Game rules for "foreground clutter"

[RobJor]

Originally Posted by miningcamper1

Yet another!

Somewhere I learned you shouldn't have wires just hanging from nothing, would have been easy to get rid of. Generally the landscape guys like the foreground in focus but I guess that is a judgement.

Bob

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by RobJor

Somewhere I learned you shouldn't have wires just hanging from nothing, would have been easy to get rid of. Generally the landscape guys like the foreground in focus but I guess that is a judgement.

Bob

I'd be very interested in folks' opinions on this. When you have a prominent foreground element, and the train is in the background, where do YOU put the focus point? I have tended to lean toward the foreground element and perhaps crank up the aperture, but I have been surprised to find some very good shooters (at least IMHO), who religiously go for the train.

So what say you?

[RobJor]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I'd be very interested in folks' opinions on this. When you have a prominent foreground element, and the train is in the background, where do YOU put the focus point? I have tended to lean toward the foreground element and perhaps crank up the aperture, but I have been surprised to find some very good shooters (at least IMHO), who religiously go for the train.

So what say you?

I believe when you prominently feature the foreground subject it should be in focus. The earlier steam photos with the grasses are an example and I think they do better. An exercise would be combine shots to keep everything in focus. My new camera has focus stacking but not sure it would work for such and extreme example. I get outdoor photographer and a standard shot is flowers in the foreground and mountains in the back, everything is properly exposed and in focus.

Bob

[Joseph Cermak]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I'd be very interested in folks' opinions on this. When you have a prominent foreground element, and the train is in the background, where do YOU put the focus point? I have tended to lean toward the foreground element and perhaps crank up the aperture, but I have been surprised to find some very good shooters (at least IMHO), who religiously go for the train.

So what say you?

I think either can work, but for rail subjects, you either need the foreground element to be of significant interest to be in focus and use settings so it is obvious that it was done for a reason to have something in focus and something not. Alternatively, if the foreground is something simple like these grass or flowers, I would much rather have the train (subject) in focus, at least for a site like this. Overall I think either can work, but I do not think that putting the foreground element in front of the train like the flower example works well at all. I find it very distracting.

[RobJor]

I forget which one I tried but was rejected so I moved on. Find it interesting how these can find a spot even in an unlikely environment.

My mother was immigrant kid in Brooklyn in the 20's and her favorite books later on was a "Tree Grows in Brooklyn." Never read it but the metaphor was apparent.
Bob Jordan

[bigbassloyd]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I'd be very interested in folks' opinions on this. When you have a prominent foreground element, and the train is in the background, where do YOU put the focus point? I have tended to lean toward the foreground element and perhaps crank up the aperture, but I have been surprised to find some very good shooters (at least IMHO), who religiously go for the train.

So what say you?

I attempt to make the foreground at least discernible. In the example from Alex, it's pretty decent till those yeller blobs on the right. I find them very distracting.

Loyd L.

[KevinM]

I think the key in shooting an image like that is to use a long telephoto, so the foreground is more or less in focus, and the train is sharp. Things get more difficult if the foreground (secondary) subject has text on it. There, you really want it to be sharp.

PhotoID: 712093 Photograph © Mike Wilson

WRT the images of the Strasburg sunrise, Mike Wilson's (the first one posted) is the only one I like. Yes, the foreground weeds in Mike's shot are very soft, but he took care not to obscure or block the main subject, which is appropriately sharp.

[ShortlinesUSA]

I concur. That one is well done and immediately strikes my eye in a good way. I'll echo Loyd's sentiments on the flowers in the SMVR photo.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I'd be very interested in folks' opinions on this. When you have a prominent foreground element, and the train is in the background, where do YOU put the focus point? I have tended to lean toward the foreground element and perhaps crank up the aperture, but I have been surprised to find some very good shooters (at least IMHO), who religiously go for the train.

Or they could just avoid the annoying and distracting, pointless foreground object.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by KevinM

I think the key in shooting an image like that is to use a long telephoto, so the foreground is more or less in focus, and the train is sharp. Things get more difficult if the foreground (secondary) subject has text on it. There, you really want it to be sharp.

Except for that one stem poking straight up into the steam, this one works. I would have removed that stem prior to the shot.

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by JimThias

Except for that one stem poking straight up into the steam, this one works. I would have removed that stem prior to the shot.

Jim,

You've got better eyes than me. I likely would never have seen that stem and honestly, I still hadn't seen it in Mike's frame until you pointed it out. I just don't have an eye for that stuff. In as much as I try to see the whole frame....I still miss stuff all the time.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by KevinM

Jim,

You've got better eyes than me. I likely would never have seen that stem and honestly, I still hadn't seen it in Mike's frame until you pointed it out. I just don't have an eye for that stuff. In as much as I try to see the whole frame....I still miss stuff all the time.

I would have seen it with my eyes before even pointing my camera in that direction.