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The SITS Girls

The Secret to Success is Support

Photo Lines and Repetition Tips

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When it comes to the staples of photography, every photo has composition and perspective. And let’s not forget the importance of light and photography.

Putting all of these elements together will give you tons of creative options, and hopefully open up a new way for you to look at the world in terms of taking photos. Cameras are frequently used only for taking snapshots, but when you look closer at the world around you it’s filled with art ready to be photographed.

Photographing lines and repetitive patterns is an art. This guide will help you learn how to take photos of lines and patterns.

Photo Lines

Lines can make bold statements across a photo and the best part is that you find them anywhere: your sidewalk, the side of a building or even a lamp.

Lamp

Photo Credit: Lynda Giddens at Daily Window

Photo lines can also be used more subtly in your every day photography in the form of leading lines. The leading line is a path the eye takes through the photograph. They may travel throughout the photo or converge at one focal point. Either way, we innately read lines in photographs the way we would a book. Our eyes know what it wants to follow and leading lines take our eyes directly to the subject.

Rape line

Photo Credit: Neil McIntosh (via Creative Commons)

02-07-11 - Photo Walk - End of the Road

Photo Credit: Lynda Giddens at Daily Window

Line up ...........

Photo Credit: Matthew Fang (via Creative Commons)

return of the Jedi

Photo Credit: miuenski (via Creative Commons)

Learn More about Photo Lines

For more photo tips and examples of lines and leading lines in photography, try these articles:

Repetition and Patterns

Like leading lines, repetition and patterns help your eyes know where to look. Repeating something gives it emphasis, which is a beautiful thing especially in terms of photography. Look for repetition everywhere you go: at the store, in your kitchen, outside. Think about close-ups and tightly framing the shot to fill the photo with a pattern.

Changing Pattern

Photo Credit: Pierre Andrews (via Creative Commons)

Tug

Photo Credit: Anna Elizabeth at Maintaining Sanity

IMG_0729

Photo Credit: CK and Becka at made by bedtime tales

Colorful Bottles

Photo Credit: Lynda Giddens at Daily Window

More Photography Tips

Read more photo tips for shooting patterns:

Photography Challenge

The examples shown in this article are every day things, easy enough to capture with any camera if you just see the possibilities before you. Spend some time today closely examining your surroundings.

Find at least five patterns, repetitions or lines and photograph them. Take as many pictures as you want using different compositions and perspectives. Good luck!

About Tracie Nall

Tracie lives in Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and more books than her shelves will hold. She spends her days writing and editing. Many of her words end up on her blog, From Tracie. Find Tracie on Twitter @FromTracie and on Instagram where she takes pictures of things that are yellow.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barbara Manatee says

    If I had more time (you know, aside from teaching, parenting and breathing), I’d love to take up photography as a hobby. I love to take pics but would love to take GOOD pics and learn to edit better. I just love looking at photographs!

    ~*~*~*~*~
    April is Autism Awareness Month. I’m dedicating my blog all month long to Autism.

  2. Barbara Manatee says

    If I had more time (you know, aside from teaching, parenting and breathing), I’d love to take up photography as a hobby. I love to take pics but would love to take GOOD pics and learn to edit better. I just love looking at photographs!

    ~*~*~*~*~
    April is Autism Awareness Month. I’m dedicating my blog all month long to Autism.
    http://www.barbaramanatee.blogspot.com

  5. Cristie Ritz King says

    I’m so excited to find this. I’m a few days behind but I’m going to catch you today and tomorrow. Love learning from all of you amazing SITS girls.

  6. Ashley says

    I’m really excited to give this a try. We were encouraged to use leading lines in Indie Business but I didn’t really put much thought into so I’m excited to try it out again!

  7. PatriciaD says

    Just took some great photos of umbrellas (in San Antonio along the Riverwalk) I’ll have to post. I loved them for leading the eye through the photo and subsequently along the river.

  10. Mary @ Redo101.blogspot.com says

    This was my absolute favorite subject – I had so much fun snapping pictures of Lines and Repetitions – they’re nearly everywhere! If you have time, check out today’s blog post to see what I got. I also linked up at Flickr.

  13. Trianna says

    Is it bad that I’m doing my happy dance?! And here I always thought I was really sucky at taking pictures. All of your tips have really helped. Thank you so much! Trying for repetition today!

  14. Stephanie Snyder says

    FUN CHALLENGE!!! 🙂 I took some fantastic outdoor photos yesterday evening that fit this challenge, so I will post asap! Great photo series, fantastic job, Lynda!

  16. Tara says

    Thanks for all this great information! I am going to have to come back and keep reading later this afternoon.

  17. Trish says

    Thanks for all of the links & fabulous tips, I have just spent hours reading the articles from your links as well as being distracted by a few other articles, Im extremely inspired!!!

  19. Tina says

    The additional links for these concepts were absolutely helpful! Lines and repetitions are concepts that can sometimes be tricky because if shot incorrectly, you’d lose the punch of your photograph.

  20. Jade @ No Longer 25 says

    I love this topic, I often take photos of lines or patterns but I don’t really use them for much – great excuse to post some today!

    Thansk for the information on the leading lines and the links, that’s something really interesting I’ve not tried before.
    Jade

  21. Jinny says

    I find it really hard to figure out how to use leading lines, so thanks for the links to other articles on the topic!