Foreground vs Background

I discovered a long time ago if you place something in the foreground of your photograph to frame the subject, it will give more depth to the scene and really enhance the total image.

Not only wil it provide a nicer image, it will also help to “frame” the scene as well. When shooting outdoor scenes, try to get a tree or part of a tree..or something up close in the foreground which really makes the scene come alive.

The closer you get to the object in the foreground, the greater the impact it will have on your photograph. These days with almost all comeras having a zoom lens, you can move your zoom to frame the scene just the way you want it to be.

One of the problems you will run into, is the closer you are to the subject in the foreground, your automatic focusing lens will throw the foreground out of focus if you focuse on the background. There are ways to to work around this that I will discuss in another blog.

But right now, take a look at many of my photographs and you will see that I have used a foreground object to frame the scene.

The photos with this blog include “Alleyway in The French Quarter,” in New Orleans. The dark sides of the alley lead your eyes to the figure sitting on the fountain with the mural in the background. The figure is actually a statue and part of whole fountain.

With “Dusk on The Levee” the light in the foreground on the right helps your eye move to the excursion boat tied up the wharf on the Mississippi River at New Orleans and provides a greater depth to the scene.