Lines in photography

Lines play a huge role in photography and can be used for numerous purposes. By replicating the three dimensional world through a two dimensional medium, depth perception is lost  and so lines are a very important tool for recreating  a sense of depth and perspective. 

It’s important to note, that lines are not exclusively produced by actual physical lines in a photograph like below: 

A HDR I took in Manchester City Centre

Lines can be much more subtle. For example, they can be created by a contrast in colour tones, a contrast between light and dark focused areas of the image and more.

Diagonal lines  

in the western world we have a tradition of reading from left to right and when viewing a photograph we use a similar process, Scientists have discovered that when western people look at a photograph or a piece of art, we start at the bottom left corner and work our way into the rest of the image. In Asia the process begins from the opposite side, as they are trained to read from right to left. Using diagonal lines in a photograph to lead your viewer from the left in towards your subject is a great way of utilising this fact. Lines used in this manner are often described as leading lines. 

In the image below I used a blur tool over most of the ocean to reduce the focus, however I (used a mask on the layer I applied the blur with and) created a path between the bottom left of the image and the boat, allowing that part of the image to remain in focus. Which in turn created a leading line for the viewer to follow from the bottom left of the image towards the boat and into the rest of the photograph:

Lake Geneve, Switzerland

When numerous diagonal lines are used in an image they can be arranged so as to simulate a feeling of action within the image. 

Horizontal lines

Horizontal lines, especially when they span the full length of an image can convey feelings of calmness, stability and peace. They remind us of great horizons and vast expanses of water, however horizontal lines can be boring when unbroken. Although, this is easily solved by the addition of intersecting vertical lines of some form. For example, the way the colourful sails below break the line of the horizon. 

Dorset, UK

Another trick to accentuate horizontal lines, used in the image above, is to shoot landscape or even wider so as to prolong their length and exaggerate the feelings they can convey. 

Vertical Lines

Vertical lines are known to provide a sense of growth or power within in image. However they can also give a sense of rigidity to an image where as horizontal lines are more free flowing. 

The affects of vertical lines can be accentuated by shooting in portrait and also by configuring your composition to crop the lines before they end, this can give the viewer the notion that the subject is too big to be captured and provide the subject too with a sense of grandeur or strength. See how the tops of the trees have been cut off in the image below:

New Forest, UK

Thanks for reading ! Feel free to check out my website at: www.josephrigbyphotography.co.uk