Seriously, why would you even click on a story with this headline. Do you have a death-by-eye-wish? The 69 entries to this week's Shooting Challenge use leading lines to draw your eyes, even against their will, across their own images.
Winner - Jacob's Ladder
I had no idea what to do with this challenge, but while I was in Columbus for the Mid Ohio Comic Con, I came across this building (I'm pretty sure it was a hotel) with an elevator on the outside. I knew that a building would be a generic choice for this challenge, but it was the best I came up with this weekend. After rotating the image a little and cropping it down some, I tone mapped it and, although I am partial, I like it. Shot with my Canon Rebel T3i, 18mm, f/5.6, 1/125, ISO 100.
-Jason Pyles
Elevator Strings
I actually sneaked my way into this really old building because it had one of these ancient elevators and i was dying to photograph but while i'm at it i looked down and saw this scene which pulled my eyes down with all the elevator strings ,the stairs ,the pillars ,just the whole scene felt very inviting downwards,so i popped open my table top tripod (yes i'm very low on equipment but i'm expecting some decent ones sometime soon) and set the camera down and took the shot. Nikon Coolpix P90, 2.8, 1/10th second, ISO 200
-Omar Hazem
Country Road
I spent Saturday shooting many different Leading Lines subjects. Ultimately all roads where pointing me to this wind farm with it's giant turbine generators. I left my understanding wife and our two dogs in the car with a good book and headed out. It was fun to be alone with my camera and these giant modern day redwoods. "Country Road" was shot with the intention of leading you into and through the whole photograph. I hoped to achieve depth, wide open space, and height, To pull you in, up, and across the photograph. I liked the classic lines of the country road mixed with the contemporary lines of the wind farm. Kind of a moving focal point. Canon EOS Rebel T1i, Canon EF 18-55mm lens,Circular Polarizer at 18mm, speed 1/500, f/4.0, ISO 100, with a tripod.
-Ron Barrett
Rolling Roads
Catanduva, Brazil, from a bridge over a toll road where the only curves are the hills. Shot from Canon t2i with 70-200 zoom. Imported to an iPad and cropped/exported with Photogene.
-Brad Corrion
The Tree
This is at the Brookside Gardens in Montgomery County, MD. The sun was setting and I stumbled across this tree in an open area, with the shadows virtually leading me into the shot. I put away my regular camera and picked up my IR-converted D200 to get this, as I love the back lit look of foliage using infrared. Nikon D200, 20mm 2.8 lens at f8 and 1/60 second; 100 ISO.
- David Fronapfel
Light Intersection
I was doing my first Star Trai this weekend and just about when i was shooting the last star picture i remembered the shooting challenge, and what a better place to do it than a really straight highway that runs across the Sayula dried lagoon. Canon T1i - EF 28-135mm / f3.5 / ISO 800 / 8 sec Exposure.
-Pedro Casar
Lollipop
Here's a shot i took while checking out a new to me park a few minutes from our house. Checked out some trout, falls and foliage then came across this. Thought it would work so here ya go. Shot was taken with a d5100 and 55-300 lens.
- Harvey Taylor
Rusty Rudder
This picture was taken at the pier at Rusty Rudder restaurant/bar in Dewey Beach, De. I had taken a picture of this a long time ago with a film camera and framed it but since have long lost the negative. This scene popped into my mind immediatly upon seeing your contest, so i drove over there right away to take another picture. Gues what though. This picture was taken with my Iphone 4. I then changed it to black and white using the Photo SHop Express app on the iphone and whalla! Maybe you have a separate group of entries from non-professionals? Just kidding.
-Rob Mandelberg
Timberwolf
This scene was photographed as a promotional piece for a musician friend of mine, Sam Young. He performs under the name Timberwolf. He is a singer/songwriter, a very talented guitarist, and a close friend. I had been eying this location for some time. It was located underneath an overpass and I thought it had great lines and great light. I brought Sam here to shoot knowing that I would intentionally rotate the photograph to sell the effect. I placed him where he needed to be as he played a few songs and we were done in roughly 15 minutes. It was great! The photograph is titled "Listen to my hands." Hope you enjoy! Playa del Rey, CA., Canon 7D, Canon 24mm F/1.4L II USM Lens, f/1.8, ISO 100
-Michael Lloyd
Me, Cora and Some Luggage
Me, Cora, some luggage and an auto-timed t2i on an underused stretch of road somewhere on the edge of the Mojave Desert. Leading lines on the ground and sky find all three subjects in this image as we road trip back to LA from Vegas, trying to avoid white-line fever. We were here for at least 30 mins setting up and taking this shot, and didn't see another car until we got back on the freeway. Canon t2i, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, f/3.5, 1/3 sec, ISO 200.
- David Freid
I don't know about you, but I've been seeing leading lines all around me this week. Honestly, it will be a relief on my brain to stop thinking about it. You'll find lots of great photos in the gallery below - some of which may be a bit more of a celebration of lines than leading lines, but are fantastic all the same. Full size shots on flickr.
Mark Wilson is the founder of Philanthroper, a daily deal site for nonprofits.