How to make photos feel deep and interesting?

Photography represents a three-dimensional world in two dimensions. Our photography goal is to create the illusion that the audience is immersed in the same three-dimensional world. There are many ways to realize this method. This article will introduce some of them.

Object composition

In the previous content, we discussed the use of the photographic object as the visual point of photography, one of which is the use of the framing direction. Taking one of the photos and composing from the perspective of others, there is not much that can be used to improve the quality of composition in architectural photography.

However, the exposure difference between the foreground and the background can give the image a sense of depth. The 23mm XF lens with f/2 aperture will narrow the distance between the gate and the building and enhance the illusion. By using a wide-angle lens (about 35mm on the Quan Huafu sensor) and excellent framing, we try to create a feeling that the people in the passage and foreground are much bigger than the Taj Mahal. In fact, it is much higher than these walls and onlookers, but they are close to the camera, which changes the perspective and helps to create greater effects.

Illuminate a specific part

As I said, the second factor about the above picture is the exposure difference between the Taj Mahal and the foreground elements. You can also create the illusion of depth by illuminating one part of the frame brighter than another. Our brains regard the difference of light as the difference of distance, which enables us to use it.

Although there are several contents in the picture below, including the difference between visual guidance and depth of field, one of the main factors giving it volume is the way the light falls. A man sat in the foreground, completely illuminated by the sunlight passing through the houses. At the same time, other buildings and streets are hidden in the shadows, and the second person becomes a silhouette because of the background light. Our brains can distinguish distances and divide the scene into several layers. By paying attention to the difference of illumination, the object can be placed in different light, which can effectively create a sense of depth.

Illumination direction

Light and shadow play a great role in determining the depth of the viewer, which is also confirmed by the above example. An object full of light from the front may look flat (unless the depth is caused by other reasons), but it can be corrected by illuminating it from different positions (this is not necessarily artificial light). Side and back lighting is very helpful to create a three-dimensional effect.

Increase the sense of space

Another good way to add a sense of space to photos is to put something between the camera and the subject. As we have seen from the above, pre-elements can be used to effectively compose objects. You can use everything from leaves to prisms. Try to play the depth of field by adjusting the appearance of these elements. As a result, not only a great depth can be obtained, but also unnecessary parts of the image can be covered.

As can be seen from the following example, the existence of bamboo branches makes the photo uneven. In this case, by placing elements in the foreground and allowing them to defocus, we provide the audience with hints about the depth of the shooting scene. If you think the picture looks ordinary, please try to put something between the camera and the subject to create a sense of space.

Try depth of field

Depth of field not only helps to highlight the subject from the background, but also can be used to change the feeling of the picture. By focusing on some things and blurring others, the "visual weight" can be changed. This makes it possible to highlight something and improve the distance ratio, especially when blur and size change occur at the same time.

In this photo, only one person becomes the focus, which immediately distinguishes him from others. In addition, fuzzy shapes have different sizes, so we can get visual clues about the distance to them.

Use a wide-angle lens

The way the depth is displayed on the image largely determines the lens you choose. Because objects close to the camera look bigger, wide-angle lenses are very suitable for displaying objects from a close angle. Or conversely, it can create an exaggerated sense of depth. Street photographers often talk about the special feeling of shooting with a 28mm or 35mm lens, as if it brought you closer to the subject. The wider the angle, the stronger the effect.

In this example, the ocean separates the rocky coast from the city. But at the same time, these stones look much bigger than the city. This is because they are closer to the camera. A similar effect can be achieved by shooting with a wide-angle lens (XF 10-24mm f/4 in general). Trying different focal lengths and their effects on the display of objects in the picture is another way to get an interesting sense of volume.

abstract

This paper introduces several methods to create visual depth of field.