Composition question: I’ve been taught to pay attention to leading lines. At a photo competition the other day, the judge was critiquing the images and said you should never bring a...

murphle Loc: Wisconsin

I’ve been taught to pay attention to leading lines. At a photo competition the other day, the judge was critiquing the images and said you should never bring a diagonal line in from a corner. I’ve never heard this.

Example of the critique would be a beautiful flower, wonderfully exposed, great light, with the stem coming from the left corner and leading the eye to the flower. The judge said you should never bring the diagonal line from the corner like that.

Input? I’m so very curious……

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

murphle wrote:

…….. I’m so very curious……

Me too!

Stan

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I think I’d have to agree with the guy. Offset just a bit from the corner would give a base that is lacking coming from the exact corner. That’s my unprofessional opinion.

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

I was always taught to not bring it from the actual corner where two edges meet, but from the lower or upper quadrant.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

murphle wrote:

I’ve been taught to pay attention to leading lines... (show quote)

I have never heard "not from a corner" in a general sense, but if you placed the stem coming right from the point of were the two sides of the frame come together I can see that would be less then desirable. Though I know I have done it myself.

Are you able / allowed to post your picture here on the UHH so we can see it, or a similar one you have done that way.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

NCMtnMan wrote:

I was always taught to not bring it from the actual corner where two edges meet, but from the lower or upper quadrant.

That is more or bless what I was trying to say. And you beat me to it.

murphle Loc: Wisconsin

lamiaceae wrote:

That is more or bless what I was trying to say. And you beat me to it.

Ah.... So it's ok to come from the quadrant, but not have a line coming from the corner. I can't use the one from the show because a) it's not mine and b) for some reason, it won't let me retrieve the full image, just a poorly cropped version for the virtual show....

I will use a pic of mine as an example. Please if you could recommend a crop that would be appropriate so I understand and stop sending in stuff from the corner:) Thank you all for your patience and help.

(Download)

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

Rules, rules and more rules... When you are in Lightroom or photoshop do you REALLY think about rules ? I move sliders, crop and fiddle faddle until it seems RIGHT in my eyes; isn't that whats its all about.

murphle Loc: Wisconsin

MrBob wrote:

Rules, rules and more rules... When you are in Lightroom or photoshop do you REALLY think about rules ? I move sliders, crop and fiddle faddle until it seems RIGHT in my eyes; isn't that whats its all about.

I agree; however, if I'm way off on my compositions, I'd like to know so I can make that educated choice. I don't always adhere to the rules, as I look at them as more of a 'guideline' than a rule.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Unless you are a professional selling photos to make a living, the most important thing is that you like your images. To hell with everyone else, especially judges who almost always have their own biases. Take photos you like, and if someone else likes them, great. If not, don't worry about it. Remember, there is an exception to every "rule" of composition, which tells you there are no rules.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

murphle wrote:

... Please if you could recommend a crop that would be appropriate ...

For me this particular photo shouldn't be cropped. If you take any from the left, the bird will be crowded. From the right side, you'll lose the cool angled reed. Definitely not from the bottom or you'll cut part of the bird's reflection.

The upper left corner has a reed coming from exactly where the edges of the frame intersect. It would be helpful to understand the reasoning behind "don't do it" - such as, does that sometimes cut the image in half? Like a horizon line can, so that you don't know what the focal point is: sky or land? For this particular photo, I find it's a great place to start the eye exploring all the lines and angles. This is a dynamic and appealing portrait of a bird in its natural surroundings.

Other opinions will vary, no doubt

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Photography rules are not really rules; they are suggestions. Sometimes they apply and sometimes they do not.

Just Shoot Me Loc: Ithaca, NY

A leading line is to grab the viewers eye so that they follow it into the photo or even beyond to the edges the photo.
Starting from a corner would force the viewer into that corner and not into the body of the photo.

Ron

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

murphle wrote:

Ah.... So it's ok to come from the quadrant, but not have a line coming from the corner. I can't use the one from the show because a) it's not mine and b) for some reason, it won't let me retrieve the full image, just a poorly cropped version for the virtual show....

I will use a pic of mine as an example. Please if you could recommend a crop that would be appropriate so I understand and stop sending in stuff from the corner:) Thank you all for your patience and help.

I’m not sure how I would crop it but this is a good example of why you don’t do it. That upper left line does not lead my eye into the picture, but right out of it. If I couldn’t crop it better I would probably make that line (grass?) disappear.
…Cam

Hip Coyote

murphle wrote:

I’ve been taught to pay attention to leading lines... (show quote)

Never is a big word. But I did download your photo and cropped and slightly edited. With your ok, I will upload. I concur that the reed coming from the upper right is a distraction.