One of the great challenges in photography is to bring a sense of depth to your photos, giving a two-dimensional image a real three-dimensional feel.

1. Photosensitivity Eyes
2. Crazy Unbelievable Pictures

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Not only does this produce a more interesting and intriguing photo, it also engages the viewer more, inviting them to explore the scene rather than just observe it.

There are a number of techniques you can use to enhance the feeling of depth in your shots. Although these are not set in stone, many have their roots centuries-old art, and can be applied just as successfully to photography.

Often, a slight change in viewpoint or composition can completely transform your photo. With some practice, emphasising depth in your shots will become second nature.

Include Foreground Interest

When photographing a subject at medium to far distance it can often appear flat, especially if you have zoomed in to fill the frame with the object.

Including objects at varying distances from the camera enhances the sense of depth. Image by Storm Crypt.

Include an object of interest in the foreground to enhance the sense of depth. This leads the viewer's eye around the scene, from the foreground to the subject in the distance.

Shoot in Portrait

Think about the way we see the world - if you look straight ahead and move your head from side to side your eyes naturally fall on objects which are about the same distance away. But move your head up and down and you will focus on objects at greatly varying distance - from very near to very far away.

Portrait photos naturally have lots of depth, ranging from near (bottom) to far (top). Image by Eric.

There is more depth to be found vertically than horizontally, and portrait photos naturally capture more of the scene vertically. Next time you instinctively hold your camera in landscape, consider whether you could create a greater sense of depth by shooting in portrait instead.

Change Your Viewpoint

Crouch close to the ground rather than shooting at eye level. This exaggerates the perspective as objects get smaller as they move into the distance, creating a greater sense of depth.

By capturing more of the ground, you add perspective to your photo. Image by Miren Berasategi.

Changing viewpoint has the added benefits of providing more foreground interest, and also creating a less familiar, more intriguing composition.

Frame Your Scene

Use foreground objects to create a natural frame around the subject in your photograph. This enhances the sense of depth by guiding the viewer through the scene, allowing them to mentally explore it, rather than simply presenting them with a shot of the subject which requires them to do no 'work'.

Use objects in your scene to create a natural frame which leads the eye. Image by José Luis Mieza.

Use a Wider Angle

Photosensitivity Eyes

Photographing with a wider angle (or zooming out) naturally exaggerates the perspective in a scene, achieving a greater sense of depth.

A wide angle exaggerates the perpective in your shot. Image by William Cho.

Moving closer to the subject and zooming out has the same effect when shooting with a zoom lens.

Use Leading Lines

Lines which move from the foreground into the scene create a feeling of motion, drawing the viewer's eye along them.

The lines of the railway track lead your eye towards the city in the distance. Image by Rémi Carreiro.

Leading lines are everywhere, from curving shore lines to fallen trees to city streets, so get into the habit of constantly being on the look out for them.

Incorporating one or more leading lines into your photo is a sure way to enhance its sense of depth.

Layering

By overlapping objects you help the viewer to reconstruct the three-dimensional scene in their mind. This allows them to mentally be 'in' the scene, rather than just seeing a photo of it, creating a much stronger sense of depth.

The overlapping of the hills and trees in this image helps the viewer reconstruct the scene in their mind. Image by Luigi.

Layering is particularly effective when there is a notable contrast in the shade or texture of two overlapping objects. This contrast helps to separate the objects from one another.

A photoelectric sensor is a device used to determine the distance, absence, or presence of an object by using a light transmitter, often infrared, and a photoelectric receiver. They are largely used in industrial manufacturing. There are three different useful types: opposed (through-beam), retro-reflective, and proximity-sensing (diffused).

Types[edit]

A self-contained photoelectric sensor contains the optics, along with the electronics. It requires only a power source. The sensor performs its own modulation, demodulation, amplification, and output switching. Some self-contained sensors provide such options as built-in control timers or counters. Because of technological progress, self-contained photoelectric sensors have become increasingly smaller.

Remote photoelectric sensors used for remote sensing contain only the optical components of a sensor. The circuitry for power input, amplification, and output switching is located elsewhere, typically in a control panel. This allows the sensor, itself, to be very small. Also, the controls for the sensor are more accessible, since they may be bigger.

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When space is restricted or the environment too hostile even for remote sensors, fibre optics may be used. Fibre optics are passive mechanical sensing components. They may be used with either remote or self-contained sensors. They have no electrical circuitry and no moving parts, and can safely pipe light into and out of hostile environments.^[1]

Sensing modes[edit]

A through-beam arrangement consists of a receiver located within the line-of-sight of the transmitter. In this mode, an object is detected when the light beam is blocked from getting to the receiver from the transmitter.

A retroreflective arrangement places the transmitter and receiver at the same location and uses a reflector to bounce the inverted light beam back from the transmitter to the receiver. An object is sensed when the beam is interrupted and fails to reach the receiver.

A proximity-sensing (diffused) arrangement is one in which the transmitted radiation must reflect off the object in order to reach the receiver. In this mode, an object is detected when the receiver sees the transmitted source rather than when it fails to see it. As in retro-reflective sensors, diffuse sensor emitters and receivers are located in the same housing. But the target acts as the reflector so that detection of light is reflected off the disturbance object. The emitter sends out a beam of light (most often a pulsed infrared, visible red, or laser) that diffuses in all directions, filling a detection area. The target then enters the area and deflects part of the beam back to the receiver. Detection occurs and output is turned on or off when sufficient light falls on the receiver.

Some photo-eyes have two different operational types, light operate and dark operate. The light operates photo eyes become operational when the receiver 'receives' the transmitter signal. Dark operate photo eyes become operational when the receiver 'does not receive' the transmitter signal.

The detecting range of a photoelectric sensor is its 'field of view', or the maximum distance from which the sensor can retrieve information, minus the minimum distance. A minimum detectable object is the smallest object the sensor can detect. More accurate sensors can often have minimum detectable objects of minuscule size.

Difference between modes[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Types of sensors'(PDF). info.bannersalesforce.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
2. ^'Selection guide'(PDF). www.automationdirect.com. Retrieved 2020-01-11.

External links[edit]