Leading Lines

I had a project in my Photography class that dealt with leading lines. This is a composition in which the photographer draws the eye to a subject by using lines such as a railroad track. The lines will begin very wide and draw you down as they get closer together. This got me to thinking... What would happen if you only used a single line to draw the same type of composition but getting a different perspective.

You can see my leading line photo:




This photo draws your eye down the road as you see the colors of the leaves as they are turning for the fall season. A very traditional leading line shot, to be quite honest. I could have added more depth even if I had a bicyclist on the road but this was the best I could do while standing in the middle of the road hoping that a car didn't run me over.

I wanted to shoot something that still used lines to draw attention but didn't have the traditional look of leading lines. So I went to Yorktown Beach and walked over to this pier. I shot some regular leading line shots and then I looked off to the side. That is where I got this idea and this photo is what came of that...




This is looking down the side of the pier with the beach in the foreground, the pier off to the side. I also chose to leave in the jut of the rocks on the right so that it added to the depth. The clouds add a bit of a surreal look as they rolled out. It was right after a storm so they added a bit of texture to the photo as they were not just solid white.

This is what happens when you push the limits of the traditional and make your own path. Sometimes it works and sometimes you crash and burn, but if you don't try, you'll never know. You have to fall a few times to learn. I have taken so many pictures that I just look at and then delete because they honestly look like crap. I have tried things that didn't work out but at least I know that now and I will try something different later on.