Leading Lines – photography element

The way how we place these lines in a photo influences us to view an image. We can have viewer follow the line to reveal our subject or go through the lines to view the entire image as a photography journey. The lines can be straight, diagonal, curved or any other shape.

July day in Butchart Garden, a full bloom season.  It was a blast to walk through the garden. I could not help myself not to stop every step of the way.  There are just tremendous close-up opportunities.  The area shown is probably the most photographed in the garden. It is a colorful view looking down from upper level.  There are two curved walk paths with neatly manicured grass borders.  This picture shows only one of the paths which leads visitors going into the main house of the garden. It is like the story teller guides his audience into the core of his story.

There is this building with southwesten vivid coloration and architecture. The largest window on the right leads our eyes through to the last and from there we discovered the entrance, our destination. Journey is to go through all the window cases and flower boxes on the row.

The line shaped like an arrow which links me to think American Indian art, part of southwestern culture.

The shot below was taken by my husband while we were at Painted Hill.  The curved boardwalk happens to provide a leading line looking down from the hill above. Then myself standing in the end (or we can say, the beginning) of the walk provides additional interest. My journey begins from here to walk around the 'painted' dom.

The picture below has a funnel shape leading line. It also has lots of patterns, texture and lines within. When I walked by the place, my eyes were first drawn to the end of the alley. Black cast iron door was shut, so my eyes moved back to the OPEN sign stand with dried pepper strings.  Then, I noticed two pigeons on the ground looking for crumbs or food drops, perhaps?

Except close-up images, most of my pictures are snap shots. I clicked my shutter as I walked by somewhere or sat on the passenger side passing through the roads.

At times I simply recorded 'I have been here' or 'have done something'.  This picture does not look much to me at the beginning, and somehow it started to grow one me. Being the advocate for everything contemporary and simpler, every once a while I am attracted by the opposite. There is certainly lots going on in this small space at Old Town,  Albuquerque. Structure is the adobe architecture style, ceiling woods are aged and naturally textured, antique cast iron window bars, hand-paved brick floor, tara cotta flower pot and the red pepper strings....

Use leading lines to tell the story, two photography elements are hit, one stone with two birds. Good deal.