Remember when Orson Welles showed the world the possibilities of deep focus with Citizen Kane?
Using depth of field, Welles and his cinematographer were able to capture an immense amount of detail, and highlight important props, actions, and characters which were in the background of a particular shot. It was amazing, and it changed cinema forever.
There's depth of field in writing, too. An author needs to pick a focus for each scene, a goal. And then the author can play with the lens, bringing certain items in the background into sharper focus, to help underline and achieve the main goal happening in the foreground.
But an author must also take care to be sure that the detail, the little items in the background, don't overwhelm the scene. Orson Welles didn't film in just any cluttered room he could find -- he constructed a set, an it was someone's job to choose each item of furniture, every prop, every painting on the wall. The set dresser worked to underscore the scene, not take it over.
When you're writing a scene about two people out on a blind date, don't let the waiter take over. And if he does, maybe his is the story you ought to be writing ...
(Clip from one of my personal favorite tv shows, Home Movies. I HIGHLY recommend it.)
