A trick I use as I evaluate a shot I am about to take involves me “stepping into the picture” as i look at it through my camera viewfinder or LCD.

If I can picture myself stepping in and moving around all over the place near and far, then there is a good feeling of depth in the shot.

The Rocks Cry Out – Please Click for Larger Detail

This is not to say that the opposite feeling is NEVER right. You may want a shot that is flat. In a flat shot, if I would step into the shot like I describe above, I only have one place to go – back and forth. I would only have one plane on which to walk.

Also, don’t think that just because you have your aperture set at F22, working with a expansive depth of field, that you have a “deep” shot. You need elements in foreground, mid way to and far away to give you depth.

Do you agree?

BTW, I think depth of exposure goes along real well with a depth of field. The picture above is a three shot HDR merge.