Compositional Layers

In July's article I discussed the Rule of Thirds.  There's another technique in landscape photography called compositional layers.  Well, that's what I've been calling it anyway!  A lot of times when I'm looking through the view finder or on the image preview on my digital camera, I'm looking for how the image stacks up in layers.    

Here's an example of how an image from a previous post stacks up in three layers.  The first layer is in the foreground and it's in sharp focus.  In the November 2009 article about aperture we learned about how the lens aperture affect areas of focus.

 The second layer is somewhat in focus, but not as sharp as the foreground layer.

The background layer is blurry and represents the furthest area of the image away from your point of view.

In summary, a typical landscape photograph can be divided in two or more layers created by the landscape's placement from your point of view to the horizon.  This can be a very useful compositional tool as shown by the images below.

The eye is drawn into the image from the bottom to top as the viewer first sees the houses and then the middle ground trees and then Mt Si in the background.  Mt Si is slightly blurry whereas the houses are in sharp focus.

Here's another example.

Here are photos with links to the original on Flickr.  

Here are some other images that are arranged in layers.

I really enjoy finding just the right angle and the location to arrange the photo into these layers of foreground, midground and background.  

Give it a try next time you're out taking photos of our beautiful Snoqualmie Valley.