Bee and Buttonbush

[sailronin]

Nikon D700 w/ Sigma 150-500 zoom

[William Walker]

Hey Dave

It would seem that no-one wants to say anything here, so let me jump in.

To be honest, I'm not crazy about the picture and I'lll tell you why...

Firstly, the out of focus background is a distraction, it is not "out-of-focus" enough for me.

The dead flower at bottom centre does not help the picture and the bee seems to be "lost" somewhat. I am not sure what you are emphasizing.

I hope a few of the others chip in here - for better or for worse.

Keep in mind this is only one opinion 
William

[Riaan van Wyk]

snip...I am not sure what you are emphasizing....snip

There seems to be too much in the frame here Dave. It needs to be tighter with the flowers filling the frame more. Don't know if your lens used here will go closer to the subject- maybe think of a set of tubes?

[Rob C]

As an allegory on life and death, it hits a target, though possibly not quite the one intended. I see the menace of the sting of the bee, hidden within the beauty; the inescapable attraction of the bloom for that menace and the death that lies at the end of it all. It also has echoes of exploding worlds, the ultimate ending of everything we know. That's when real faith in an afterlife begins; for me it began with the death of my wife, so the ending of an entire solar system doesn't much count for a hill of beans.

Rob C

[Riaan van Wyk]

Rob, "life and death" has a live show everyday, almost every minute, in and on every square metre of soil on the planet. One of the fascinating things ( for me) with close up insect photography is that you start to notice miniscule things, like the mites and lice that live on the subjects. Not that it really matters in the greater scheme of things I guess, all considered.

On a side note Dave, I was wondering if this is not one of the Pollen Wasps ( Masaridae family) rather than a bee perhaps? 

[Rob C]

Rob, "life and death" has a live show everyday, almost every minute, in and on every square metre of soil on the planet. One of the fascinating things ( for me) with close up insect photography is that you start to notice miniscule things, like the mites and lice that live on the subjects. Not that it really matters in the greater scheme of things I guess, all considered.On a side note Dave, I was wondering if this is not one of the Pollen Wasps ( Masaridae family) rather than a bee perhaps? 

You're too young to get into that state of mind; don't forget that a huge part of the "life and death" show is the life bit... after that - nobody knows but maybe everybody feels.

Rob C

[sailronin]

The life and death, pollination new life and dead flower for the end did come to mind...or just the shapes were interesting with the unusual flowers.

Here's a cropped version.

[EduPerez]

This photograph reminds me of one I took some time ago; you may have a look here to see the results of the post-processing.

[sdwilsonsct]

On a side note Dave, I was wondering if this is not one of the Pollen Wasps ( Masaridae family) rather than a bee perhaps? 

Looks like a Syrphid fly to me.

I like the second version better.

Scott

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

The cropped version is much better.
Well done.

[Rob C]

The cropped version is much better.
Well done.

Thirds do it every time!

Rob C