to us a high ISO so that I can have a faster shutter cause when I'm focusing that close on something my hands are kinda shakey (and not from the beer hehehe) and I don't like to use the tripod cause you can't really see if you are still in the right spot but I then just run the shot through a grain reducer thingy and it's all good
There are a couple of different settings I use.... if they are in the shade then I use a HIGH ISO and LOW f-Stop with Fast shutter speed
If they are in the light I use a LOW ISO, around a 9-10 f-stop with flash so I can have a slower shutter and not worry about the shakey of my hand.
I think I got this right but for some reason FLICKR doesn't have my stats on each of the pictures I have. Not sure why but this is what I remember from this summer.
OH YEA... and since my area of fucus is always so small cause I get so close to my subjects I make sure that the part I want to show the most is in the main focus. I used to forget that fact and just wait for the focus BEEP and shoot. Now I pay more attn to WHAT is beeping in focus.
And one more thing... the sun or the flash is what adds that little circle of light on the eye (duh) and you obviously can change position to take it out but in comparing the ones that I have that don't have it... I really like it better in the picture. Gives it a little extra kick IMO.

Author, might you like to write a little tutorial on macro bug shooting?

I would love to! Never done it before but I do training manuals for work so i suppose it's the same concept... just I think I know more about work than photography but I'll do my best! TY for asking!!! Made my day!!!

Wow ... that's amazing.

I don't care what camera and stuff itsmymoment has, I want the same camera and stuff you have author!

my first fav in the photocontests!

awwww ty Rob!!! Here's the link to my camera. hehehe

http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductImagesView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=14643666

I love the flowers on it, is there a blue version too? It will make the wife happy

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=blue+kids+digital+camera&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=ivs&resnum=3&wrapid=tlif12914357242031&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=9578895289928790636&ei=1r75TJ_UEoSclgfNqYyYBw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CF0Q8wIwAQ#

There ya go! That should make her happy!

incredible!

wonderful

Just a few days into the contest and I have just voted and commented on every entry, what else would I do when i'm meant to be revising... Anyway I finally get to the bottom of the page to the very first entry and its also the very best entry so far!!

Well done author, well done.

Have a cookie...

I have nothing to say, I only have to VOTE.

Well you did it, this is definitely a winner, congrats = )

If you would like help help in putting together a tut, let me know. I WANT to learn this photography.

BTW congrats in advance.

Absolutely stunning, please do make the tut, lots of us would love to learn about this type of photography

TY EVERYONE for such nice comments and encouragement!
Madamemonty... I have my notes put together and will be working on it this week so hopefully I will have something for ya'll by Friday AGAIN TY FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL COMMENTS

Congrats on your win Amanda, it really is an awesome shot

TY VERY MUCH!!! YOU have no idea how much that means to me. It was a good day!!! Jags won and I got more than I could ever expect from the results! TY EVERYONE! !))

Congrats for your more than deserved win! And it's even place 5 in the top 50 of photography entries!

Congrats! Great job and would love to see more of those in the future!

awesome photo !

Congrats!!!! This is a fantastic shot, 1st place well deseved!!!

This one could have taken 1st, 2nd and 3rd in my opinion ... great photo! Bravo and congrats!

Congratulations! Amazing shot! How did you convince the bug to pose for you? When I want to take a photo of something with wings I usually end up chasing it stupidly up and down.

Some great detail there, I can almost make out who the author is in high-res thanks to thos big reflective eyes

Awesome entry, author! GL!

AAAAA run

Really nice shot.... fantastic detail.

wow!

The detail is just great, the fangs are an amasing colour. You can almost make out the camera in the eyes too. I wouldn't get that close unless it was a variety I knew for sure could 'jump'

Having hundreds of miles of backpacking experience and one particular trip where every 10-15 feet I was shaking off a horned spider and web (or spitting out) these little buggers don't,,,,bug me any more. No pun intended.

Thank you for the comments guys!

OMG, he had all his 4 eyes on you. I wonder how does his brain compound the image.

I don't even understand what creature this is but it's really remarkable!!!

Congrats for your second place, great shot!

great shot !

Congratulations ... this is a stunning photo!

Lovely image! Congratulations!

wonderful shot, great detail

Thank you. This was day 2 of "I am going to get a dragonfly shot if it kills me" and this little lady final sat still long enough. I think I wore her out!

Great shot & detail

I love to shoot mosquito hawks! They're pretty cool, and don't bite (humans anyway)

Beautiful shot

Congrats for your third place!

Thank you all so much!!!

Congratulations!

great shot

This should have a 'Like' button.

Nice Shot

well done

Curious does seem to be fitting here, funny the emotions we give to animals.

Amazing shot, gotta get one of those lenses!

Nice close up, good resolution. Almost looks like some kind of alien in a sci-fi flick

Absolutely amazing!!! Very much like an alien!

Gee, i can almost see the cells in it's eye.

wow, wow, WOW!!!!!

Oh course! Why am I not surprised. GL! (like you need it)