Question: Landscape leading line and focal point

[Eugene Ye]

Hi mates,

Not sure whether this is the correct place to put this question.
I have been thinking that a good landscape photo should have leading line and focal point, but should the line leads to the focal point, or should the focal point be the first thing that catches the viewer eyes and from it leads it to the rest of the photo. any advice?

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by Eugene Ye

Hi mates,

Not sure whether this is the correct place to put this question.
I have been thinking that a good landscape photo should have leading line and focal point, but should the line leads to the focal point, or should the focal point be the first thing that catches the viewer eyes and from it leads it to the rest of the photo. any advice?

Eugene,

Go to a museum and look at landscapes. There will be all variations possible. You can put a nude or sheep in your landscape or have it sparse and empty. It's what you want that counts.

Asher

[Andrew Stannard]

Hi,

As Asher suggests, all variations will be found within landscapes.

Perhaps 'classic compositional rules' would suggest that you should have lead in lines that take the line through the picture and to the focal point, but rules are there to be broken!

A couple of traditional use of lead-in lines from my own images...

http://www.astannard.com/exmoor2.php...y-beach-exmoor
http://www.astannard.com/lakedistric...-winter-summit
http://www.astannard.com/lancashire2...t-annes-winter

But plenty of examples where this isn't the case! Ultimately I think a lot of composition is all about balance, and as Asher says it's what you want that counts.


Regards,
Andrew.

[fahim mohammed]

Eugene, the only thing that matters is what you like.

What attracted you to something in the first place? Show me. More than likely, I too shall appreciate it.

The only caveat..it has to have the ' gottcha ' in it that attracted you in the first place.

That's what all the rules are all about. The ' gottcha ' element.

Here is something without any leading lines, no particular focus..a wide canvas. It just appealed to

me when I saw it. Even removing the color, only enhances it attractions for me.

To me the ' gottcha ' was the clouds, the mountains, the barn, slope..everything.