The main subject of a photo should be clear to the viewer of your photo through the photo’s composition. Leading lines guide the eye in the right direction. Leading lines are often created by roads, walls, bridges or anything that can be used to guide you toward the main subject.
The use of leading lines often tells a story or invokes a feeling to connect people to the photograph. With that said, the main subject isn’t always a person or an object. Sometimes it’s not even in the photo, let me explain:
The Other Side
Photo by Kristy Ramirez
In this photo, the path and trees create a visual guide to the other side. However, the framing of the trees and plants breaking through the gate create a mystery as to where the path leads. The leading lines in this photo create a sense of mystery that is meant to open the curiosity of the viewer, to leave them questioning what’s on the other side.
The Passing Moment
Photo by Kristy Ramirez
This photo uses the train tracks to lead the eye toward the train and back toward you to evoke a feeling of passing by. Instead of invoking curiosity through the path, this gives you space to interpret your feelings toward it. This fleeting moment will have a different effect on the viewer depending on how he/she views a passing train.
Story-Telling
Photo by Kristy Ramirez
This photo uses the art along the gate to guide you toward the woman who is working on an art piece herself. It creates a moment of realization that the art is created by someone and that the wall did not fill itself up out of the blue. It tells a story as the art along the wall lets you know what the woman’s course of action is. This photo captures the instance of her becoming a part of this story – the in-between of not completely being a part of it, but it’s given that she’s already added her art into the wall.
The Lines That Bounce Back
Photo by Kristy Ramirez
This photo draws the eye toward the man about to break the rack, but his gaze amongst the blur pushes the focus back toward you. This technique is often used to create a personal connection between the viewer and the photo so it feels like you’re a part of the scene. Though this photo doesn’t invoke any type of feelings, it entraps you within the scene through the simple perception of being at the same level as the pool balls that create the leading lines that bounce back toward you.
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