| On Better Photography A Series by Glenn Pollock On Making Better Photos |
Photos by Rain Rodolph
Glenn Pollock, Better Photography Tips: Page Two Lines
Lines
[Hi, babe. What’s your sign?]
Article by Glenn Pollock
There are many kinds of lines, lead-in lines (“Hi, babe. What’s your sign?”),
one liners (“Take my wife - please”), by-lines, bread lines, clothes lines,
telephone lines, RR lines….. But the lines to be discussed here are lines in
photographic compositions - Graphic Lines.
Lines are much of what composition is all about. Lines are created at the
joining, or edges of different patterns, textures, colors, shades. Lines create
shapes, but they also direct eye movement.
When you look at a photo, your eyes constantly move over the surface.
Graphic lines are a means of controlling those movements [Actually, it is this
constant movement that creates and sustains the image in your mind. If you
could “like totally” stop your eyes from moving for any substantial length of
time, your mental image of what you are viewing would fade into a gray
nothingness]. When lines are used for this purpose, they are called Leading
Lines. They can be actual lines, implied lines or psychological lines.
Actual lines are the visible lines in a composition created by the meeting of
the different graphic elements. Their position in the photograph, as well as
the direction in which they lead your gaze, and the feelings they impart, play
a dominant role in the overall composition. Lines that lead your gaze to the
main subject in the photograph help emphasize that subject and tell you that
it is an important part of the composition.
Lines
[Hi, babe. What’s your sign?]
Article by Glenn Pollock
There are many kinds of lines, lead-in lines (“Hi, babe. What’s your sign?”),
one liners (“Take my wife - please”), by-lines, bread lines, clothes lines,
telephone lines, RR lines….. But the lines to be discussed here are lines in
photographic compositions - Graphic Lines.
Lines are much of what composition is all about. Lines are created at the
joining, or edges of different patterns, textures, colors, shades. Lines create
shapes, but they also direct eye movement.
When you look at a photo, your eyes constantly move over the surface.
Graphic lines are a means of controlling those movements [Actually, it is this
constant movement that creates and sustains the image in your mind. If you
could “like totally” stop your eyes from moving for any substantial length of
time, your mental image of what you are viewing would fade into a gray
nothingness]. When lines are used for this purpose, they are called Leading
Lines. They can be actual lines, implied lines or psychological lines.
Actual lines are the visible lines in a composition created by the meeting of
the different graphic elements. Their position in the photograph, as well as
the direction in which they lead your gaze, and the feelings they impart, play
a dominant role in the overall composition. Lines that lead your gaze to the
main subject in the photograph help emphasize that subject and tell you that
it is an important part of the composition.
A commonly recognized form of the leading line is called an ‘S’ curve. It is
simply a leading line that takes a more graceful, and indirect route to the
main subject, and usually connotes calmness or relaxation; although the
tighter the curve the more tension is created.
Vertical and horizontal lines imply that the subject is in balance or at rest,
with no forces acting upon it. A line that leans implies that the subject is in
an unbalanced or dynamic position evoking a greater feeling of tension or
action, and jagged or broken lines amplify those feelings
But most good photographs don’t have just a single leading line, or single
point of interest. If you study them, you will often find many subtle lines
guiding your eye around within the image - letting you explore its many
aspects without letting your eyes wander out of the frame. These
controlling lines may not appear as actual lines, but are in fact, implied
lines created by the arrangements or positions of different elements in the
composition. A row of fence posts might create an implied line, or
footprints in a snow scene.
The third form of line is psychological and usually occurs when there is an
implied connection between objects in a photograph. The strongest
connection is usually between people or animals within a photo, or with
you, the viewer, and the subjects in the picture. If two people in a picture
are looking at each other, there is a psychological line connecting them,
just as strong as if it were an actual line. If a single person in a photo is
looking at an object in the photo, there will be a connection between the
two; if the person is looking off at something outside the picture, that
connection is broken. Single person portraits appear stronger if the
subject is looking at the camera [and thus the viewer], creating a
psychological connection or line between them. But multi-person portraits
are often more dynamic if the participants are interacting, rather than
looking at the camera, creating connections within the photograph.
Psychological lines can also connect inanimate objects, especially when
there is motion or potential motion implied; a blurred baseball rushing
toward a bat will create a line between the two objects. Also, if motion is
implied in a photograph, there will be a psychological line projected out
from the moving object in the direction of implied travel. That’s why
photographs seem to feel more “right” if there is more space in front of a
moving subject than behind it.
That’s enough talk about lines. Next time I may just make much ado about
nothing.
simply a leading line that takes a more graceful, and indirect route to the
main subject, and usually connotes calmness or relaxation; although the
tighter the curve the more tension is created.
Vertical and horizontal lines imply that the subject is in balance or at rest,
with no forces acting upon it. A line that leans implies that the subject is in
an unbalanced or dynamic position evoking a greater feeling of tension or
action, and jagged or broken lines amplify those feelings
But most good photographs don’t have just a single leading line, or single
point of interest. If you study them, you will often find many subtle lines
guiding your eye around within the image - letting you explore its many
aspects without letting your eyes wander out of the frame. These
controlling lines may not appear as actual lines, but are in fact, implied
lines created by the arrangements or positions of different elements in the
composition. A row of fence posts might create an implied line, or
footprints in a snow scene.
The third form of line is psychological and usually occurs when there is an
implied connection between objects in a photograph. The strongest
connection is usually between people or animals within a photo, or with
you, the viewer, and the subjects in the picture. If two people in a picture
are looking at each other, there is a psychological line connecting them,
just as strong as if it were an actual line. If a single person in a photo is
looking at an object in the photo, there will be a connection between the
two; if the person is looking off at something outside the picture, that
connection is broken. Single person portraits appear stronger if the
subject is looking at the camera [and thus the viewer], creating a
psychological connection or line between them. But multi-person portraits
are often more dynamic if the participants are interacting, rather than
looking at the camera, creating connections within the photograph.
Psychological lines can also connect inanimate objects, especially when
there is motion or potential motion implied; a blurred baseball rushing
toward a bat will create a line between the two objects. Also, if motion is
implied in a photograph, there will be a psychological line projected out
from the moving object in the direction of implied travel. That’s why
photographs seem to feel more “right” if there is more space in front of a
moving subject than behind it.
That’s enough talk about lines. Next time I may just make much ado about
nothing.
Rain Rodolph Photo
See Glenn Pollock's 's Article About Negative Space: Much Ado About Nothing
Leading Lines: Page 2
David Hilbert Photo
www.SoftSeatTravel.com info@SoftSeatTravel.com
www.SoftSeatTravel.com
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