Recipe #13 - Depth

[Kyle Jones]

I've shared this image from Deadhorse Point before, but decided to make some adjustments to better emphasize depth for this contest. My basic ideas came from my recent reading of Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. These were concepts I'd seen before, but the book put them freshly in my mind. I'm trying to play off of the fact that sharpness and contrast help define depth in the way we perceive things. So for this version of the image, I added some extra clarity and dehaze to the foreground snow and tree to bring out that contrast and texture even further. I then added some blur, glow, warmth, and a reduction of contrast to the background - with the effect increasing as you move back further into the scene.

 

[BarryHamilton]

Stunning scene, whatever you did! Nicely done!

 

[JimFox]

A great scene indeed Kyle.

How you went back and processed this is why I almost never ever use focus stacking. I prefer the normal DOF from my lens because it does render what's closest the sharpest and the background is not 100% sharp. This to me displays the photo the closest to what we see visually with our own eyes anyway. Having everything tack sharp from front to back often causes an image to lose depth since visually everything in the photo is sharp. Of course light can help separate elements too, but I like to subtly add to that depth by having the background elements not at 100% tack sharp, I aim for the perception of sharpness.

So all that said.... to say that you brought up a really good point here about depth Kyle. Thanks for reading that book for us.

 

[Jeffrey]

Love that image, Kyle!

 

[AlanLichty]

Interesting background story to your processing for this one.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Very nice Kyle.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Nicely done Kyle.

 

[Jim Dockery]

Beautiful and great explanation, thanks.

 

[Brian]

That is incredible Kyle. I have to say, I always look forward to your photographs.