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What are leading lines in photography?

• Leading lines refer to lines that lead the viewer’s eye from one part of a composition to another. Usually, these lines start at the bottom of the frame and guide the eye upward, from the foreground of the image to the background.
• When used as a compositional technique, leading lines generally move toward the main subject of a photo. For instance, a river might lead the eye toward a fog-covered mountain in the background, or a log might lead the eye toward a stunning sunset.
• Note that leading lines can be anything: rivers or logs, as mentioned in the examples above, but also marks on a road, pointed rocks on a beach, lines in the sand, the walls of a house – if it looks like a line and is capable of guiding the viewer’s eye, then it can work as a leading line!

Types of leading lines to consider

• You might think of leading lines as one monolithic tool in your photography toolbox. Yet they’re far more versatile than you might imagine and can show up in various forms. For instance, we can identify these lines based on their direction: vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Vertical leading lines stretch from the bottom of the frame toward the top. This approach adds depth as the lines invite the viewer on a journey through the scene. Horizontal lines, moving from one side of the frame to the other, increase intensity, while diagonal lines introduce dynamic movement.
• Leading lines aren’t limited to straight lines, either. Although straight lines are more common, don’t underestimate the visual allure of curved lines. Consider a wave curling on a beach or a drooping tree branch stretching out toward the viewer. Bottom line: Both line types have their unique charm, with curved lines offering a sense of flow and grace that straight lines rarely achieve.

Why are leading lines important?

• Leading lines guide the viewer through a composition.
• So by carefully positioning leading lines in the frame, you can draw attention to areas of a photo that matter, like a beautiful mountain or sunset on the ocean. In other words, you can use leading lines to get the viewer to look where you want them to look – and avoid areas you’d prefer they avoid.
• You can also use leading lines to create flow, often referred to as dynamism, throughout a composition. Leading lines naturally take the viewer on a journey around the photo, which keeps them engaged (always a good thing!).
• Plus, leading lines are a great way to create three-dimensionality (i.e., depth) in an image. By emphasizing the start of a line before letting it fall away into the backdrop, you create a 3D illusion that looks incredible in scenic landscape photography.

Examples of leading lines:

• Paths are inherently leading because they go somewhere, and the path edges often create a vanishing point on the horizon (the place where two or more lines converge at theoretical infinity).
• But you can find plenty of other leading lines too; roads, fences, boardwalks, bridges, bricks.
• Anything in a row, such as lamp posts, buildings, doorways, window panes, rivers, shorelines, waves, sand dunes, trees, tall grass, cliffs, and rocks.

Incorporate leading lines into your composition

• Where do you want this leading line to take the viewer? Oftentimes, the answer will involve an interesting feature in the background – such as a sunset – so you’ll need to adjust your camera position until the leading line points roughly in the right direction.
• Ask yourself: Is the leading line interesting enough that it can act as a foreground subject? And can I get close enough to make it large in the frame?

• Finally, once you’ve roughly positioned your subject and any leading lines, evaluate the scene one more time. Think about ways that you could enhance the effects of the leading lines, perhaps by changing your camera position, by getting lower or higher, or even by using a wider or longer focal length.

  Then take your shot!