Controlling the Far Distance in
Photography
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As foreground-dominated pictures
emphasize specific aspects of landscape; background-dominated pictures
can highlight distant elements of a scene. For example, to create an
image that simply conveys the idea of the sea; you might start by
composing a picture of a wind-tossed seascape, cropping out cliffs in
the foreground and coastline in the middle distance. The shot could
have equal relevance to viewers familiar with any one of the Seven
Seas.
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Images that are composed exclusively of
background, though, are unusual. They are mainly pictures of sunsets in
which forms are silhouetted against the sky. Most often, though, the
background plays a supporting part, and the principal subject falls in
one of the other image planes. If you're focusing - either literally or
metaphorically - on the foreground then the background provides a
canvas on which to paint your view of the landscape. Remember that in
these instances, the background need not be a specific landscape
feature: often you'll wish to use the sky as a background.
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If you choose to close in on the
background at the expense of other subject planes, you'll find a
telephoto lens a valuable aid. The narrow field of view of these lenses
helps to isolate the most interesting sections, compressing the various
planes together into a tight composition.
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