Why use layering in photgraphy?
Layering is a great way to make a photo look less flat. By adding a sense of depth to a photo you can create a more immersive picture. The best way to to this is by having a foreground, a middle ground, and a background. Photographers will often use layers to tell a story. The layers should complete a picture, not compete with each other in a photo.
Examples
There are three layers in this photo. The window frame is the first one. The trees is the second layer. The sky and the grass make up the third layer.
The focal point of this photo is the boat in the middle of the river. There is a layer made by the river along with the tree line behind the river. The final layer is the sky.
There are three layers in this photo. The first layer is made by the mail box. The second layer is the colorful tree. The final layer or layers are made by the sky, grass, and chicken houses.
There are three layers in this picture. The first layer is the tree. The second layer is the road and field. The final layer is the sun setting in the sky.
There are a few layers in this photo. This picture could be better, because of the overlapping in the trees. Even so, there is still layering formed. There is the green tree in the foreground, the orange tree in the middle ground, and the sky in the background.
A Favorite
I like this photo because of the multiple things that are going on at once. You can see at the bottom of the picture, the first set of stairs. There is then a second set of stairs, which is directly in front of the viewer. The middle ground and background are, in some ways, morphed together. The sun is shining adding a unique dimension and the brick wall is in the background.