Diagonals and triangles: add energy to your compositions

Horizontal lines feel calm and vertical lines feel strong, but diagonals feel active. They suggest movement and lead the eye across the frame.

Finding diagonals

• Staircases, ramps and railings
• Shadows cast by low sun through arches and windows
• Rows of chairs or tables seen from an angle
• Roof lines and the edges of buildings photographed from a corner

Creating diagonals

Shoot a straight row from an angle instead of straight on. Tilt your angle slightly when photographing patterns. In portraits, angle the subject’s body rather than squaring the shoulders to the camera.

Triangles

Three points of interest form an implied triangle that feels stable and keeps the eye inside the frame. In group photos, arrange heads at different heights instead of a straight line. In product photos, place three items in a loose triangle.

Dynamic diagonals in action

For sports and dance, such as a jarana performance, diagonal poses and movement through the frame from corner to corner create energy that a centered, static subject cannot.