Depth in a photograph is an arrangement on a flat surface. For images credited to Michael Ventura, trace how foreground, middle distance and background overlap. A near object can block information, establish scale or create a frame within the frame. Distant forms may carry as much meaning as the apparent main subject, especially when their placement changes the balance of the picture.
Choose one image and describe its layers without naming a genre. Then imagine removing the nearest layer: what relationship disappears? Repeat the exercise with the background. This is a practical way to identify why a composition works without guessing a lens, location or intention. Where depth is compressed or difficult to read, record that ambiguity as part of your viewing experience.