Over the years of learning photography, I’ve fallen in love with the power of composition. Out of all the elements, I feel that lines are the most exciting and intriguing for adding visual impact.
Lines can impact your images by...
• Creating a visual journey from one part of your image to another, most obviously directing the viewer’s eye to a focal point.
In this image, the yellow line leads us up from the bottom, through the rollerblader’s leg, to the subject on the scooter.
• Adding depth and perspective.
Can you see how the converging lines of the rocks and pathway add a 3-dimensional feeling to this image?
• Helping your subject stand out.
Not only do all lines in this image lead into the subject, but the dock lines act as framing. This is a simple image but think of how lines could help when there is more complexity.
• Keeping your viewer’s attention longer.
All the lines of the canopy lead down to my subjects, creating a circle around them. This helps move the eye around the image in a way that always leads us back into the frame.
• Adding energy and emotion.
Can you feel the pull from those repeating lines of the railing?
I want to touch briefly on the different types of lines you could use:
Horizontal lines:
• Lead us from left to right, across the width of our image. Because we equate these lines with the ground or horizon, they become a stable foundation in our images.
• Tend to be relaxing, grounding, and usually comfortable.
See how the horizontal lines not only stabilize but also add a sense of calm.
Vertical Lines:
• Prompts the viewer’s eye up and down the image, helping them explore more than just left to right.
• Emphasize height, growth, confidence, and strength.
In this image, the vertical lines of the tall trees emphasize the small size of the girl, move the viewer’s eye up and down, and frame the subject.
Diagonal Lines:
• Have a much greater pull on the eye and therefore are more powerful, energetic, and dynamic lines to use. If you think about it, diagonals can lead us both left and right and top to bottom at the same time.
• Diagonals can be anywhere in the frame.
• Converging lines add depth to an image.
In the image below, you can see how much stronger the pull is from those diagonal lines than that of the horizontal horizon. Those diagonals add so much more energy to the moment.
Curves, S-Curves, and Arcs:
• These lines are more organic, usually winding and taking us on a more graceful, circuitous route through the frame.
Implied:
• The nonphysical path the viewer follows.
• Include gaze lines, the momentum of movement, light, shadows, or even the connection between a collection of objects, or between subjects.
• Can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and curved.
The line of the birds becomes an implied line leading towards the subject.
3 things to think about when you have lines in your scene…
1. Can you change your perspective or lens to make your lines more powerful?
2. Are your lines pointing towards your focal point and not away?
3. Are your lines pulling the viewer out of the image?
Here are some more examples of images where the lines have a powerful impact...
Can’t wait to see how you use your lines!