Stephen Walton Photography Workshops

Rule of Thirds you say? Nah, too boring! Today I want to share with you the power of leading lines and what it can do for your photography as I take you through my favourite compositional technique.

What are Leading Lines?

Using a visual path to guide your viewer through the scene you are photographing, through or towards a certain point in the image is referred to as a leading line.

They are so easy to find naturally or create – which is why it’s my favourite technique to search for.

While the rule of thirds you could say is easier as it’s simply about positioning the subject in a particular place in the shot it doesn’t always work best for the subject naturally speaking – whereas leading lines seem to always be a winner.

Lines don’t need to be straight either. They can be diagonal, vertical, horizontal, wavy, spirals and even slightly broken up.

Nor do leading lines have to be singular either – in fact, multiple lines either pointing to the same place can increase the power and drama of the composition.

How to Use Leading Lines

It’s so simple as all you need is the edge of an object to draw the eye through the shot. It could be a hillside, shore of a beach, trunk of a tree or a path through a forest. As long as the line is made clear through exposure, focus and where it is placed in the frame then it should naturally grab the viewer’s attention.

To increase the power of a single line, a woodland path for example, then position it either at the bottom centre of your frame leading upwards or in the bottom corners leading across the frame. The longer the line can last (continuously) the more powerful it can be too.

Common Hazards of Leading Lines

It’s easy to find a scene with lots of lines, but holding back, may not mean it’s a good composition. Unless the lines are running in the same general direction then it can be more distracting than attention-grabbing.

As I mentioned earlier, starting lines from the bottom corner of your frame improves the impact. But time and time again I see aspiring photographers starting lines just away from the corners which weaken the effect. If needs be, add a little dutch tilt to your scene to get those lines in the right place.

I would love to hear from you and find out which compositional tool you tend to use more than anything in your photography.