Portrait photography tip: Look for patterns and lines

Thursday 16 January 2020, 20:02 by Elja Trum | 5,142 views | 1 comment

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

We like looking at repetition (patterns), and lines give us something to follow through an image. Lines can also form a pattern, of course.

Sarah - f/4, 1/2.000s, 100 ISO @ 57mm
Diagonal lines work like arrows, pointing something out in your photo. Vertical lines indicate height and anchor your image. Horizontal lines, on the other hand, often create a sense of speed or movement in your photo. Their thickness also matters. Thin lines create a more vulnerable feeling, while thick lines convey strength.

So look for lines in backgrounds. For example, a road, a stair railing or the lines of a building. They do not have to be real lines, they can also be patterns. Think of a repeating pattern, such as windows in a building.

Then make sure the lines in your composition lead towards your subject. This can be from the corners, but it can also be from the sides of your image.

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About the author

Elja Trum is the founder of Photofacts and online photography course website Photofacts Academy. He has been writing about photography since 2006. Elja is also the author of (Dutch) books on composition, black-and-white photography, flash photography and portrait photography.

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1 comment

Huub Keulers wrote on Monday 20 January 2020 at 16:11 | reply
Very good to bring these effects to our attention, Elja. Using them properly can make your photo stronger and more interesting. Thanks for putting this into words.
Translated from Dutch.

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