Lines in Photography

When I first started my journey in photography, I focused on one key element at a time, in this case, lines. Lines are when there is a physical line or an implied/imaginary line that draws the viewers’ attention. So, in these photos, I was very conscious of the lines created, and what ultimately inspired me was looking around and finding instances of lines. A lot of the time, the photos I take aren’t from me going to certain places to look for lines, but rather from everyday activities and places I go to regularly, and from seeing everyday activities in a different light. I try to be alone a lot of the time when in the zone, because it takes a more conscious effort to look at everyday activities; you can’t really do that with distractions. I tended to gravitate towards being by myself with my thoughts. 

The photo of the lamppost in San Francisco, for instance, I took simply by walking around with my family doing everyday activities. It was a day I intentionally looked for these lines, like houses and cars, anything that created an interesting natural frame. Not all framing techniques work with lines every time, but it is something to keep in mind.  Now, most of the time in photography, lines aren’t actually straight lines; instead, it is objects that form a line. For example, objects such as trees, cars, and repeating street lights can create this imaginary line; however, there are instances where lines are much more obvious, such as power lines, crosswalks, or lain lines. It all comes down to perspective and recognizing these invisible lines. So, the next time you are walking around, whether it be in school, at work, or shopping, try to find an interesting invisible line wherever you are. 

Lamppost, San Francisco