Lines
This image has wonderful leading lines (1), using the side rails of the pier and the pier itself to take you into the image towards the lightning bolt in the center...plus the horizon line separating the ocean and the clouds is another leading line as it takes you in from the left and right edges of the image into the picture...this composition uses numerous diagonal lines (the edges of the pier and handrails), horizontal lines (the boards making up the pier), and vertical lines (edges of the buildings, the legs of the benches, the supports of the handrails)...plus organic lines formed in the clouds and the line between the ocean and the sky, and in the bolt of lightning
This image has great vertical lines (1) created from the water falling down the side of the cliff...these lines are also organic lines as well since they occur naturally and are not man-made
Lines are the most basic (but not the most simple!)
Of the 11 Foundations of Photographic Art in Composition (FPACs),
A line is the strongest and most important and influential foundation. Without lines there can be no shape. Without shape there can be no form. Without form there can be no texture and there can be no pattern. Lines are powerful tools that can be used smartly to lead the viewers eyes towards the point of interest in a photograph these are called leading lines. Lines can also alter the overall feeling/mood of an image.
Why Are Lines So Important?
Our eyes are naturally drawn to lines, from an early age we're told to follow paths. A well-executed shot with a strong leading line should appeal to even the most uninterested viewer. Throughout life, we're told to explore, make journeys, follow paths, "ride it out", "see it through to the end" or "go with the flow." These are analogies for being led through life.
Line use allows photographers to showcase the reason for the image. They're like a giant flashing arrow that tells even the uneducated viewer where to look. Drawing the viewer in like an outstretched hand that says "Come on, follow me, and I'll take you there.“
Types of Lines
Lines can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, curved, organic, or implied. Lines can be short or long, thick or thin. Lines can lead you away, or move you forward in an image. A line's emotional effect on an image cannot be overlooked. They sometimes feel restful, soothing, rigid, active, guiding, or threatening. Thin lines can be experienced by some as unstable, and by others as vulnerable.
Thick lines can be experienced as rigid and dependent, or can be experienced as dominating or stern. Curved lines are perceived as soft, soothing, settling & relaxing.
Jagged lines can be perceived as forceful, chaotic, sharp, and threatening.
Vertical lines in a photograph tend to convey different moods, ranging from power and strength, to growth. Vertical lines can include strands of hair, poles, trees, buildings, and a lot of other different objects that expand vertically rather than horizontally. Vertical lines create a bold statement. They tend to suggest power with a strong foundation. They indicate a feeling of solidity.
Horizontal lines in a photo tend to cast a feeling of restfulness, permanency, and stability. If you want to further accentuate the restful, stable feeling of a horizontal line in an image, a good way is to use horizontal framing rather than vertical. Horizontal lines indicate stability as well, but in a much more calming way. They suggest balance, harmony and in some cases finality or a sense of cadence (ending).
Layers of multiple horizontal lines in an image can create drama and rhythm, and can become the main interest of the image all by themselves. Horizontal lines can include horizons, seas, laying people, street sides, and almost anything that expands horizontally.
Diagonal lines work well to guide the viewers' attention towards the main subject of your photo (used as leading lines). They can convey a sense of action and render photos as dynamic and interesting. Diagonal lines can be the shape of a path, a line of trees, a fence, river or any other component of an image. Diagonal lines also create a strong feel, but indicate a sense of energy or motion. Mixing diagonal lines with vertical or horizontal lines can create a nice blend of power and dynamics.
Organic lines often come from nature. They start to introduce feelings of chaos, complexity and beauty. Our eyes begin to relate in a much deeper way to this type of line and actually respond to it more sophisticatedly than we might think. Lines that suggest lightening have an angular quality and could seem intense. Lines in patterns like grass or wheat fields might suggest a sense of calming beauty. Organic line begins to become associative on a subconscious level with the viewer.
Implied lines are possibly the most interesting if used correctly. Implied lines in composition don’t exist at all and are not even shown visually. They are created with directional elements such as shape, hand gesture, eye contact (or direction) etc. They are possibly the hardest elements to work with, but usually have the
strongest impact when done well.
This image has GREAT horizontal (1) and vertical lines, and a very nice implied line created by the shadow on the concrete...plus wonderful leading lines with its usage of the lines in the concrete taking you up to the concrete chairs with the ghost of bodhi laying in them
Lines: Leading The Way In Landscapes
Every artist starts with a message. Every photographer starts with a scene. We translate what we see, into a visual path that the eye can follow. We illustrate this journey through allowing the featured shapes, textures, tones and lines to tell our story. We tell the viewer what to focus on, and they make their own connection.
Drawing you in is the essential function of a Leading Line, it is just like an outstretched hand that grabs you and then says:
"Come on, follow me, and I'll take you there.“
What Is A Leading Line?
Leading Lines are one of the most powerful elements in photography, they harness so much energy and make us want to explore the scene. When used well, they create compelling images with strong visual impact. They help draw the eye to the "hero" element - that main subject that is the narrator of your story. Put simply, your leading line is a path from the foreground into the background that ties all the elements in your image, together.
The strongest composition is achieved when the lines direct your eye towards the main subject or focal point within the scene. Several leading lines can be harnessed to strengthen and reinforce perspective inside an image. Many images of architecture have converging lines that come in from all angles to give the feeling of space and form. For example; A hiking trail weaving up a hill, A jetty disappearing into the sunset, A bridge with a train with light trails, a row of trees with a building at the end, A fallen tree that leads to a cluster of upright trees. An illuminated path leading to a single doorway, The shore of a lake, weaving a path to the mountains. Like all rules in photography, there are some exceptions. If there is no Hero waiting at the end of a leading line, your image can still have enough impact to win the viewer over. Alternatively, the lines may be so strong that they become the main focal point of the image, such as those seen in urban environments.
What Makes A Good Leading Line?
Think of your eye like a slot-car on a slot-car track. Your leading line is the straight rail and obstructions are tight corners or a lack of momentum. Using this analogy, I can explain that the least resistance is the key to a powerful composition, in other words, keeping your image as minimalist as possible. The more elements that distract the smooth travel of the eye, the more confused the viewer will be. This is why simple scenes often win the hearts of audiences. Almost anything can be used as a leading line. Only your imagination will set the limits.
The most classic example of a leading line is a road with lines. The white lines are a contrast against the black tarmac and thus serves as an excellent example. The emotional connection that a viewer makes to a road is that of mystery, intrigue and discovery; where does the road lead to; what’s around the bend?! A bridge will also make for a strong leading line, and there are different ways to capture it. Shoot it from ground level, so it makes a horizontal leading line across your image. And if there are not too many distractions on the bridge, such as traffic or bulky bridge abutments that will break the leading line, the most obvious choice would be to capture it standing in the middle of the road on the bridge (as long as there’s no traffic about!).
When you’re capturing photos, try to find leading lines that wind through the scene. It could be a row of trees or telegraph poles. Anything that draws your eye through the scene will work. it could be the long hair of a girl that takes you up to her face, or the stem of a flower that leads you to the blossom, or the curves on a racecar that take you up to the steering wheel behind the windshield...or in nature, if you end up in a forest, it can be hard to compose an image due to the repeating patterns that the trees create. Look for a path or a fallen tree that can serve as a leading line trough the trees.
Any line that breaks a pattern in the scene will work well. Once you start looking, you’ll find many objects that you can use as a leading line in almost any scene. Ultimately, as the creator, you are showing your vision. You are showing us your world and how you see it. As with all the elements at our disposal, you do not have to stick to a set of rules, but they definitely help.
This image has great organic lines (1) with the sides of the little water canyon and the flowing water, and the waterfall itself in the image
The canyon walls combined with the river belower are excellent leading lines (2) taking you into the image (and taken collectively, form a big implied line as well)...plus, the Milky Way also helps to bring you into the image and is another leading line...the image has plenty of organic lines in it as well, with the river, side walls of the canyon forming beautiful lines of their own...
This image shows great use of diagonal lines (1), with most of the trees in the picture coming in at angles from the sides at diagonal directions all through the image...plus, this image is made up mainly of organic lines throughout the composition created by the trees themselves, and some lines created by the sunburst through the pine needles ...plus there is the curved line of the sun halo as well...this image truly is a big bombarment of lines everywhere
This image has wonderful implied lines (1) in it...there is a "triangle" that is created by the underside of this pier using a tunnel effect into the image (as well as an implied leading line)...there is also the implied lines of the spaces between each pier pillar, as well as the lines connecting the bottom of each pier pillar in the shadows under the pier...in this image are many of horizontal lines, (the horizon line itself, plus the lines connecting the tops of the pier pillars), vertical lines, (the edges of the pier pillars), curved line of the sun, and organic lines of the clouds and the misty soft blue shadows under the pier
This image has a beautiful leading line (3) of the rainbow taking you into the image from the sky above, as well as from the bottom through the reflection in the water...there are implied lines existing inbetween the different colors bands inthe rainbow, and many organic lines also are present in the rainbow, the tree and its reflection, and the bright spots in the clouds...the water line in the background is an excellent example of a horizontal line as well
This image shows great use of leading lines (4), with the two trucks on the two palm trees leading your eyes into the image from the bottom all the way up to the tops of each tree...plus, this image is made up mainly of organic lines throughout the composition created by the trees themselves, the clouds in the sky, and some lines by the sunburst through the clouds...
This image shows great use of horizontal lines in the boards on the dock...plus vertical lines (the dock pillars), diagonal lines (edges of the dock)...and leading lines (5) with the dock itself becoming a leading line taking your eyes from the bottom edge of the composition deep into background of the image, also the milky way in the sky is a giant leading line (and an implied line) that brings your eyes into the image from the top of the composition...there are many organic lines in the image (lines in the starburst created by Jupiter,the lines of the mountains and the water line)...and a lovely curved line of the halo around the starburst too...
This image has wonderful leading lines (6), with the road (old route 66) taking you into the image towards the glowing oncoming headlights...roads always make great leading lines in photography...
This image also has the diagonal lines with the white edge and yellow center passing lines painted on the road. Plus there is an really cool implied line created by dark parts of the arching Milky Way in the sky. And the Milky Way Arch is also an organic line, plus a curved line...
