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Ways to Use Leading Lines in Photography

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What are leading lines in photography?
There are lines everywhere: in nature, on man-made structures and can be formed by moveable objects such as people queuing in a line.

Leading lines do just as they describe; they lead your eyes through a photo along a line that acts as a guide. They can be incredibly effective, and can be found almost anywhere, which makes them an invaluable tool for photographers.

What can leading lines do?
Lines can help your viewer's attention be pulled through different areas of the photo, and it can also help draw their focus to a certain point that you want to highlight in the frame.

By carefully considering your composition and use of leading lines, you can really improve the photos you take.

Examples of using leading lines in photography
Have a look at the photos below and see how the effective use of leading lines can help create a 'stronger' looking image.

Consider your camera angle in order to get the best use of leading lines.

This image demonstrates the difference of simply having lines cutting through your image, and then the benefit of having lines running through the image.

The use of leading lines in the second photo of the dog shows how leading lines can draw attention and focus to your chosen subject.

The following photos have all used leading lines to provide a 'journey' through the photo for the viewer:

What do you think the benefit could be from using these 'journeys'?

You can find leading lines in all sorts of places, and they can be easily overlooked. Try to look out for symmetry, or the placement of a person at a point along the leading lines to create more of an impact.