Leading Lines Composition

Characteristics of this type of shot: A clear, leading line in the ice leads the viewer’s eye into the frame.

Ingredients: The leading lines are what’s driving this shot. Finding something in the foreground that leads the viewer’s eyes into the frame is what you’re looking for. In this example, I walked around the lake looking for cracks in the ice that were aiming at the mountains in the background. I could find cracks leading in every direction out there, but the only ones you care about are the ones aiming in the direction you want to lead the viewer. Once I found that crack, I set my tripod down right behind it, and as low to the ground as possible, to make the most of that leading line. That “getting really low” part made the cracks in the ice much more prominent and made the leading line effect that much stronger. If I had my tripod at eye level, those cracks would be farther away and much more subtle. Also, because I was very low to the ground and had a close foreground element, I was able to use a very-wide-angle lens.

Location: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Camera settings: Shot in aperture priority mode; 16–35mm lens at 16mm; ISO 100 at f/11; shutter speed: 1/4 of a second.