How to Create Depth in Landscape Photos with Color

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If you take a close look at some great landscape photos, you will notice one common feature in all of them: depth. Look at it this way: what would you rather look at, a flat, dull photo or one that almost makes you feel like you're there?

Depth is, therefore, essential, but what many photographers don't know is that you can create it in multiple ways. One of the keys to adding depth is dividing the photo into a foreground, middleground and background. By composing the image in such a way, you can help avoid creating a flat image.

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Another great way to add a sense of depth is to use leading lines. They usually start from the foreground, moving up towards the background and guiding the viewer's eyes. Some of the easiest ways to use leading lines include adding roads and rivers in the frame, but if you look carefully, leading lines are all around you.

One of the least known ways of creating depth to an image is through use of color. When you combine color tones correctly, you can almost make it look three dimensional. This is by no means a new technique or one developed strictly in the world of photography. It has a long history of use in classic painting; Van Gogh was one of the masters of using color to create volume in his landscapes. So how is it actually done?

If you take a quick look at an art history book, you might identify some of techniques on your own. Contrast is one of the most effective methods of using color for depth. You can put warm and cold tones in opposition, as you can with lighter and darker ones or you can tone down certain colors while enhancing others.

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Obviously, it's a little hard to do any of this in camera, so a bit of post processing is essential.

Enhancing a photo this way can be tricky and there's always going to be the risk of overdoing it, especially in the beginning. It's best to watch a few video tutorials before you give it a shot yourself.

Here's a great one from French photographer Serge Ramelli:

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