Leading Lines In Photo Composition

Using Leading Lines In Your Photo Compositions

Using leading lines in your photo composition will help carry the viewers eye across the image, making it look and feel more three-dimensional. Leading lines are linear elements in your composition that guide your eyes to the point of interest. They also create a three-dimensional quality by adding perspective to the image. Think of the stripe down the center of a highway, that gets smaller and smaller the further away it is. Also, a strong line that is poorly positioned can wreck your composition by driving the eye away from the subject.

The leading lines in this image pull the eye in from the right bottom and guide it to the cityscape in the center/top of the image.

Cityscapes and landscapes are full of linear elements such as: roadways, train tracks, tree branches, rivers and streams, fence-rows, ridgelines, boulevards, and rows of streetlights. You may have a long winding driveway that snakes its way to a farmhouse and barn, or a fence cutting its way through an open field. Use these leading lines to your advantage to guide the viewer to your subject.

The leading lines in this image help to convey a peaceful and serene setting.

Leading lines in photo composition are most effective as diagonals, and they work especially well when the lines originate from the bottom corners of the image. A creek, for example, leading its way to a beautiful cascade, a rustic fence coming from the bottom corner and leading the viewer’s eye to the center of the frame. Remember that depth of field is important when composing with leading lines. When lines begin at the bottom corners of an image, the lines and the main subject should both be in focus.

Lines should always have a more subtle effect on the viewer. Depending on the mood you want to convey, lines can help you do it. Diagonal lines imply actions, vertical ones power, and horizontal lines typically convey serenity.

So, if you haven’t been using leading lines in your photo compositions, get out there and put this to practice. If you do use leading lines in your photo compositions, leave comments below on how you incorporate them into your images.