{"id":15268,"date":"2014-11-17T11:15:12","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T20:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/?p=15268"},"modified":"2015-01-08T12:09:56","modified_gmt":"2015-01-08T21:09:56","slug":"use-diagonal-lines-for-stronger-compositions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/use-diagonal-lines-for-stronger-compositions\/","title":{"rendered":"Use Diagonal Lines for Stronger Compositions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AK-LND-02160-2\"<\/a>One of my favorite technique for shooting landscapes, or any subjects for that matter, is to create diagonal lines in my compositions. Diagonal lines add drama and make for much more dramatic imagery, because they have a feeling of instability and motion. They suggest action and movement. They leave you teetering on the edge, holding on for dear life, lest you slip and tumble to dire consequences.<\/p>\n

You could liken the idea\u00a0to a playground. What’s more fun, standing on the flat, safe ground, or going down the slide? Wheeeeee!!!<\/p>\n

Compare this photo with the one below. It’s the same ridge, just shot from a slightly different vantage point. See how much more dynamic the first one feels? The second shot feels static and calm. It doesn’t want to go anywhere. Too much order is never a good thing in a photograph.<\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/a>You can incorporate diagonal lines in a variety\u00a0of ways into your compositions.\u00a0They can be natural or manmade\u00a0elements in the landscape, like mountain ridges, trails, pathways, snow drifts, or ski tracks, or they can be implied using the movement\u00a0or viewpoint of your main subject. Shadows work exceptionally well for making lines in your photos, especially\u00a0during morning and evening when the low sun stretches them out to drastic lengths.<\/p>\n

You can also create the notion\u00a0of diagonal lines by simply\u00a0shooting your main subject from a slight angle. With wide angle lenses, shooting with your camera tilted\u00a0up or down will cause parallax error, which essentially “leans” your subjects either towards or away from the middle of the frame. While too much parallax distortion doesn’t look great in photographs, a minor shift in angle can add a cool quality to your shot.<\/p>\n

Diagonal lines can be used with great effectiveness in both horizontal and vertical images. They’re especially effective when shooting from above and looking straight down on your subject. Experiment with your own subject matter and shooting techniques.<\/p>\n

I guarantee\u00a0that if you start using more diagonal lines in your photography, you’ll\u00a0start making more dramatic photos.<\/p>\n

\"LND-CND-1011\"<\/a> \"Details<\/a> \"AK-LND-DNL-02312\"<\/a> \"AK-LND-01779\"<\/a> \"Spring<\/a><\/p>\n