What role do leading lines play in a photograph?

Leading lines are a compositional technique used in photography to draw the viewer's attention toward the main subject of the image. When effectively employed, these lines can be anything—roads, fences, rivers, or architectural elements—that naturally direct the viewer's gaze along the path they create. This guiding effect helps establish a visual connection to the point of interest, making the photograph more engaging and easier to interpret.

By using leading lines, photographers can enhance the storytelling element of an image, enabling the viewer to not only see the subject but to also experience a sense of movement through the composition. This technique can add depth and perspective, allowing the viewer to feel as though they are being led into the scene, making their experience more immersive.

In contrast, while adding texture, creating balance, and enhancing color saturation are important aspects of photography, they don't specifically serve the function of guiding the viewer's eye in the same focused manner that leading lines do.