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Michael Blyth - Photography

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Simple Photography Tips for you - Using the foreground to improve your photograph

  • Writer: Michael Blyth
    Michael Blyth
  • Mar 19
  • 2 min read

Five simple photography tips on how to get better balanced photographs with your phone camera or camera


  • Look for ways to balance the picture
  • Make use of the foreground.
  • Experiment with the foreground, middle ground and background
  • Remember the intersecting thirds (Rule of thirds)
  • Maybe crouch a little, or stand very tall.


Salisbury cathedral, bare branches frame the scene under a cloudy sky.
Frontispiece - Salisbury Cathedral


So I'm blessed to live within quite close range of one of the most stunning buildings in the whole wide world - Salisbury Cathedral, and many Saturdays we park on the edge of town, and walk across the ancient water meadows (Link to the charity?) on what is known as The Town Path. The photo's below show the view.


As is often the case, I took the images to illustrate a point and perhaps help you. Many days are sunny and stunning, others you are stuck, perhaps on a tour, or business trip, with what comes.


Here are some simple photography tips that may help you in your photo-taking.

Weathered wooden fence in foreground, lush green field with sheep; distant church with tall spire under a cloudy sky. Text: Michael Blyth Photography.
Image One - Salisbury Cathedral from The Town Path

So the cathedral is visible, but is in the background, then there are the water meadows - aka green splodge.. You could actually take a landscape image, especially is there was spring/summer grass and flowers, but in gthe winter it's a bit of a green waste.


In the first image I've placed the fence in the foreground, with the post on one of the intersecting thirds, But if you look, I've put the spire right in the middle at the top. This means that the angle of the fence leads the eye out of the picture, and the spire sits somewhat uncomfortably.



Corner of a wooden fence in a green field with a large cathedral spire in the background under cloudy skies. Trees and buildings line the horizon. Photograph is used to illustrate the importance of balance in a good photograph
Image Two - Salisbury Cathedral from The Town Path

If you now look at image two, not only have i slipped the spire to the left of centre, almost to one of the thirds, but I've moved slightly so that we're using a fence corner, which is not only more interesting visually, but all importantly directs your eye towards the main subject - the Cathedral. The little intrusion of branches, I feel is good, but could be better.



Corner of a wooden fence in a green field with a large cathedral spire in the background under cloudy skies. Trees and buildings line the horizon. Tree in top corner frames the image. Photograph is used to illustrate the importance of balance in a good photograph
Image Three - Salisbury Cathedral from The Town Path

Now let's look at Image Three. I felt that the green swarth was a tad too dominant, and the fance post maybe too chunky. Stepping back a couple of paces, zooming in just slightly, and stooping a little has brought more of the fence into view, which has shrunk the green, and dropped the cathedral into a more dominant position. The hawthorn bush that has now appeared top right, somehow adds some interest to a grey day, and frames the cathedral.


Perhaps you may want to store this away in your memory for applying in different times and places.


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