SUMMARY
Photographer William Patino offers a three-part approach to creating depth in landscape images, moving beyond flat compositions. He emphasizes diminishing perspective, where objects appear smaller as they recede, and the importance of a midground to connect the foreground and background. Patino also advocates for shadow-first lighting, using darker foregrounds to lead the viewer's eye towards a brighter background, a technique inspired by chiaroscuro. He advises against foregrounds drenched in light, which can halt the viewer's journey into the scene, and encourages photographers to explore multiple compositions rather than settling for the first one.
TAKEAWAYS
Use diminishing perspective to show objects shrinking as they recede.
Create depth by separating foreground, midground, and background zones.
Employ shadow-first lighting, letting foregrounds be dark to guide the eye to background light.
Explore various compositions on location rather than relying on a single shot.