i got the shot photography
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • PETS
  • PEOPLE
  • SESSION INFORMATION
  • PRODUCTS
    • Christmas Greetings
  • GIVING BACK
  • CONTACT INFORMATION
  • BLOG
Elaine Mueller Tweedy
           (570) 575-1705

Lines That Lead

4/6/2018

6 Comments

 
I'm happy to be back this week, after a short Easter break from doing anything technically oriented.  That included picking up my camera, but did not exclude using the television remote control.  This go round, the subject is leading lines. 

I have covered this before, but today I am approaching it in a much different way.  Usually, when you see the term leading lines you think traditionally of this:
Picture
A photograph with converging lines and a vanishing point.

Wait.....WUT?

I have used this shot before, in another blog post, and it's a very traditional use of leading lines in a photograph. Leading lines are a basic tool of composition, which looks to focus the viewer's eye in a certain spot (hopefully on the subject).

Our brains naturally follow a line to what's known as a "vanishing point."  It's why your brain, and my brain, follows the little footbridge and it's railings back to Moe, and not vise versa. Ideally, I would have liked Moe back even further in this photo, almost to the mouth of the footbridge, but you take what you can get with Moe.

If you kept drawing the lines of the railings to a point behind Moe's back, eventually they would converge.  Our brains are doing that for us and in the meantime, our eye is going to Moe.  Which is what we want.

There are different types of lines that lead, though.  Not just the traditional ones.  So this week, because we are still in weather as a form of punishment here in Pennsylvania (we lost power for 16 hours Wednesday to Thursday), I went back through some of my photographs to find a bit different illustration of lines that lead the eye.
Picture
This time the dominant lines are horizontal (the fence line). Coupled with the downward lines of the trees in the background, the eye is asked to immediately move to the subject--Emmett.  The fence is "converging" behind his back (there is that leading lines concept).

In another illustration of lines that lead, here is a photo of Billie, where sky, horizon, tree line, reflection and water are all horizontal lines converging behind her, to bring her even more to the forefront (where she already is placed) in the picture. This is not my favorite photo of her, but a good example of the concept.  All the lines are blurred and moving away from her.  That pushes her forward.
Picture
In essence, we are always using lines to lead the viewer to a certain point.  Hopefully, it's the subject we want them to see.  I, for one, can't wait until our weather looks exactly like this last photo of Billie.  I have had enough of winter, cold, wind, and rain, and I'm looking forward to photographing loads of sunshine and dry days ahead!

For more leading lines, visit the blog circle, starting with Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography, fetching family portraits in Coppell, Texas and surrounding communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  Here's hoping your weekend is whatever you want it to be!
6 Comments
Lynda
4/6/2018 04:32:59 am

I hope you get some warm weather soon! We are just heading into the colder season here! Lovely horse picture! I’ve never thought of horizontal lines as leading lines before. Beautiful images.

Reply
Kim Hollis link
4/6/2018 08:05:25 am

Nice examples of a variety of leading lines. :)

Reply
Kelly Middlebrooks
4/6/2018 09:34:52 am

Fun! I felt like I visited 3 different seasons with these images. Thanks for making my gray day a little brighter. ;)

Reply
Tim link
4/6/2018 10:06:09 am

I never would have thought of the fence or the lakeshore as leading lines, but they work!

Reply
John
4/6/2018 12:47:41 pm

Beautiful images and great examples of less common (but equally effective) leading lines.

Reply
Linda Perdue link
4/8/2018 09:20:39 am

Nice variety - I like the fence line going to the horse - a totally different take on this theme.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    i got the shot

    What People Are Saying:

    "From start to finish I had a great experience with I Got The Shot Photography.  I highly recommend Elaine and her excellent work!"
                                ~Carol C.


    "I LOVE MY PHOTOS. Thank you so much for getting a beautiful portrait of my two babies together.  It is perfect!"
                               ~Melinda F.

    "Elaine’s photos capture the very spirit of her subject."
                               ~Tim S.

    Archives By month

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    September 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    RSS Feed

(c) Copyright  i got the shot photography
 All Rights Reserved

Proudly powered by Weebly