Using Lines and Shapes in Photography

Composing a good photograph isn’t just done by framing your subjects inside the viewfinder. In order to have better photographs, one should try to make effective compositions. A strong composition is the product of a thoughtful study of the environment around you, its lines, shapes, and the patterns they form.

Understanding the effect lines can have on a photo will allow you to turn an ordinary composition into something extraordinary. They can grab the attention of the eye into a certain direction, they can add depth to the photo, and they can form interesting patterns.

While you may not notice, lines are abundant in our surroundings. Horizons are the most common of all horizontal lines that if placed on the top third will emphasize the landscape, while when place on the bottom third, more emphasis will be on the sky. While adding lines to you composition, you should not forget about the Rule of Thirds, and try keep the horizontal lines perpendicular to the edges of your photo. It is worth noting that horizontal lines usually look better in landscape orientation .

If you look around, you’ll probably notice that vertical lines are even more abundant. It is a natural fact that nearly everything tends to grow vertically which is why vertical lines usually reflect growth and power. As with horizontal lines, the vertical lines should be perpendicular with the edges of the photograph because an inclined vertical line may harm your photo significantly. These lines look best in portrait orientation.

Another type of lines is the diagonal lines. They can add depth to a photograph as well as creating points of interest inside your composition and if repeated, they can also produce nice patterns. They can give a sense of speed and movement. A compositional convention is to avoid placing diagonal lines on the diagonal of the photograph as the photo will look split.

The lines’ types and orientations are related to the viewpoint used in the photograph. Just by changing your point of view, you can turn horizontal or vertical lines into interesting diagonal lines. Combining this with placing a subject at the convergence point will make an excellent composition.

Unlike lines, shapes are used to transmit the meaning of a photograph to the observer. The shape is the first thing that identifies an object and it is usually considered as its 2D outlines.In order to let shapes have a strong impact in your photograph, try to make your object as different as possible from its surroundings in terms of colors or details . Thus, the edges of your object will be clear, and consequently, its shape will be very well defined.

Objects may look the same from some angles and that may result ambiguity. Because photographs have two dimensions only, choosing the right perspective is essential to present the object with the shape you want.

Lines and shapes are abundant around us; we just have to remember how to utilize them efficiently.

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