Curves

While straight lines convey movement, curved lines have a kind of the opposite effect of slowing the photograph down and creating the feeling of time passing by. Curves can also lead viewers to the point of interest in a scene and generally appear more graceful and peaceful than other types of lines.

Curved lines that swirl back and forth have a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic effect on viewers. The world is full of these kinds of lines — hills, sea waves, roads and trails, trees and flowers, cloth folds — you'll notice them once you start seeking them.