A vertical line composition uses a strong upright line to structure the frame and carry the eye up or down through the image. Verticals suggest height, stability and order. Repeated people or objects along a vertical line add a sense of rhythm and movement in that direction.

Hold On and Keep to the Right

by John Campbell

The line runs top to bottom down the left-hand escalator, through the four people standing one behind the other. They form a single column, and its rhythm is echoed by the parallel steps, handrails and metal panels. The empty right-hand escalator mirrors the structure without any figures, which makes the occupied line stand out even more.