BillFeffer Loc: Adolphus, KY

#1 #2 or #3 Thank you all in advance for taking the time.

D750 Nikkor 24-120 f4
120mm f5.6 1/350 ISO 100
RAW processed in LR 6.14

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RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

#3 because it focuses more on the bug.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

All good, but Richard is correct.

Jim-Pops Loc: Granbury, Texas

You will get many different likes. It will always be up to an individual's preference by the overall look or maybe the way they shoot their photos. My choice among the 3 choices would be no 2. I like it because the flower and the bee is in the center of attraction and your green foliage is creating a vignette of sorts. Your picture had good color and your subject stood out because of proper bokeh.
I took your picture and opened in Photoshop and checked your settings, f/5.6, ISO 100, and 1350 shutter speed. All that looked good but I still thought the bee was a bit fuzzy. I checked focus point and it was good. So I think it might have been a bit breezy or the bee was moving or you moved a bit when taking the picture. I used sharpen with shake control and it did improve your sharpness for the bee.

SalvageDiver Loc: Huntington Beach CA

If these were my choices, then #3, since it better highlights the insect on the flowers. However, I would prefer to see something in between #2 and #3. For me, the subject is clearly the insect, with the flowers adding context. You can highlight/zoom in on the insect like in #3, but you don't need as many flowers as in #2.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Yes, #3.

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

Good composition is important, as is your intent--and them working together. As I see it, there are plenty of bug close ups around. Only #1 is a bit unique, AND it has a wonderful circular composition, leading your eye through the somewhat hazy "feel" of the area, over to the bee, down the flowers on the right, and, voila!, the viewer is starting over. Sharpening the bee a bit (although the shot has no need to be an entomology illustration) and saturating the colors just a bit, and it becomes wall worthy.

BillFeffer Loc: Adolphus, KY

Thanks all. artBob you pretty much saw what I was thinking. As to saturation. I think you are correct. I am overly sensitive to too much even though that seems to be the norm today in some circles.

huntmj

no 3 for me