Leading Lines, What Are They?
In this article I am going to discuss what does Leading Lines mean in photography, and how can they aid your image composition. Becoming adept with the use of leading lines is an essential skill for every photographer.
Leading lines is an image composition technique that I have been using to create powerful photographs ever since I began taking pictures.
What is Leading Lines in Photography?
A leading line is used to draw the viewer’s eye towards a specific subject, or through a photograph.
In this image of the dam at lake Vyrnwy I have used the dam to lead your eye towards the center of the image.
When we look at a scene, we instinctively follow shapes and lines to see where they go, and in turn they lead our eyes through that scene. The same happens with photographs which utilise leading lines.
As with everything, it takes a while to recognise leading lines, but once you get the hang of it you will see them everywhere.
Spotting a Good Line
Finding leading lines is not too difficult, and once you start looking you will wonder how you missed them before. You can even create them yourself, as I did with the image I took at Attingham Park, below.
In this image of Attingham Hall in Shropshire, I used a leaf to create foreground interest and the main vein as a leading line.
Here is a short list of things that naturally lend themselves as leading lines in your photography.
- Roads
- Fences
- Window frames
- Doorways
- Bridges
- Rivers
- Cliffs
To be honest, the list is endless!
Once you get into the habit of looking for them, you will find that you can’t stop seeing leading lines everywhere.
Examine Your Scene First
I imagine I am teaching my granny to suck eggs here, but take a moment to try and visualise the image you want to capture.
Ask yourself if you want the image to have a particular focus or is it a generic landscape? Are there any obvious leading line options? Can you create a leading line?
In this image taken inside the Wigwam, Liverpool, I used the pews as a natural way to lead the eye through the image.
When using leading lines ensure they serve a purpose. If you are using them to lead into a subject, make sure they actually do that job.
In this atrocious image below, the pipe splits the image and leads your eye away from the subject matter.
Different types of Leading Lines
There are many types of lines. A real sense of atmosphere can be achieved if you are observant and have a creative eye.
Horizontal
These type of lines are traditionally associated with calm, peace and tranquility. Horizontal lines are fantastic choices for nature and more relaxed shots.
Curved
On the whole, curved lines feel more natural than straight ones do. These are most often used in nature shots where leading lines can be used to highlight specific landmarks.
Vertical
Used to convey power, dignity and strength. When you want a shot to be strong, direct, or imposing, this is a great choice to go with.
Diagonal
These provide a sense of change, motion, or direction. Most often, diagonal lines are visually followed from foreground to background, left to right, so in these cases your subject should be either at the start or end of your line to maximise impact.
Intersecting
Intersecting lines can often become a hindrance. If you are not careful they can completely ruin the flow of a shot. However, get them right and you can frame things deliberately in interesting ways.
Implied
These lines are created when the viewer follows a line that is implied. For example, if you shoot a person from behind, the viewers eye can follow the subjects perceived line of sight to a secondary subject.
Converging
These lines are useful to naturally highlight a subject. The point at which two converge, is the point at which the viewers eyes tend to focus. Railways lines and platforms are a good example.
Practice Makes Perfect
There are many ways you can take advantage of leading lines to generate great images. The more you practice the better your images will get. A good way to see how you have progressed is to look back at some of your archived images. I do this and I am amazed at how poor some of them are!