Leading Lines

When you are a visitor at a tourist destination, signs point the way so you can find the place you’re after. Just as these signs give you the directions to places of interest, leading lines in a photograph send you to the most important parts of an image.

What is a Leading Line?

A leading line is an artistic composition rule that takes you on a journey directed by the photographer. It could be along train tracks, a road, or an avenue of trees, but it’s a line that takes the viewer to a predetermined destination—it directs the viewer’s eyes to the main subject of the photo. Whenever you look at a photograph, your eyes are naturally drawn to any lines within it. You instinctively follow these lines to see where they go. The composition technique called ‘vanishing point’ is an example of how lines can lead your eyes to the back of the photo to show the depth of an image, but the use of leading lines takes this concept a step further. Whereas the objective of using a vanishing point is to take the eyes to the horizon, the leading lines method directs them to a person or place of interest in the image.

Why Are Leading Lines Effective?

Viewers love being taken for a ride along a leading line. Regardless of whether it’s straight, curved, or jagged, your eyes latch onto the start of a line and observe it through to its conclusion. Lines tell you to look through the photo in a specific order by making you follow various elements in the image.

Types of Leading Lines

Depending on their direction and shape, leading lines have different effects upon the viewer’s mind. It helps them explore the whole scene in an orderly manner, adding emotional connections along the way. Here are some of the feelings that different types of lines can generate.

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Vertical Lines: If you want to add an element of strength to an image, use vertical lines. You’ll find examples of this in architectural photography, where the sides of a skyscraper lead the eyes to the logo of the business at the top of the building. Or imagine a portrait of a banker in a pinstripe suit—all those vertical lines suggest stability and authority.

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Diagonal Lines: If you want to add energy and movement into a photograph, try diagonal lines. Direct these lines to converge upon the main subject to show depth and to highlight the urgency in the image.

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Curved Lines: A curved approach creates a gentle atmosphere that feels more natural than other types of lines. Because it slowly meanders towards the subject, curved lines are useful for suggesting a calm, relaxed attitude. They are most often found in outdoor locations such as national parks. Some standard uses of curved lines are a boardwalk along the side of a lake, a winding path in a field, and a bendy pathway between tall trees.

When to Use Leading Lines

Landscape photography is given a boost when leading lines are used because the world of nature is full of leading lines connecting to interesting subjects. Leading lines are one of the most powerful composition tools for landscapes, as it makes the viewer scan the photograph all the way from the foreground to the background.

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When you find a good feature for a landscape photo, scout around for objects or items that point towards this main subject. A large mountain range in the distance might look interesting while you are on location, but a photo of it may not have the same appeal unless you add some extra elements to the image. For example, you might be able to find a series of pine trees that you can have between the camera and the mountains, and the triangular tips of the trees could look as though they are pointing up to the snowy peaks. Or find a river that curves towards the mountain. Make sure it is flowing from one of the lower corners of the image before leading the eyes to the background.

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The best leading lines for landscape photos come from the corners of the image. One of the Wise Camera app’s strengths is that its leading lines option has guidelines from the lower edges. As a bonus, those lines lead you to a position that is roughly at the intersecting points on the rule of thirds. If you place directional cues along with the red guidelines and position your subject at the head of the arrows, you will create a sensational image that is well-balanced and stylish. And the viewer will have no choice but to see exactly what you have directed them to look at.

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Portrait pictures also benefit from the use of leading lines. Imagine placing your subject at the end of a path through a meadow, between a line of trees in a forest, or at the top of a series of steps. Lines leading into the distance show perspective, depth and add an extra dimension of interest for your eyes to follow. Placing your subject at the end of these lines points the viewer in their direction. When taking portrait photos, find a location that has leading lines and then position your subject to take advantage of these directional indicators.

Creating a Story with Leading Lines

Any memorable photo is based on an emotional connection with the image. And emotions come from empathy with the story being told. This is strengthened by the leading lines that give a stronger focus to the main subject.

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Here’s an example of how to create a story with the Wise Camera app. Let’s say that you are in the city with your girlfriend and she is going to attempt a new trick on her skateboard. You want to show excitement, so find an area suitable for skateboarding that has diagonal lines. Rails and steps are perfect for these types of lines—and for a skateboard trick! Set up your iPhone and tap the screen with your fingertip to choose a good position for her on the app. Have her located at the ends of the arrows, then get down low to get the right perspective, so the angle of the steps (or the handrails) flow along with the red guidelines on the app, pointing towards your girlfriend. As she does the trick, fire away, and you’ll have a photo for Instagram that you’ll both be proud of!

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To add emotion or energy to any story, incorporate the type of leading line that enhances the feelings you want to generate. But remember to keep the lines as a subtle, additional element. They are there to draw the eyes to the main subject; don’t make the lines the main focus of the shot. Add impact to a photo with lines, but don’t allow them to be a distraction.

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There are no restrictions on the type of objects you can use as leading lines in your shot, as long as it adds to the scene and doesn’t detract from it. You wouldn’t want a row of rubbish bins in a landscape photo because it doesn’t fit the context of the beautiful scenery behind it, but in street photography, it could be an appropriate part of an image of an industrial area.

I’m Leading You to a Conclusion

To tell a good story with your photography, you need a hero. And leading lines does the job of identifying the main subject within this form of visual storytelling. When you compose your next photo, use leading lines to bring all the factors together to create a stunning image. Lines add depth and dynamic flow to a photo. Place leading lines in your next photograph to see how it is immediately transformed into a more engaging image.