Lines

The purpose of this project was to experiment using vertical, horizontal, diagonal and curved lines to achieve a pleasing composition.

Vertical:

In the image above, vertical lines are created by the legs of two pedestrians, positioned so as to full the frame and exclude the remainder of the body. Contrast is created by the juxtaposition of male and female, and the eye eventually settles on the red shoes as a clear point of interest.

This image is broken up almost at random by a series of vertical posts. By again filling the frame, the vertical elements of the image give it a defining character.

In the above image, the strong detail of the flowers which are in focus is complemented by the repeating verticals of the successive stems.

This final image contrasts the repeating verticals of the railings, which dominate the image and lead the eye upwards, with the detail and context at the top of the frame.

Horizontal:

In the image above, a strong telephoto has been used to compress the successive horizontal lines of successive bridges over the Thames. The two buses also create a prominent horizontal line of red across the frame.

In this image, successive horizontals comprising buildings, fences and lines in the road are complemented by a horizontal pattern of bicycle stands. The eye is led by the horizontals across the picture, in the same way that the car is also about to travel.

In this image above, a single horizontal line centered in the frame divides the image into two equal portions. The horizontal arrangement of the people in the frame draws the eye across the image, settling on each subject in turn. The subjects are at the same time unified by their location and arrangement, while also absorbed in their own private worlds.

This final image layers a series of horizontal elements, some in the near foreground and others far in the distance, into single seaside composition in which the eye naturally passes from left to right across the image.

Diagonal

In this image the roof line of the buildings has been positioned to divide the frame diagonally into two halves comprising the buildings and the sky.

Above we see two diagonals created from the tops and bottoms of the line of bollards.

In this image we see the diagonal lines of the shelves and the ceiling strip lights merge into a vanishing point in the centre of the picture. Your eye I drawn to the customers inspecting the goods they have chosen.

Curves

This images leads the eye naturally from left to right as the stairs descend, while the differing texture and colour of the steps and the wall create an impression of two contrasting blocks balancing the image.

In this image the shape of the structure is enhanced and made more visually interesting by the perspective of the viewpoint, creating intersecting curves. The eye follows the curve of the building downwards and from right to left.