Strong Lines

When you look at a photograph, what makes it special to you? Have you ever stopped to figure out why the image is pleasing?

One element
of composition that works well in photographs is strong lines. We humans like to see things in straight lines. Our eyes naturally follow those lines and take our minds along with them. We take a little trip to see where the lines end up. If there's something of interest at the end of those lines, we get a little reward for our journey.

In the photo above,
the wooded fence, with its pattern of dark and light, work well to create strong lines. The small easel at the end of the pathway is bathed in bright light, which illustrates the point.

Lines can come from your subject as well. A well placed arm extending toward the camera lens will naturally take the viewer right to her face. With proper lighting (e.g. off camera flash) the composition will pop.

The next time
you are out and about, try looking for strong lines. Arms, legs, fences, and pathways all can work toward building a well composed image. Try placing your subject as a reward where the lines converge for an added bonus.

Give it a try, Pixels are free!