Using Leading To Engage Your Viewers

Damien Franco | May 20, 2008 | Comments Comments

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You have to consider that when you create a photograph you should have your viewers in mind. This is true whether you take photographs for your family or for clients. There are many things that we have to consider when crafting a technically sound photograph. Of course there are basic design elements like color, contrast, composure, and using the rule of thirds.

One thing I don’t hear talked about very often is using leading as a visual technique to enhance your photography.

So, what exactly is “leading”?

Leading is simply using elements in a photograph to keep the viewers eyes from wandering away from the image. There are many ways to do this. One way, probably the most commonly used, is to involve the main subject as your leading element.

As you look at the image above, notice how the subject is angled towards the inside of the image, as opposed to the facing the outside. This is very subtle, but it allows the viewer to stay engaged with the image for a longer period of time. All of this happens subconsciously so you’re probably not aware that this happens. The viewer’s eyes follow the subjects eyes in portraits, almost as if to see, or rather imagine, what the subject is looking at. If the subject is at the edge of an image, and looking outside the image, then the eyes of the viewer will follow the eyes of the subject away from the image. Typically, this is not the desired result.

Now if you look at the image below of the orange flower you will notice that by placing the flower in the lower left hand portion of the image the photographer has followed the rules of thirds and in doing so also uses the petals of the flower and the angle of the flower to lead the viewers eyes back towards the center of the image and further into the negative space. This is a prime example of “leading” or using “leading lines” to guide the viewer through an image.

Here is another great example of using the subject of the image in a leading way. Notice how the eagle, in the photograph below, is facing towards the inside of the image. This really adds to the overall interest of the image.

One of the most important things to consider when looking at all of the above images is that they all use great composition to create the negative space that allows leading to work properly.

Take a look at some of your favorite images. How many of them using leading to keep you captivated?

Photographs from top to bottom:

RAMON by LOWOLANDS you can find more info at ronaldkoster.com

orange flower by vzonabaxter

Miracles by NetDep

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