Creating Depth
A photograph is a 2-dimensional representation of a 3-dimensional world. For this reason we need to create the depth required to prevent our images appearing ‘flat’. We do this in a number of ways, one is by having a foreground, middle and background to our image which will engage the viewer and pull them through the image in stages, providing scale and reference points to trick the brain into seeing depth that doesn't actually exist.
The image below shows use of the technique with a breakdown of the regions demonstrated. The red area shows the foreground, the yellow the middle ground and the green is the background
The image below shows use of the technique with a breakdown of the regions demonstrated. The red area shows the foreground, the yellow the middle ground and the green is the background
You can also shoot right through your foreground object to pull the viewer into the shot as they lean in to see what’s behind your foreground. Below the shot of Glacier National Park pulls you through the foreground trees to the middle ground hills which lead us on to the mountains and sky in the background.
Perspective is another great way to bring depth to your images, it is similar to, but not the same as, leading lines. This shot of the town square in Clinton, Missouri leads you from right to left all along the image implying depth as you move through the shot.
Perspective is also used to bring in a vanishing point into the image, pulling the viewer in from all sides and again providing depth, as seen in this shot of a stormy spring day in Nashville Tennessee.
Below is a gallery showing few more captioned examples of bringing depth to an image using various methods to achieve the same effect, the creation of depth.