Using Leading Lines Pt. 1
Some people can instinctively compose images and know where to put the camera for best effect, but if you’re not one of them it’s tricky knowing where to begin. When I was learning I fell into the latter category and needed some rules to help me get going.
A Leading Line can be described as a line within an image which leads the viewer through the picture, or to a point of interest within it. As with all things compositional this isn’t a camera setting this is about you, your creativity and ability to utilize your surroundings to best effect in your photography.
Once you’ve had a few pointers to set you off in the right direction and got out there and practised, finding and using leading lines will become second nature. And they’re not just big things like rivers either. Even the slats on a park bench will work.
We made this video to help get you thinking about, looking for and finding leading lines to use in your compositions. They’re not the be-all and end-all of composition, but if you’re struggling to make images with impact they’ll certainly help.
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Scene in a scene |
Landscape photography is one of those areas where patience, thinking it through and taking your time pays dividends. We have all seen a scene we want to capture but sadly we’re in a hurry, so we leap out the car and just grab a shot without giving it too much thought.
This may or may not result in a great shot. But have you thought to ask yourself if there’s more to be had from a location than the obvious? You have to build upon an initial idea. Explore possibilities.
I was in Vietnam driving through the mountains when we came upon this amazing view of rice terraces. We stopped so the film crew could shoot some aerial shots with their drone so Simon and I took the opportunity to look around and shoot this video.
As we drove up the hill I’d noticed one of the little paths that wind their way through the paddies so we went for a walk to see what it would yield.
Almost straight away we came upon some greenery we could use as foreground, which can frame a scene and give it more depth. In some cases just finding a bit of foreground can make or break an image.
But don’t forget to look around you. It’s all to easy to miss a beautiful detail of the landscape that’s right next to you because you’re absorbed by what’s in front.
You have to concentrate and really look at a scene. In the first shot of the last scenario there’s a stick poking up on the left. I didn’t really notice it to begin with. It wasn’t until I checked the shot in the LCD it became apparent.
So how do we remove it? Well obviously there’s Photoshop but I’m lazy. A few steps to the side will change the geometry of the image. It makes things align differently so you can lose unwanted clutter from the composition.
So besides making sure the light is appropriate for the scene, here are 3 landscape photography tips to consider.
- Take time – think of other possibilities for the location
- Find some foreground. It could make a world of difference
- Look to the side as well as in front. You might have missed something
These things are not functions of your camera. They are functions of you thinking like a photographer.
