You often hear me say that depth is what makes good landscape images. To create good depth we need a strong foreground, a middle-ground, and a background that pulls the viewer into the image. Here is my example?

The foreground in this image is very strong. The log has a lot of character. It is also large in size. In fact, it takes up about 50% of the image (bottom to top). It is worth it because it is so interesting. Next, we have additional trees forming the middle-ground. Lastly, there are the dunes and the moon. The sky is also a nice color.

          What we want to achieve is for the viewer's eyes to start at the bottom and work their way up the image to the moon and back. Ideally, we want the viewer to repeat this pattern over and over. The longer we can keep the viewer cycling through the image in this way to better the image. If a viewer just looks at the image in one glance and is done, the image is poor. Amateurs mostly take images that are lateral, the viewer looks at it from one side to the other and they are done. Professionals make images that draw the viewer into the image from the bottom to the top.

          Not all landscape images follow this recipe and such images can still be great. However, this is a simple recipe that works like clockwork. It is simple and just works. So how do we make such images?

• Find a nice location

• Search the foreground for something different, something that stands out

• Walk around it from a distance so that you do not put any footprints in any potential image. We walk around it to see which angle will work the best.

• Pick an angle of attack and move in closer

• With a wide angle lens get right up to the foreground element

• Move the height of the camera up and down looking at how that impacts the middle-ground. Lower angles minimized the middle-ground while more height maximizes it. Please your camera at a height that works well with what is in your middle-ground.

• Make sure that your background balances well with your foreground

• Watch your edges to make sure they are clean. We do not want bright things on the edges if we can help it

Follow this recipe and your landscape images will probably improve.