Nikon 7900 image. I had a few great weeks of finding Ladybugs late this summer. Once again, the Golden Rod was a major area of bug activity. I got lots of Ladybug pics lol, There will be more as the winter sets in. For those interested, I decided to give a few basic details about my camera and how I use it to take my bug shots. My Nikon 7900 is a 7.1 MegaPixel digital - point and shoot - camera with a focal length of 7.8 - 23.4mm and an f stop range of 2.8 - 4.9. I am thrilled with its macro mode. It also has a 3x zoom, but that is useless, lol. I use a 1 GB memory card that can hold 290ea 3072x2304 pics at (Fine) Image Quality option. I do carry a spare battery because (depending on shooting options) one charge will only handle about 200 shots. Almost all my critter shots are taken using the 'Macro' mode setting and at a distance of less than 1 foot (usually 4 inches). I rarely use a tripod but I always carry a walking stick and often use it as a vertical stabilizer. I hold it in my left hand that is also holding whatever 'perch' the bug is on. I angle the stick downwards and while holding the camera in my right hand I extend that pinky downward and rest it on the angled stick. That way the distance and relative position between camera and subject remains constant even if I sway a bit. Usually, the camera is at arms length from my head, so focus is always an issue. With this camera, manual focusing is mostly a matter of adjusting the physical distance between the camera and the subject (often a matter of fractions of an inch); not an easy task while trying to see detail on the tiny LCD screen from 30 inches away and having to wait 4 or 5 seconds between shots till the camera says it is ok to shoot again, lol. Bugs don't like to sit still for 4 or 5 seconds it seems. It is a wonder that any of my shots are in focus or frame for that matter. What success I do have is almost always a direct result of taking dozens of shots of each capture and trying to find one shot that was taken at the magic spot and time. If I get 1 in 10 decently focused, I am lucky. I realize that some of my postings are not always tack sharp but if I only posted perfect shots, my gallery would be very small indeed, lol. It is my hope that the unusual subject matter of my images helps offset the lack of skill the photographer is struggling to overcome, lol. I also want to mention that although I post many images of bugs and spiders and such on my fingers, I do not want anyone else to do the same without knowing that some small (even cute) critters bite, or sting. It is a very good idea to look first, research next, then decide if you feel it is a good idea to handle it or not. Believe it or not, I rarely pick up a bug. I almost always just put a finger up close to them and let them climb on if they want to. Once they do, I may twist and turn my hand to attempt to get a good angle but I don't restrain them. That way they don't react defensivly and cause me to have any regrets regarding the encounter. I have never been biten (at least not hard, lol) or stung by any bug I treated that way while observing or photographing them but since I am considered somewhat "buggy" by many people, maybe there is just a kinship with my subjects and me that is the reason for such good fortune. Lee