Film making

The technique of using leading lines in photography takes composition to a new level. You can use this tool to guide the spectator’s gaze to a particular point of focus, giving your image a pleasingly structured layout.

Basically, any time there is a strong line in a photograph, the spectator’s eye will naturally follow along it. This can be anything from a manmade object like a telephone pole or a road, to a natural object such as a tree or even a dark shadow. You can also pose people so that their posture creates this kind of focal point.

This controls the way an eye sees the picture, which you can use to create a calming, symmetrical, and harmonious experience for the viewer by providing a single strong line. You can also use multiple lines to create a tense or dramatic composition, by having the focus drawn in several directions with lines that intersect each other or compete for attention. When you learn the range of how to use this technique, you will be able to more effectively present different kinds of emotional content, so it is well worth trying to master this as a tool.

Sometimes this will naturally happen in a picture, almost as a happy accident, such as if you were to shoot a road heading into a setting sun on the horizon line. You may also choose a shot with this technique in mind, such as when you pose a person’s portrait so that shadows or the branches of a nearby tree grab the viewer’s attention, and meaningfully draw the focus to the face of the person who you are trying to capture.

It is also a technique that many photographers use not just when taking a shot, but when later editing their work. When you are looking over your product, you may see the potential for leading lines that you didn’t notice at the time the picture was taken. You can choose to highlight these either through cropping the image to bring a particularly strong visual aspect to the viewer’s attention, or by altering the white balance and contrast in the photo so that particular elements stand out.

Another way to use this technique is by drawing the eye across the image to its edge and beyond by suggesting that the point of focus is actually past what the viewer can see, and lies beyond the edge of the picture. This visual story creates a feeling of motion, and leads the viewers attention on a dynamic path.

Many formal training courses include particular tasks that are meant to help emerging photographers master this technique. If you are doing photography as a hobby, or are teaching yourself the medium, you may benefit from concentrating on this tool during a particular session, or a period of your work, as a way to integrate it into your growing artistic abilities. It isn’t difficult to master, and can prove very beneficial to your photography skills as they continue to develop.

It’s no surprise that so many books and training courses about photography include sections about how to use leading lines. This simple technique can boost the emotional content and compositional force of your photos, and guide the experience your viewers have when viewing your work, whether you are a hobbyist or a professional photographer.

Parker Michaels is a new media consultant and freelance photographer. For more information on leading lines in photography, visit www.photo-junkie.com.