Notes on Fog, Distance, and Editing Restraint

Fog can flatten weak compositions quickly. It removes clutter, but it also removes easy depth cues. That means every frame has to earn its place through shape and rhythm.

For this coastal sequence, I made one rule before editing: no hero image at the start. Opening with a quieter frame made the series easier to read because it established pace.

Editing pass structure

1. Build a broad selection based on emotional consistency.
2. Remove near-duplicates aggressively.
3. Sequence by tonal transitions, not chronology.

I usually print contact-sized proofs for this step. Screen curation favors sharpness and saturation; print curation favors balance.

What changed the final cut

The final sequence became stronger when I reduced it by almost a third. The missing images were good on their own, but they repeated information. The remaining frames had more room to breathe.