Notice your subject, tune into movement, and experiment with lines. The photographic strategy of using leading lines to pull in the viewer's attention is a common strategy for composing images that create interest. The idea behind leading lines is to make an image that leads the eye to the main subject of the image. A leading line paves an easy path for the eye to follow through different elements of a photo. Just as the rule of thirds, which can be read by clicking here, leading lines is another concept that can easily be found on Google, but here I'm using shapes as lines. Shapes still keep the eye moving, and they also have the potential to communicate a more personal narrative while enhancing the traditional approach with greater meaning. Before I move into my personal insights, I want to be clear: this is by no means the only way to view leading lines, shapes, movement, or any abstract concept. Feel free to take what you want and leave the rest and/or adapt it to your own culture, values, spiritual beliefs, and personal experience. Continue reading below for examples of how to use lines and shapes to tell a story. Horizontal Lines: Stable, Calm, BalancedTwo or more subjects next to each other on a horizontal line create a sense of stability, calm, balance. Imagine the horizontal line as balancing scales perfectly balanced. In the images below, I find the horizontal composition of the yellow marigolds more pleasing than the purple coneflower. The marigolds have a more connected, peaceful presence. Their inherent shape and unique essence work well for creating stability, calm, and balance. Interestingly enough, finding two or more coneflower blossoms that were naturally in a horizontal line from each other was a real challenge. After this experiment, I'm quite certain they don't have any intention to be viewed as stable, calm, and balanced! What nature subjects offer you stable, calm, and balanced feelings? Vertical Lines: Dignified, Powerful, Majestic
What other nature subjects offer you dignified, powerful, majestic feelings? Diagonal Lines: Active, Dramatic, add tensionTwo or more (three or more is my preference) subjects on a diagonal line create an active, dramatic scene that builds tension. Imagine the diagonal line as steps to climb. I think both flowers are able to pull off the drama in the images below, but here the marigolds are benefited by the dark, contrasting background and the diagonal running both ways - one with the full blossoms and one with the unopened buds. Although it was easy to frame both this way, I prefer the drama and movement created by the coneflower blossoms and there were a multitude of natural options for finding them on the diagonal. What nature subjects offer you stable, calm, and balanced feelings? Circles: Comforting, connective, Timeless
When considering shapes, tune into your subjects. What is their natural movement? Is it balanced and calming? Majestic and powerful? Active and dramatic? Gentle and comforting? Chat with your subjects and allow them to share their story with you. Listen closely and you'll be able to make an intentional image that honors their natural movement. How will you tell your subjects' story using lines and shapes?
Notice your patterns, know your preferences, and experiment with thirds. Traditionally, the rule of thirds is a composition technique in which an image is divided evenly into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, and the subject of the image is placed at the intersection of those dividing lines, or along one of the lines itself. If you want to know more about the technical approach, Google has a vast amount of information on this rule. I've been aware of this rule for two decades, but it wasn't until very recently that I noticed a pattern of mine: I tend to place my subject on the right side of the frame and either have a secondary subject or leave empty space on the left (when looking through the lens). Once this came into my awareness, I started to get curious about why that is, and what I came up with is based on my culture, values, and personal experiences. As I looked through my images, I had a sense that when I left space on the left side, I felt called to slow down, take space, go inward. Using that insight as a baseline, I created a personal framework for using the rule of thirds to communicate a more personal narrative through images and to enhance the traditional approach with greater meaning. Before I move into my personal insights, I want to be clear: this is by no means the only way to view the rule of thirds or any abstract concept. Feel free to take what you want and leave the rest and/or adapt it to your own culture, values, spiritual beliefs, and personal experience. Continue reading below for examples of how to use the rule of thirds to tell a story. The framework for the horizontal line placement below came from my background in portrait photography. For portraits, we were taught that lowering the camera and looking up created a sense of power and greater presence, and that raising the camera and looking down created a softness and a gentle presence. To be honest, we were also taught to photograph men looking up at them to make them appear more powerful and women looking down on them to make them appear thinner. So, there's that little bit of cultural insight from 1996... What I like about photographing nature subjects in this way is that looking up helps me understand the big, powerful, and all-encompassing perspective of nature and I feel a part of that power. In looking down, I feel a sense of awe for each tiny detail in nature and I feel humbled to be connected to such wonder.
When you notice your patterns, know your preferences, and identify your message, you can be more intentional about making images that are purposefully beautiful. How will you use the rule of thirds?
Get clear, know your preferences, and experiment with simplicity.
Try changing your position - knowing my subject and shifting left a bit created a thin highlight that separated the leaves from the background and softened the image, aligning with my style and intentions. Minor changes in your position can help highlight your subject. Try getting closer vs. zooming - knowing my subject and my preference for soft, gentle images, zooming in is more aligned with my style and intentions. The spots of light and extra background shown when getting closer still feels too busy for me. Regardless of the camera (DSLR or phone), zooming should cause the background to appear closer than it is in real life. Try blurring the background - knowing my subject was this group of leaves and not the woods themselves, the image with the blurred background is more aligned with my intention. There are many options for blurring the background of your photo, but it will require experimenting with the technology you use. To blur the background here, I used a wide aperture on my DSLR. Once you're clear about your subject and are ready to use your camera to tell more complex stories, intentional camera blur is a great way to experiment with using your technology to tell your viewer more about your subject. For a simple, well-structured tutorial on shutter speed, camera gear, and intentional blur, please check out "10 Great Tips to Capture Unique Motion Blur Photos," a beautifully composed photo blog by Anisha Singh at Pixpa. When you get clear about your subject, know your style preference, and get familiar with your technology, you can be more intentional about making images that are simply beautiful. Which method of simplifying do you prefer?
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AuthorKristin Perry is a nature photographer navigating life's complexities by focusing on beauty. Categories
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June 2021
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