Lines can mean linear–straight lines from here to there and in my life I can be resistant to those neat and tidy pathways.  But in photography, sometimes the lines can create interest in an image.  I started to look at photos taken this week and noticed a number that highlight the photography technique of leading lines.

Here’s a pretty traditional leading line I noticed in downtown Seattle where the arch and the sidewalk lead your eye down the street…but what I was seeing in the distance was this:

and I’m not so sure that it qualifies as a photo with a leading line.  (It is a fun neon sign!  Can you imagine a hotel room for 75 cents?!)

As we were looking for the light rail, I caught sight of the train coming along the tracks below.  The lines converge and diverge, with the train following a clear line.

I started to notice some lines in nature too.  In Seattle these purple flowers are in bloom everywhere.  They are made up of tiny blooms and dangle from the branches of bushes (or are they trees?).  I’d love to know the name of these beauties.

I chased down this swallowtail as it flitted from bloom to bloom while I walked around the hotel grounds where our resource development retreat was held.  Sometimes you just need to get outside to clear your head and take a mental break!  It seems that the butterfly creates its own line in the photo.

I liked the way the window created some interesting lines in this image from the restaurant window where we enjoyed some clam chowder and musical entertainment…you can catch a glimpse of the Pike Place Market outside the window.

And the sign itself–which does not include a vertical line, uses horizontal lines to draw your eye across the words.

And today, as we drove from Seattle toward Tacoma and beyond, we crossed this lovely big bridge.  Through the passenger window of the car, I was able to capture this view.  I love the clouds in the distance…with just a tiny hint of blue toward the top.  After leaving a heat wave in southern CA, this weather is almost winter-like with temps in the low 60’s and occasional rainfall.

So, try your hand at leading lines in your photos this week.  What lines will you find?  Will you capture a traditional vertical line or will you find some other variation?

You can post your photo alone or along with some words: commentary, a story, a poem…maybe even a song! I love to study the photographs that others’ take and think about how I can use a technique, an angle, or their inspiration to try something new in my own photography. (I love a great mentor text…or mentor photo, in this case!) I share my photography and writing on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Twitter using @kd0602. If you share your photos and writing on social media too, please let me know so I can follow and see what you are doing. To help our Weekly Photo community find each other, use the hashtag #leadinglines for this week and include @nwpianthology in your post.

So follow some lines and see where they take you!  I can’t wait to see what you find.