Thanks so much Jeroen for your input!!!! Wow, you've given me so much more to think about! ok, so going over top of them scares them? That's how i've been shooting because they're at my waist-level. Ok, here's what i'm gonna need to do. I'm gonna look like a fool, but i don't give a damn. i take these pics at the zoo. every single time i go there, there are TONS of bees on the lavendar and other flowers. EVERY TIME! i never get a good shot. first, i'll need to buy some of those knee pads. dunno what they're called but they're for people who work in the garden. you strap them on and they give you padding. i'll get down on the concrete and see if i can get some of the bees lower down. i'll just wait in a position...watch. Guess i can do this with any of the flowers. slow...no, i've been moving WAY too fast...following them. i'm not moving slow enough. ok, i'll try to slow down, wait, be more patient, and move horizontally. i would rather use my LCD; it's how i'm used to shooting. casting shadows...i've been doing that too! oh boy. don't go out shooting in my short??? Jeroen, it was 100 degrees last week!! and Kentucky is HUMID!!! the sweat was LITERALLY dripping off me and Kemal!!! it was hard to take pics how much we were sweating! LOL! ok, ok, i'll put on some jeans...anything to get my bee! and you're right...when you just sit in nature, they WILL come to you!!! i usually don't go out with the idea of shooting bees and insects. But when i go to the zoo i always wanna try because i always know exactly where they'll be. and when we go hiking or walking, we always look for insects. my niece Jessie was always finding them...i'll show a few pics in a new thread in a minute. maybe you guys can tell me what i'm doing wrong. anyway, thanks so much for the tips, Jeroen!!!!!! I'll give it a whirl! oh...no big deal about spelling mistakes!!!! :) and thanks Joe for that tip about the flaring!