Composition - Leeding Lines

[lisadaisy36]

Ok, I don't know why leading lines are being such a stumper for me .. ugh! Would any of these be considered leading lines?

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c322/LisaDaisy36/IMG_8544.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c322/LisaDaisy36/IMG_8508copy.jpg

[coffee]

I don't see why not. I especially like your first photo. I love how the subject is very soft focus wise. Gives the shot a wonderous feel. I love it.

[eyevan]

Being honest,ill say kind of .I think theyre a decent leading line picture.Basically if youre girls were at the the end of the shades in say a straighter line or so,the shade lines draw your eyes towards the end which would be your girls.Imagine the shade as a fence .Follow the fence and at the end ,your girls.Its kind of a vague composition rule.I do however think theyre gorgeous photos.

[jerryph]

Leading lines are not that hard... it is when you see something with lines that cause your eyes to follow them from one end to the other becuase they are the MAIN focus of the picture. In the above pics, you have lines, but they do not cause me to want to follow them, because the main aspect of the picture is the pretty face.

Try this...
place the camera about 6-12 inches away from the left edge of the blinds, now sight the camera to focus about 1/2 way to the far side of the blinds, causing the last and farthest 1/2 to slowly blur. Have nothing in the pic except the blinds... and voila, leading lines!

It really is not a difficult concept once you get the first one down. :)

[coffee]

Leading lines are not that hard... it is when you see something with lines that cause your eyes to follow them from one end to the other becuase they are the MAIN focus of the picture. In the above pics, you have lines, but they do not cause me to want to follow them, because the main aspect of the picture is the pretty face.

Try this...
place the camera about 6-12 inches away from the left edge of the blinds, now sight the camera to focus about 1/2 way to the far side of the blinds, causing the last and farthest 1/2 to slowly blur. Have nothing in the pic except the blinds... and voila, leading lines!

It really is not a difficult concept once you get the first one down. :)

I respectfully disagree with Jerry here. To me leading lines lead your eye to the subject/into the picture/something of interest and sometimes are the subject themselves, but most of the time aren't. I guess it's up to interpatation(sp). But leading lines lead your eye to something, normally the subject. A shot with just a set of blinds don't lead your eye to anything but the end of the blinds. I don't consider that leading lines myself, and wouldn't be a very interesting shot.

[jerryph]

Joseph, ever the diplomatic gentleman. :)

Whether the leading lines lead to something or not, is not the main focus of the concept of leading lines, it is how the lines interact with the picture. They should capture your attention and make your eyes follow the lines as they flow.

Take this picture below for example, do your eyes not want to follow the flow of the train tracks around and into the curve where they disappear?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/2394807918_2049967fc2.jpg


... or how about this one where your eyes start at the brightest part at the bottom and flow upwards into the darkness?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2356/2219836968_45b55f5fd0_o.jpg

Neither lead to anything but both are fair examples of leading lines.

Are we only limited to lines that lead to "nowhere"? No, of course not, sometimes it can be to lead it to a conclusion or destination.

However, when the lines are not the dominant trait of the picture, and they lead to (let's say for the purpose of conversation), a face... the picture is not a clear example of leading lines, it becomes a portrait shot with "some" leading lines in it.

For the purpose of the course, at least, I think it would be to best effect if one doesn't start to mix and match multiple concepts in the same picture (ie" portraiture and leading lines). It could be confusing and ultimately not the best way to grasp a concept.

[coffee]

Joseph, ever the diplomatic gentleman. :)

Whether the leading lines lead to something or not, is not the main focus of the concept of leading lines, it is how the lines interact with the picture. They should capture your attention and make your eyes follow the lines as they flow.

Take this picture below for example, do your eyes not want to follow the flow of the train tracks around and into the curve where they disappear?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/2394807918_2049967fc2.jpg


... or how about this one where your eyes start at the brightest part at the bottom and flow upwards into the darkness?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2356/2219836968_45b55f5fd0_o.jpg

Neither lead to anything but both are fair examples of leading lines.

Are we only limited to lines that lead to "nowhere"? No, of course not, sometimes it can be to lead it to a conclusion or destination.

However, when the lines are not the dominant trait of the picture, and they lead to (let's say for the purpose of conversation), a face... the picture is not a clear example of leading lines, it becomes a portrait shot with "some" leading lines in it.

For the purpose of the course, at least, I think it would be to best effect if one doesn't start to mix and match multiple concepts in the same picture (ie" portraiture and leading lines). It could be confusing and ultimately not the best way to grasp a concept.

Interesting shots. I know that leading lines in and of themselves can also be the subject sometimes, but for the sake of what's being taught in this course under composition, leading lines do lead to something. I think the first shot you used as an example could be considered LL's, but the second seems more geometrical in composition than anything. As I would think a shot of blinds leading to themselves would be geometrical.

The example of the blinds themselves being leading lines I don't think would go over well for someone looking to turn it in as an assignment of LL, without some other element to the shot. Fulfilling the photo requirements for grading means more than just the composition in this case, it also has to have interest, and be technically correct for the highest score possible.

This is the reason photography is so interesting. Everyone see's something different in a photo. It's never boring is it? And of course it's important to be a gentleman when discussion include disagreements. :)

[jerryph]

As I would think a shot of blinds leading to themselves would be geometrical.
I'll have to try it myself one time and see. In my house, I have no such blinds, but I'll find some somewhere and see for myself. Imagining it... in my head it could go either way. Though as an easy way to explain the concept to someone new in photography, blinds could be used.


Fulfilling the photo requirements for grading means more than just the composition in this case, it also has to have interest, and be technically correct for the highest score possible.
By coincidence, the 2nd one was my submission for the leading lines assignment, it did score very well, so I can say that someone other than myself thought it a very good example.


This is the reason photography is so interesting. Everyone see's something different in a photo. It's never boring is it?
I sincerely feel that at these levels that we are debating (I surely am not arguing anything!), there is no real right or wrong, just mostly personal viewpoints and opinions, and individually are both correct. And no, it never gets boring! :D


And of course it's important to be a gentleman when discussion include disagreements. :)
It is one of the main reasons I so enjoy the atmosphere here. I visit another forum where the retorts are often absolutely brutal. I do not post often over there, but look for advanced technical information at times from a small group of very specific people.

[daltoned]

Just to add to previous comments re leading lines. I too have looked again at images I submitted and when I took on board the tutor comments, I can see that it's down to what one is trying to present in the capture. When I looked back at the scene description, I realised that the leading lines should not have been the dominant feature in the image but more the supportive item in the scene description with the leading lines "Leading" into the scene (or principal image content).

[daltoned]

Just to seek opinions on the leading lines question, can I show an image I captured in 2006, long before I joined the course or had awareness of LL etc. The scene just appealed and I called it Evening Sunset, Ardglassan, Co Meath, Ireland. I might have also called it "strolling down a country lane". There are leading lines I now see, but are they the "main focus" of the image, is Evening Sunset correct, or is it the road leading on to see what's around the next bend. I guess it's how you see a scene and what you're trying to say in the capture.
All Views welcome.

[eyevan]

with regards to daltoned picture.My eyes are drawn to the end of the curve and to that little sunny spot in the middle of the picture.Saying that however is an example of leading lines but as a whole i think the picture is not that interesting.I dont see much of a subject there except a pretty setting.I do think if the sun went down just a little more and you had some sunset colors in the sky,it would be beautiful.I dont think there a whole lot there .A farmhouse in that spot where my eyes are drawn to or even a red barn and then youd be talking.Absolutely no disrespect meant at all,its just my opinion.

[daltoned]

Thanks Eyevan for taking time to comment, I take on board what you say and welcome your views. This was taken when my snapshots were just that. Although a long way to go yet on the course, I am beginning to grasp the concepts of composition and hopefully get to the point that I'll be taking quality shots rather than just quantity.
Regards
EddieD