The Thing About Lines Part 2

by Deanna

Our monthly theme for the month of May is leading lines. I think we all know what that means, but in case you need a little reminder I am pulling back into my archives and editing and re-publishing a blog post I wrote back in 2015. The principles that applied in 2015, are still applicable today. 

Lou Nettlehorst was the speaker at our monthly meeting of our MAPS (Morton Arboretum Photography Society) a couple of years ago.  Lou is very well known photography and loved all over the Chicagoland area because of his tremendous knowledge of photography, his amazing skills of teaching, and his terrific personality. I went to the Smokey Mountains with Lou and a group of photographers about 3 years ago and plan on attending another of his workshops to Colorado in September.  

He began by saying that you must have good design to create an image that:

• evokes feelings
• expresses ideas clearly, or
• records scenes, objects or events effectively

Then he went on to discuss the building blocks of visual design:
Light - Line - Shape - Texture - Perspective

I am certainly not going to go into each of these building blocks but I decided to focus on one. Lines have always intrigued me in their shape, form, and design.  Lines are certainly the most prevalent design element. They can easily be seen because of their tonal or color contrast. Lines easily define shapes and clarify spaces between areas and they can lead us to places.

I decided to look back into my archives plus add a few from my recent trip to Michigan and find some images that fall into this design element.

Straight lines 1) have a sense of purpose  2) define shapes  3) can take us to & from areas in a scene

Whereas curving lines 1) may create a more relaxed trip through the photograph  2) may be sensual or tranquil.  The 3 photos above fits into both of these categories, the straight lines provide structure, whereas the curving lines take us to an unknown space.

When making a scene with lines as the prevalent design element consider:

• they carry visual weight - thin less impact than thick
• straight ones may convey rigidity and structure
• horizontal may impart calm or a stable feeling
• vertical may convey stiffness and formality, strength or growth
• oblique or angled may convey a sense of motion

"Line is a rich metaphor for the artist. It denotes not only boundary, edge or contour, but is an agent for location, energy, and growth. It is literally movement and change - life itself." ~  Lance Epsland

A Garden + A Theme = Learning

Wanderlust is in my blood. I get it from my dad. We both have a strong urge to wander or travel. I find that urge to wander carries over into my photography. Most of the time even though I go to a specific destination, I just wander along letting my instincts and curiosity lead me. There’s nothing wrong with that as I always find something of interest, but recently I tried something different. I went with a specific theme to photograph. My destination was a woodland garden that I have been to many times. I thought by choosing a place I’ve been before I wouldn’t be overwhelmed with the newness of everything around me. My theme was leading lines because it is our Monthly Focus  and it is something I needed to work on.

Having something specific in mind changed my shooting approach in a positive way. Having a theme provided a starting point instead of aimless wandering until something caught my eye. Of course, the pathways were the first and most obvious leading lines. It was just a matter of finding a pleasing point of view. I soon discovered that if the lines weren’t obvious like the pathways, I struggled with finding them. Subconsciously I’ve used leading lines before, but to look for them was hard for me. I had all these thoughts running around in my head. Is there a line here? Where is the line leading my eyes? Do the lines help or hinder the photograph? Can I get the line higher or lower to improve the balance? Does the line need to stay inside the frame or lead out? 

I discovered that leading lines don't have to be continuous. Sometimes our eyes will complete the line for us like in the photo above. There is not a complete line of rocks that are visible, but our eyes follow them out of the picture anyway.

I also discovered that abstract images can be improved when there is a line leading your eye through the photo.

Photographing with a theme is not something I’ve done very often. As I said I’m more of a wanderer, but I did like this experience of picking a theme. I felt stimulated and came away with a sense of accomplishment. Having a theme helped me focus because I already knew what I was looking for. It also became a good learning experience. The next time you’re out with your camera you might try choosing a specific theme. Although the possibilities of a photo theme are endless, here are some suggestions to get you started:

• a specific color
• things that are old
• shapes
• patterns
• shadows
• reflections
• signs
• people
• arcitecture

For an extra challenge, pick something you don’t normally photograph.

I encourage you sometime during this month to choose leading lines as your theme and post some of your images in the Focusing On Life Flicker photo pool. I would love to see examples of leading lines as I continue to study them. I honestly need help learning to see them!

Focus on You!

This delightful picture by SUA13photography immediately caught my eye in the gallery.

It is titled "Lunch on the Porch" and it makes me just want to pull up a chair and join in!

The leading lines in this picture draw my eye through the delicious morsels on the table right to the sweet pooch seated at the head of the table.

I love the simple use of color here, just white and blue, nothing to distract me from taking in this lovely scene!

Thank you so much for sharing this picture with us!

Please check out SUA13photography's gallery for more beautiful and inspiring pictures!

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Be sure to share your leading lines in our FOL gallery for a chance to be featured on Focus on You Friday!

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Leading Lines

by Judy

Leading lines are a very effective compositional tool that draws your viewers attention to a specific part of your photo.  Since our eyes are naturally drawn along lines when we view something, leading lines give the viewer the sense of being in the photo. Our eyes follow lines to a specific subject in the photo, or to a vanishing point in the distance.

When using leading lines as a tool you want to ask yourself, "where do I want my viewers attention directed?"  Leading lines usually begin at the bottom of the frame and guide the eye up and into the photo.

Leading lines in a photo help to connect the foreground to the background and create depth to the photo.  Depth draws viewers in.

Leading lines can be found just about anywhere.  We just need to keep our eyes open.  If we're drawn into a scene in front of us, chances are its the lines in our view that are making us take a second look.

Look for leading lines with fences, roads, pathways, and bridges.  Anything that is in a row creates leading lines too -  Trees, arches, and lamp posts.  Look at the architecture of the buildings surrounding you, and doorways and gateways can create leading lines.  I love to find leading lines in shadows and sun rays, and by following the flow of a stream.

As you can see, leading lines are everywhere and can make for a very interesting photo.  This month our theme is....you guessed it!  Leading Lines!  Take this month to search for lines that will draw your viewers in.  You will be amazed at how many lines you find.  Be sure to post your photos in our flickr group or on our Instagram page.  We look forward to seeing what you've found!  

Where's Waldo

by Linda

Have you ever felt like you've gotten off track and can't seem to find your way back? You know, you've lost your mojo, your inspiration, your focus.

Your get up and go, got up and left.

Happened to me. And it happened quite a while ago. I'm still searching for the magic bullet that will right this train. Somethings gotta give. I'm ready to go. It's time to rekindle creative energy. It's time to relish in capturing all the beauty in this world.

Vacations are always photographic opportunities. I always find a spark visiting different places. But then I come home and spark goes away. How can I keep it going?

I'm thinking it's time to revisit my simple surroundings, to give myself permission to take boring mundane photos of everyday life. But really not think of these things as boring and mundane, they matter. I should make a record of all the things that are good and all the things that are not so good because that is life.

Seeing beauty in small things, and making a record of it, that just might get me back on track. Of course this is something that I have known all along. It just got lost in the fog.

Everyday practice! Yeah, that's the ticket!

Who doesn't love looking at photographs and feeling all the feels again!

I should have started that 365! But I still can, who says you have to start on January 1, because I'm a rebel!

Where do you go for inspiration?

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Springtime is...

by Linda

Springtime is my favorite season. Right after we clink our glasses and sing Auld Lang Syne, I am ready and waiting for spring.

Usually it's not too long of a wait. This year we were treated to an early spring, beginning in late February. It is rare to see new growth and warm temperatures that early but I'm not complaining. I remember one spring we got a late freeze on March 30. Oh the poor peach trees! And peaches grown around here are so good! Fingers crossed for a good crop this year!

The reason I love spring is because it always feels like a new beginning, a promise of good things and times ahead. Every plant that was bare and dormant is busting out with new tender green leaves and shoots, oh how I love that color! Once all the trees have their new leaves, the color is amazing!

And of course there are spring flowers. Our state flower, the bluebonnet, blooms only in the spring and only for about a month. It fills fields and roadsides with a wave of blue. People will stop for pictures in the best fields.

Of course, I am included in that lot! At the first sighting of a blooming bluebonnet, I begin to scout out my favorite fields to determine the best one to photograph my grands.

Each year, the fields will be different. Some will have lots of blue and some will have blue and red, and some will even have a bit of yellow.  All wildflowers in bloom signaling the start of spring!

You know how facebook will show you a picture from years past? A bit of nostalgia for you to share or not. Well, Shutterfly does it too. This year I was treated to pictures of my oldest grand when she was just a wee little.

Oh my! how time flies! This little button is now a tween, preparing for and getting excited for middle school. Considering, in my mind, I am still about 35, it hardly seems possible that she has gotten older.

I'm not ready for middle school!

But anyway, the lesson I learned from seeing these pictures pop up is that as much as I like to take pictures of things and plants and flowers and skies, I need to take pictures of people. Especially the people that are close to me.

Not only in springtime, but all the time!

You'll have to excuse me now, I have to cover my grey and bondo my wrinkles. (35 my a$$!)

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Yellow - The Color of Spring

by Deanna

Touches of Spring was my choice for this month's theme. OK I know the image above doesn't resemble Spring at all, but if I was at home right now this is probably what I would see out of my window. If you have seen any pictures of mine on Instagram or Facebook in the last week you would know that I am in Arizona soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the warmth. Except 90+ is just a wee bit warm for my body, but it sure hasn't stopped me from enjoying my moments in the sun. Rub on that sun screen and off I go.

Today I'm all about the color yellow. Yellow is the color of egg yolk, ripe lemons, some animals, many flowers, a few birds, butterflies, clothing, furniture, etc. It;s the primary color between green and orange in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wave length between 570 and 590 nm (nano meter, not "never mind").

Since I have been in Arizona I have seen yellow thru my lens wherever I went. So this post is more about images of yellow than words.

I discovered animals in yellow....

Butterflies and bees in yellow....

I know the flower isn't yellow but that bee buzzing inside is sure yellow.

Lots of flowers in yellow...

I have been visiting friends in Arizona (specifically, Phoenix) for several years. It's my getaway when winter has been around too long at home. When everything is still very brown at home, I fly to the land of the sun to envelop myself in the vivid colors that heal the remnants of winter in my bones.

I'll admit when I first visited Arizona 20+ years ago I did not appreciate the desert with it's beauty. My mindset was "how can anybody like living around rocks, desert, and cactus."  Well, needless to say, my mindset has certainly changed over the years. I now find those cactus, those rocks, and those deserts beautiful. 

Even birds are yellow out here....

And then of course, there are the stunning sunsets...

Even tho I am missing the massive blooming of the cactus by about 2-3 weeks, I sure haven't been cheated out of any beauty.