One of the main compositional elements, which accounts when taking a picture is the line. And a particular type of lines is called converging lines. If you do not know what they are, how to use them, or you just want to refresh concepts or get ideas for improving your photos, this is your article.
When we are doing landscape photography, one of the elements that we use when composing our picture, often without realizing it, are converging lines.
The lines are one of the strongest visual elements available to us in nature to help add interest to our photo. And if we have several lines leading to the same point, we will have an infallible tool to lead the viewer’s attention.
To understand the concept of converging lines, probably that will use the most recurrent example for this technique: the train tracks.
If you stand on the train tracks (making sure not to come before any train in any direction) and look in the direction of the tracks, you will see how the two pathways tend to converge as they move away on the horizon, and disappear into infinity, where they meet at one point.
Really know that the tracks are running parallel, but the optical effect occurs that is the lines converge at one point. You now understand the meaning of converging lines.
If you make a picture of the tracks and teach it to someone, the natural reaction of anyone who sees the picture is always the same: to continue with the hearing pathways converge at the address.
This effect is always going to produce any example of parallel lines to elapse to converge at a point in the distance: roads, stairs, fences…
1. Experiment with the position
Photography experts – Photography to Remember says one possibility is the example of the tracks; put yourself in the centre of converging lines, causing the junction of lines lost in the infinite, toward the centre of the photograph.
Another option is to situate on the side of the converging lines, so that they cross the photograph. A good tour would be their departure from one of the bottom corners and to converge on the opposite corner, across the entire photo. This provision diagonal line creates a more dynamic image.
Both the symmetric and the diagonal location create a very strong impact on the image, but the diagonal lines are more associated with the idea of movement.
2. Use Wide Angle Lens
The use of different photographic objectives can change completely the impact of converging lines in a picture. From experience, the use of short focal may be especially useful when using the resource of the convergence of the lines. This effect is especially noticeable when positioned between the two lines.
The reason is because the perception of the distance between the lines at the starting point is greater than it is when using a wide angle. By exaggerating the distance between lines, it creates a greater impact on photography.
3. Position the Convergence
One element to consider when working with converging lines is that, as I explained, direct the attention of eyes to the point where they converge. So that point is, without exception, the focus of the photo.
When you’re taking the photo, stand to think what the best position of that point in the frame of your photo.
Keep in mind compositional elements such as Rule of Thirds, looking to the point of convergence is one of the four intersections that form the thirds to apply the rule.
4. Add Interest to the Point of Convergence
Many times, what they want is to add interest to the point where they join the lines. As the eye is going to lead to convergence it, is a good resource to locate there at the centre of the picture. It can be an approaching train, or a person who is in a way…
The lines lead the eye to that point beyond repair.
If you place the point, also applying the rule of thirds, you have captured the spotlight with magnetic effect, and will not be able to look away from that object at all.