Subjects in the background and foreground of a photograph can act as framing elements for each other.

Introduction

In some situations, a photographer will exercise a great deal of ingenuity to create engaging pictures by using more than one key element in framing the photograph.

In this picture, the cowboy hat and lasso framed by the window in the foreground are the main subjects of the photograph.

Adding the additional framed silhouette of a cowboy in the background brought even more depth to the picture.

Cowboy and his Hat (Idaho, US)

The two main elements in this picture are the door in the foreground and the cowboy in the background.

We kept the details and texture of the old doorframe in the foreground in focus, and then maintained a correct exposure to allow the second door in the background to be framed by shadow. The result is that the viewer is drawn from the very front of the old building to the cowboy in the background.

Cowboy through the Doorway (Idaho, US)

In this picture, the monk in the foreground is equally as important as the distant spires of Angkor Wat in the background. As there was less natural light where the monk was sitting, a fill-flash was used to add light to the monk in the foreground and achieve the ultimate goal of getting a good exposure for both subjects.

Fill flash adds some light to the dark area of your subject. In this image, we dial minus 1 on our flash unit. You can find details of setting fill flash in your camera manual.

Monk at Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

In this picture, the door and the cushion in the foreground act as a frame to the monk and the people praying inside the temple.

The technique of foreground framing can be used to focus the viewer’s attention on the main subject of a picture.

Monk Praying (China)

Conclusion

Employing creativity when choosing shooting locations can result in appealing pictures that contain multiple elements. Be careful to use lighting to reflect the relative importance of your subjects.