This challenge is all about getting up close and personal with bugs. Unsure how to catch a bug or are you not thrilled about touching one? Think of it as a fun activity with your favorite kid to be your assistant for an afternoon. 
Special equipment really isn’t needed; just use your camera’s macro setting to make a small insect fill your frame. Use various perspectives to make your bug of choice stand out. If you’re looking for an added challenge, try to make those unwanted pests like roaches look beautiful. Feel free to submit spiders, ladybugs, bees, beetles, flies, cicadas, butterflies…you name it. An insect doesn’t need to make others squeamish to be eligible. Here’s a tip that might be helpful. Photograph your bugs in the morning or catch your bug, then put it in the fridge for a short time. Evidently bugs aren’t too active and are easier to photograph when they’re chilly. If you’re interested in more detailed information, there are numerous articles available online. Just search for “Photographing Insects” with Google.
There are also several groups who specialize in moth photography.
If you’re unsure how to photograph moths, try hanging up white sheet for a background and use a light to attract them at night. For best lighting, try using an off camera diffused light source.
Also, if you happen know the name of your bug, please include it in your caption.
Good luck!
OFFICIAL ENTRY RULES
To officially enter the Creative Challenge, you must tag your three submissions with creative-challenge-creepy-crawlies. You can then view them and everyone else’s submissions on the DISPLAY PAGE (it updates about every hour). To find out more about this, read the Using Tags on Creative Challenges post.
Submission Guidelines
1. Our editors look for sharp, clear horizontal images that are at a minimum resolution of 800×600 (submissions can have larger resolutions than this). Currently, vertical images cannot fit in the homepage template. Therefore, we cannot publish vertical or narrow panoramic images.
2. Images with added text or images, including watermarks, logos, copyright symbols, graphic borders, frames and time stamps, will not be considered for first place or being featured on the homepage big photo of the day at a later date. Collages, however, are acceptable. Images submitted should be your own.
3. Please do not submit pictures that have already been featured on the homepage.
4. The Creative Challenge runs from 12:01 a.m. on July 6th through 12:00 p.m on July 18th (all times EST).
5. 3 pictures per person (regardless of how many member accounts you have) tagged exactly (including hyphens) with: creative-challenge-creepy-crawlies *Note: Images that don’t meet the exact guidelines can be submitted and viewed for everyone to enjoy, but please understand that we cannot publish images that don’t meet minimum guidelines on the homepage.
NEXT CHALLENGE THEME: Silhouettes
