We are most of us used to thinking that the subject of a picture has got to be sharp. It is the subject after all. That’s how we know it’s not a mere foreground or a light spot.

But not always. In a dreamy setting the subject can be in the background and it is only indicated as being there, perhaps also helped a little by the composition. And it holds the image together. Here’s an example:

This subject happens to be a window to the dream world. Magnolia petals? mere distractors! )) [50mm F/1.4 at 1/4000]