Lines in Photography

What makes an image memorable? How does a photograph become an unforgettable experience for the eye, the mind, the heart?

Decoding images, we find several unifying elements: light, substance, and lines. It is the latter on which I focus—LINES—lines, and more lines. “Leading lines” is a photographic technique in that the composition incorporates lines that lead the viewer’s eyes to the subject or heart of the photo. Leading lines use a combination of symmetry (repetition, mirrored images within the image) and geometry (shapes in a picture).

Aren’t Lines in Photography the Rule of Thirds?

The answer is NO. A better way to look at this “rule of thirds”, is “suggestion of thirds”. Your photography is what you make of it. One doesn’t have to be bound by such rules. Cell phones, with so many photographic apps, help photographers shed their attachments to old school photography rules. If you photograph according to thirds, then you cannot capture leading lines in compositions. 

Lines in Photography involve compositions outside of the box. Rule of Thirds is bound by said box. 

What does the line do? It lures the eye across the image, up the vertical, and into the photographer’s art. But can’t a photograph defy the line and stand on its own merit? Of course it can. Though this image then relies on the skilled, or lucky, (often a bit of both) photographer who captures the memorable content because of the content, i.e. a photograph during war times, a hummingbird in flight, a stellar constellation frozen in swirling colors of light. And obviously, it is important to note that photography equipment can play a huge part in certain compositions, like wildlife, astro and macro photographies, just to list several examples.

Lines in Photography: Horizons

The line of horizon is similar to leading lines. The curious eye of the viewer is drawn in to examine it. It is an important part of the story-telling for the composition. After ascertaining if the geometry of the horizon is level (recognized on a conscious and subconscious awareness by the viewer), the story unfolds further for the image…the depth and distance of the experience and the unanswered question that is left to the imaginations: what lies beyond?