When I first started photography I noticed that using leading lines was an incredibly common technique to control the viewers eye. It is so common it felt a bit like using the rule of thirds. So I avoided it like the plague. I shouldn’t make jokes about the plague at the moment should I?

So, it has taken me a long time to embrace the leading line. I tend to like very subtle ones.

But, once I started, they were lovely. From my aversion came acknowledgement and then integration. I don’t think I have gotten to mastery yet with them, and continue to play with them.

The most obvious ones come from the corners. These are probably the most powerful you can use.

Leading lines hopefully will lead the viewer to the main subject or into the distance so that the viewer can ponder their future or their past.

Sometimes leading lines just don’t work at all.

We can find them everywhere in the house. In carpets, walls, tiles, on kitchen benches, and buildings. There are some just outside your front door too in the road that leads off down the street or even your driveway.

For the exercise, it is always best practice to take multiple new photographs and play with the leading lines. Best not to sit at your computer and just look for some photographs with leading lines.

Start with making new ones.

Now, play with where the leading line comes from, how many you have, and where do they go too. Try placing objects in their path, so that they lead to something interesting.

Post at least four photographs that show your experimentation with the same set of leading lines, and show how you have tried different places for them to start and go too. Show in pictures how they lead to different objects or places in your work.

See what you can do at home.

When commenting on the work of others, you can add a mention to them by including a link to their name. To do this you use the @ symbol and start typing their name, and a drop down list appears and you select the person you are referencing. Post all of your responses in the one thread so it is easier to follow.

Post your photographs in the forum here https://lensclub.discussion.community/post/ex63-leading-lines-10483947?pid=1311205687

Questions to discuss in the post:

1. Is it true that leading lines from the corners are more powerful than ones that come from elsewhere in the photograph

2. Where do the leading lines need to lead the eye too?

3. Where is the best place to have the area of greatest contrast?

4. What can be a leading line? Can it just be a tonal variation or does it have to be a line?