Day 31: Leading Lines

Bear with me on this post because I am including more photos than normal.  The weekly challenge for the TPE Student Lounge is leading lines.  I have read about using leading lines in composition and while it sounds and looks straightforward, I feel like it is a concept that I have been struggling with.  But that's good because it is challenging me and that will help my skills grow, right?  Anyway, we had a morning with no plans and cooler temps, so we drove to Sycamore Grove to go for a walk on a flat trail (with the hope that flat terrain would lead to less complaining from Clara - it did not).  There was a beautiful old sycamore with branches that dipped and touched the earth and the girls had fun climbing on the "sycamore playground".  I kind of think that the crooked branches actually create some more unusual leading lines.

 

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/1600

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/1600

But it also gave me opportunities to practice another compositional technique - framing.

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/3200

And the Rule of Thirds with my little monkey, who probably should not be hanging from that right arm yet until the doctor says her collarbone is all better.

50 mm, ISO 800, f/2.8, SS 1/1600

 

This next shot of Clara on her scooter is another attempt finding leading lines.  Again I feel like it isn't the most traditional approach, at least from the examples I have seen, but I think it qualifies. 

 

50 mm, ISO 250, f/2.8, SS 1/3200

And one last image, from inside a hollow sycamore tree looking at a carving somebody did at some point.  I love the lighting and the framing opportunity this picture gave me.

50 mm, ISO 250, f/2.8, SS 1/640