Focus - foreground or ...

[SmartWombat]

I've wondered about using focus as a way to pull attention into the image.
But I'm not sure these two can be compared, because the birds and I moved.
I don't think it worked in this case ...
What do you think, can it work?

[mtbbrian]

Foreground all the way SW!
With the focus on the birds in the back, the others become too distracting.
All that white is just too much.
Brian

[Clicker]

Agree with foreground in focus.
Some shapes out of focus in the foreground work for me.......just depends on the subject/photo.

[wposloski]

I think in both photos you focused on the wrong subject. I like the top one more. It makes me wonder where the path is leading to.
Bill

[Pippi]

Hi - just my opinion but... It distracts me to have the first bird in the foreground out of focus but I do like the composition of the first pic better - so if that pic had the bird in focus it would be perfect But then again I like how the birds make a line in the second pic :/ If we could only tell those animals where to stay and how to be ;) How about just cropping that bird out in the second pic - or maybe that is to normal, just a thought!

[gahspidy]

Dof carries farther into the bg beyond the focused point than in front of it. Focusing on the first bird with a smaller aperture would bring them all . I like the first picture frame up and perspective more as it is looking straight down the road and length of the fence, but having the first bird in focus would have made that image a good one.

[bobbythebandit]

I agree with all comments here.
Bobby

[SmartWombat]

Well thanks to everyone, there's a consensus.
I didn't think it worked in this case either. But I wanted other opinions. I've been wrong before !!

Next time I'll take the tripod, Gary. Then I can stop down more. I want to use 64 ISO on the A2 because of the quality, and if I wait for the evening light I'll need a longish exposure. Then all I need is for them to stay still.

I'm going to try these guys again, they always line up on the rail of the bridge.
Sometimes on both sides, so if I can get a quiet time with no kids throwing bread to them, I might get two rows of birds for the price of one.

Probably some more of that path since you like it, Bill.
I don't think it will be so interesting when you know where it goes; so I won't show you, just tease you a bit more

[Young Shooter]

well from my experience and what i know, you always forcus on what ever subject sticks out more, if u focuse on something in the background, and the foreground is blurry it will look wierd and distracting, but it the object is farther away and more closer to the bg its not so bad, u would have to see example i have with that