Rick from NY Loc: Sarasota FL

All the knee jerk comments about loading exif data, focus point etc really isn’t necessary in this case. Several people above have easily described the problem. He shot it at f5.6. Of course the depth of field is too shallow. And the suggestion to shoot at 200mm is a good tip.

Rather than trying to teach an obvious newbie the fundamentals of photography in this forum, I would recommend that the OP just grab any photography 101 book and go to the chapter about depth of field. There are dozens of books (or YouTube videos) written by folks who are far better teachers than I am. And if he finds a video, the explanation may be more easy to visualize.

Many questions on this forum require exif data etc to get a good answer. This question isn’t one of them. In the zeal to demonstrate our unparalleled photography knowledge on every topic, (or to just build up one’s staggering number of posts, or both), let’s not overthink the questions.

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

I don't think the leaf is really closer, it is under the flower.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

You might also try focus stacking to get sharpness front to back.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

As others have said, use a smaller aperture to get more depth of field. But if you can't get enough to have the whole plant in focus and don't want to bother with focus stacking, you are much better off getting the closest part of the plant in focus and leave the further parts less sharp.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

It is a depth of field issue plain and simple. "the leaf in front" looks like it's in front because of perception (it is in focus, after all); I bet that it actually on the same plane as the in focus flowers "in the back." I could be wrong, but I've run into the same situation in the past.

If you want it all in focus, decrease your aperture (and make the necessary adjustments to the exposure triangle).

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

Is it possible that you exceeded the minimum close focusing distance of the lens? I've gotten similar results when I got too close to the subject. Some telephotos need to be a couple of feet away!

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

There is no way to "get it all in focus" as some are suggesting, without focus bracketing and "stacking" a series of images. A relatively wide aperture could be used for creative purposes, too, so it is not correct that the problem with the image is merely depth of field which is then to be solved by using a smaller aperture. Here is an example posted today. A smaller aperture will necessitate a slower shutter speed, and that means higher risk of motion blur from the slightest breeze. (It does look as though you may have used flash, which would freeze motion from the wind.) Consciously choosing the part of the flower head that you want to be in sharpest focus and then focusing manually is the solution to the problem.

Larryshuman

The only way to get the whole image in focus is to use the photo stacking technique. You can google it to get familiar with it.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Or, search here at UHH.

Alphabravo2020

That was my thought as well. I can't think of how the physics would allow the front and rear to be in focus but the middle not. Unless if there was an obstruction in the field of view.