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Engage your viewer by making good use of the lines in your scene. They can be used to guide the viewer through the shot, draw their attention to the main subject or create a sense of depth and perspective.
Engage your viewer by making good use of the lines in your scene. They can be used to guide the viewer through the shot, draw their attention to the main subject or create a sense of depth and perspective.
WHAT ARE LEADING LINES?
WHAT ARE LEADING LINES?
Lines can "lead" our gaze through the photo.
They can be natural (such as a river or valley) or man-made (such as a road or fence) -- anything with a well-defined edge can be used as a leading line.
Leading lines are great for producing several effects:
Guiding the viewer's eyes through the photo, helping them explore the whole scene.
Drawing attention to the main subject or focal point of the shot.
Adding depth and a sense of perspective to make the scene feel more "real" and three dimensional.
Creating an interesting subject in their own right, particularly in abstract photos.
Despite being such a simple technique, leading lines are extremely versatile, and can enhance most photographs.
The road in this photo forms a strong leading line, grabbing your attention and guiding it through the scene. Image by Ron Kroetz.
The path in this photo naturally leads your eye through the scene to the church. Image by Giuseppe Milo.
TYPES OF LEADING LINES:
TYPES OF LEADING LINES:
HORIZONTAL LINES - suggest calmness and tranquility. They're especially effective for photos of nature and relaxing subjects.
HORIZONTAL LINES - suggest calmness and tranquility. They're especially effective for photos of nature and relaxing subjects.
VERTICAL LINES - convey a sense of power and authority. They can make your subject appear strong and dominant.
VERTICAL LINES - convey a sense of power and authority. They can make your subject appear strong and dominant.
DIAGONAL LINES - provide a sense of movement or change. They're great for drawing the viewer through a scene.
DIAGONAL LINES - provide a sense of movement or change. They're great for drawing the viewer through a scene.
We normally view diagonal lines from left to right, just like when reading. Because of this, lines sloping downwards from left to right tend to feel calm and natural. Lines sloping upwards add tension and impact.
CURVED LINES - feel more natural than straight lines. They tend to work well in photos of nature where you often want to feel the "flow" of the scene.
CURVED LINES - feel more natural than straight lines. They tend to work well in photos of nature where you often want to feel the "flow" of the scene.
CONVERGING LINES - when lines meet at a point, we tend to focus on the point. This is a great place to put your main subject, as it draws the viewer's attention to it in a natural way.
CONVERGING LINES - when lines meet at a point, we tend to focus on the point. This is a great place to put your main subject, as it draws the viewer's attention to it in a natural way.
IMPLIED LINES - lines that don't physically exist in the picture, but which we can imagine. The best example of this is a human gaze. We will naturally follow someone's line of sight to see what they're looking at, and this can form a very powerful leading line in a composition.
IMPLIED LINES - lines that don't physically exist in the picture, but which we can imagine. The best example of this is a human gaze. We will naturally follow someone's line of sight to see what they're looking at, and this can form a very powerful leading line in a composition.
INTERSECTING LINES - lines that cross over one another can deliberately introduce a feeling of tension and confusion to your shot.
INTERSECTING LINES - lines that cross over one another can deliberately introduce a feeling of tension and confusion to your shot.
Crossing lines are a strong focal point and evoke a sense of tension and conflict. Image by Kris Krug.
The vertical lines in this shot draw you to the cyclists and also give a feeling of order and strength. Image by Kamal Zharif.
The lines of the corridor all converge behind the man, focusing your attention on him. Image by Asparukh Akanayev.
We naturally follow the man's gaze to the city in the distance. Image by Terence Lim.
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