The added value of a good foreground

Sunday 12 October 2025, 15:51 by Nando Harmsen | 2,338 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

A landscape photo can quickly disappoint. It was more beautiful in real life. Adding a foreground can give the photo more content and depth. Not just any foreground. A good foreground.

Photographing a landscape is less straightforward than it seems. The photo does not always show what it was like to experience it. A photo is often too empty.

Without a foreground, the photo of this beautiful landscape is boring.
By using a foreground, that empty feeling can disappear. It adds more content and depth. In short, it shows more clearly what it was really like. But make sure you choose a good foreground.

Simply bringing a foreground into the frame is not the solution. Be critical, and make sure the foreground is also worth photographing. Do not just let some branches stick into the photo from the edge.

The foreground must also really fill the photo. A connection with the background is often very important. It should give the feeling that you are standing there.

A foreground that adds a huge amount of value and makes the photo more interesting.
So always make sure you include enough foreground, and that it genuinely adds value. Make sure it is a good foreground.

However, it is not always necessary to use a foreground. Do think carefully about the image you are creating. The example of the pond with vegetation on the horizon, for instance, can be a beautiful minimalist image.

Use symmetry with this type of photo. A panoramic crop helps with the overall look of the image. A foreground does not work here.
Use the water as a counterpoint to the sky. Use the reflection, or a slow shutter speed to smooth out the water. Then choose a symmetrical composition, with the horizon in the centre.

A panoramic crop prevents too much empty space from appearing above and below in the image. It also gives a fantastic sense of space. A foreground does not work with this type of photo.

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