How to use leading lines for awesome photography composition

Leading lines composition

Using leading lines in photography composition is a fantastic technique for guiding the viewer’s eye around an image.

When you first become aware of leading lines, you’ll be amazed at how many you see all around you every day to incorporate in photos.

So, because they are everywhere and they’re great for creating strong composition, leading lines is one of the most used photography composition techniques.

What are leading lines in photography composition?

Leading lines are the lines in a photograph that lead the viewer’s eye in, around and then out of frame.

Sometimes they don’t lead the eye out of the frame at all, but cause the eye to circulate around the subject.

Most often the leading lines will start in the foreground and disappear into the background.

They might even converge to a point of infinity in the background. This creates a sense of movement through the image as the viewer’s eye journeys through.

What do leading lines in photos do?

Leading lines give the viewer direction and leads the eye to the subject.

Very often the subject is placed at some point along the leading lines in photos. It might be part way through and then the line continues, or the leading line could lead to the subject and end.

You could also have several leading lines lead the viewer’s eye towards the subject, like in the first image on this post.

 

If a photographer takes control and directs the viewer to the subject, they make it easier for the viewer to enjoy the photograph. Very often leading lines are used for emphasis in composition, so there’s no doubt as to the subject, or even the message, of your image.

Basically, leading lines are like a great big arrow that says “Look here!”

To understand why leading lines are so effective in photography composition, read about the Gestalt principle of continuance in our tutorial on Gestalt theory, which explains how we view images.

What do leading lines look like?

All types of lines in photos can be leading lines.

Let’s take a look at a few examples from the list of naturally occurring and man made leading lines in photography:

• Roads, paths, pavements and boardwalks
• Rails
• Steps
• Buildings
• Lines of trees or streetlights or bicycles – lines of anything
• Walls, hedges and fences
• Bridges
• Shoreline
• Rivers
• The horizon
• Limbs – arms, legs, branches

Even imagined lines, such as a subject’s gaze, will lead the viewer’s eye around an image.

Using several photography composition tools in one image

Combining leading lines in photography composition with the rule of thirds creates strong composition.

To do it, place your subject at one of the intersecting points on the rule of thirds grid while making sure that the leading line leads the viewer’s eye to this point.

Repetition in photography composition is another tool that often appears with leading lines.

A row of streetlights leading down the side of a road creates a leading line, because the street lights repeatedly occur at regular intervals.

The same is true for a row of trees disappearing into the distance, or a row of rocks on a beach.

A word of advice on using leading lines

Unfortunately, because train tracks make such great leading lines, many, many photographers have photographed on train tracks. My advice is don’t.

For two reasons..

• The first is that it’s simply not safe. Too many people have lost their lives, because they were trying to get a photograph. No picture is worth that.
• The second is that it really is a cliché. It’s been done so many times that it’s not an original idea. So, while you may be tempted to do it, rather stretch your creative muscles a little and look for something more original. It’s safer.

How to use leading lines in photography composition

So, you’ve got this great location where you want to shoot and your subject is ready. Take a moment to look around you and consider the best composition. You’ll see leading lines.

You might see several leading lines. It’s up to you to decide which leading lines will make the strongest composition and how you’ll compose the photograph.

Try using the leading lines in different ways at your location and examine your photos on your computer later with a critical eye. It’ll help you to recognise strong composition and solidify your knowledge.

By doing this, eventually you’ll be able to automatically size up a location for good leading lines the moment you arrive.

Examining photographs of skilled photographers is a great way to learn.

And another thing. Leading lines don’t have to be straight. These also make great leading lines:

• A winding path
• Road or
• River

Now that you know about using leading lines composition, when you examine a photograph you like, look for the leading lines. See where they enter and leave the image, if they leave the image at all.

Where are the lines leading the eye?

 

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