Do you notice the lines that objects make in the background of your photos?
Diagonal lines can create visual interest, lead your eye to the subject, or in a desired direction, and give your photos a sense of movement.
Lines should rarely extend from corner to corner. It just doesn’t look natural and it cuts the image in half.
Notice in the photo above where the two major lines start and end. When framing your shot, if the diagonal is strong enough to meet both corners, position the lines just above or below the corners.
In this photo of Blake, the bottom of the tree trunk actually meets the bottom corner on the left. The photo works because the dominant line that we “see” is the top lit part of the trunk, which lands above the corner. Also, my son’s leg merges with the trunk and gets the attention because it is a lighter color (lighter shades stand out, darker ones recess). His leg becomes part of the diagonal.
In other words, the line is not the part of the trunk that meets the bottom corner. It is the line at the top of the trunk and my son’s leg.
A great way to lead the viewers eye directly to the subject is to position your subject at the end of a diagonal:
If you’ve never paid attention to lines, take your camera out to practice photographing diagonals without people. Once you have an eye for them, you’ll be more likely to pay attention to lines the next time you are photographing someone.
