There are plenty of ways in which video and photography technique overlap. One of my favorite ways to increase interest is to add things in the foreground, and with video, this can really add a lot of motion to the scene via a parallax type effect, while for photography, it can add depth.
The video technique known as dirtying the frame applies perfectly to photos. I prefer to add dimension to my photos with depth of field and whenever possible, adding something in the foreground is an excellent way to make a photo, which is obviously a two-dimensional, and make it appear more three-dimensional. It can also give the viewer the impression of looking in on a scene, which can lend a great amount of realism to what may otherwise be pretty plain.
Of course, it can apply to any type of photo: I use it for my car work a lot as well. It helps if the foreground element makes sense; in this case, a welder in an automotive restoration shop of course makes sense. I added a slight kicker light to the acetylene tank to make it pop off the background and help that added depth.
Have great examples of using foreground elements? I'd love to see them in the comments.