Layering is a technique that I’ve mastered over the years. There’s a few different ways that you can go about making a successful picture that requires understanding how to create harmony between the foreground, middle ground, and background of a composition.
Photography is a visual game and a physical pleasure
Treat the photographs that you make like a puzzle. Ask yourself this simple question.
Where must I position myself and the camera in order to separate the moment from the background?
Ask yourself this question with every scene that you encounter. At the end of the day, we street photographer are only really responsible for what we decide to include within the rectangle and when we presses the shutter. The chaos that we decide to exclude from the frame is just as important. Recognize what elements you want to include and exclude in order to make the photograph more simple and easy to read.
Work the scene
When you find a scene that interest you, don’t just press the shutter button once and move on! Keep making pictures and follow through at the scene. Most of my most successful layered pictures came with lots of shots made. Don’t be afraid to interact with people, and engage with conversation at the scene. This will allow you deeper access to create a composition with success. Be patient and allow yourself some time to watch the events in front of you unfold. The first photo you make could be successful, or it could be after 100, 200, 300 shots of waiting there with your camera until the moment of your desire is delivered.
Position your camera
Layering is all about finding that sweet spot at the scene. Where can you position yourself to snap the shutter at the moment that the events unfold? These tend to happen at a choke point. You can practice your camera positioning at any corner on the street where people converge and are moving in and out of the scene. These tend to be active areas that lend itself well for practice. Practice positioning yourself in a strategic place at the locations you photograph so that you can separate the subjects from the background.
Look for gestures
Watch the faces, hands, and feet of people as they move. These observations will determine when to press the shutter. A successful layered photograph not only has clean, separation of chaotic elements, but also a moment that delivers the viewer interest.
Move around
Sometimes it works better for you to get close, but other times you need to distance yourself from the scene. Don’t just stay still when you’re practicing the layering technique. In order to find the sweet spot, you must move your body and recompose here and there. Make sure to stay active and on your toes at all times at the scene.
Foreground, middle ground, background
When you connect everything together, you will get this instinctual feeling that you pressed the shutter at the right time. The technique requires a lot of patience.
Never leave the scene. Let the scene leave you.
Spend as much time as you need. Some of my best photographs were made with lots of time spent. Ultimately, making a successful layered picture is one of the most challenging techniques in street photography. There’s no amount of studying theory that will get you more success in this practice. You might actually go out there and do the work to get better at making layered pictures. Hopefully some of these tips help you along the way and I wish you much success with your photography!