Light flash

This is definitely one of my favorite pictures so far not only because of the memory that my friends and I shared but also because now, looking at the world with a lighting perspective and being more conscious of the presence and impact of light, I find the interplay of different properties of light to convey a view of the world that is very peaceful and soothing in its precise harmony.

Of course at first glance we are just inclined to notice a weird cool effect that lights are doing and the allure of seeing what those lights are doing is often simply interpreted as the fact that it is an unusual effect; at least that's how it was for me in the beginning. However, after having reflected on it more I have found something deeper and more powerful about why those lights might appeal to the human psyche.

The light from the cellphone shinning upwards on our faces for example creates a very dramatic and dynamic angle which is simultaneously soothing and imposing. On the one hand the soft cool glow of our electronic equipment seems to reflect very softly on our clothes and faces, lightly bouncing off, giving us a mellow undisturbed quality. on the other hand the closeness and the angle put a lot of light on certain areas of our faces and cast some heavy shadows in other parts, thus the faces seem to be warped and grossly disproportionate, due to the fact that lit areas are receiving a lot of light and seem wider than they should be (eyes and mouth area ) while areas with shadow seem almost to recede inward towards the center of the face creating an eerie vibe of deformity and repulsion.

Naturally, such a juxtaposition of visceral sensations created by the same image offers an almost magnetic attraction that is not readily identifiable but proves irresistible none the less.

I guess somethings we just love to hate or we hate to love!

For me its a clear example of the profound psychological power light can have in the way we interpret and understand our world.

DISNEYLAND! Of course. :)

I love going to Disneyland at night because there are so many different colors and there is always something exciting and bright happening. By the time it is fireworks time at night, I am usually pretty tired and ready to go home, but for some reason when Disney starts their show and flashes the bright lights all around, my tiredness disappears and I am suddenly illuminated in many different colors and in awe of the lights surrounding me and the castle.

Disney, without a doubt, uses up a ton of electricity per hour, but the pay off seems so worth it. The colors and the moving lights co-ordinated with the music in the background make a fantastic show and make so many memories. There are many colors and lights that I associate with Disney and this picture really captures what I think of Disneyland. The smoky sky because of the fireworks, the purple-blue lights shining up in the sky and the brightly illuminated castle. :)

Autumn Hanna

These are, believe it or not, igloos. I thought at first these were on the ocean until I took a closer look and saw the trees and snow. This is the Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland. Not only is the idea of this fascinating to me, it is a breathtaking image. I love that the snow isn't white, but instead blue, creating a calm ambiance. The igloos themselves have an orange/yellow glow and then there are the pinkish/purple reflections. All the colors together give a sunset feel to the picture. I like the blending of the natural and man-made in order to create this artificial sunset.

Autumn Hanna

The first word that came to mind when I saw this image was stark. Initially, I though the lighting was very simple to the point that I thought it was not worth writing about. However, I found this image to also be very poignant and beautiful in its simplicity. I love the amber hue, the tones and the lighting reflecting off and being absorbed by the different surfaces. I like that the light is soft and brings out the ripples and imperfections in the sand. It also gives the woman in the picture a withered affect because she is blurry, which gives the impression that she has been walking for a while. What was once a simple image has become so much more.

Autumn Hanna

I like the backlighting of the image. It gives a gloomy feeling to the photograph, as if there is something foreboding on the horizon. Otherwise, the image has a youthful touch without the lighting. Even though the image is in black and white, I like that the image still has a lot of contrast. There is a lot of interest in the image, even though it is achromatic. The image has a very nostalgic feel to it in this way. This image could take place at any time within the last couple of decades. In terms of lighting for the stage, I could imagine this image as a flashback or in order to draw attention to the words and message rather than the actors themselves.

Spanish Beauty

This picture is of a beautiful structure in Spain which I found online. I love it for two reasons because it is illuminated by both man-made and natural light. The architecture is also constructed in a way that makes the building look almost holy, as if it is ascending to heaven. Each floor is illuminated at a different intensity because of the open roof and the sunlight that shines through. This makes the building have variation and an even more abstract look to its already modern look. The stain glass windows are another gorgeous aspect to the building, the lower intensity of man-made lighting used makes it look almost like candlelight. I love the two contrasts of light in this picture, and I hope to see this building in person someday.

Light imitating Life

I was shopping at Fashion Island last weekend. It was a beautiful, bright day and I had my camera with me so I began taking photos of the pond with all the pretty fish. The water was crystal clear and completely mesmerizing because of the ripples being created by the fish themselves and the water fountains. It was midday and the strength of the sunshine made the different colors of the fish really pop out. I think I spent about 15 minutes by the pond, slowly circling it, deep in thought and fully appreciative of the amazing weather Southern California is blessed with! Coming from a cold, rainy country I don't think I've ever seen such a bright and sunny day EVER, let alone in mid-November!

I got to thinking about how such lighting (and the feeling that light creates) can be translated to stage lighting. This is one of the things I have struggled with for the Our Town projects. The previous assignment was easier as it was our own interpretation, but this time we have many more factors to take into account, such as place, time of day, as well as feelings and atmosphere.

Turning every light on at full intensity would create the brightness of that day by the pond, but wouldn't actually be interesting- it would be distracting because too much stage would be visible.

One of the most valuable things I've learned from our class is the importance of shadows and contrast.

In class over the past few weeks some people have chosen words such as LOVE, COMFORT, WARMTH, CALM, feelings similar to the way I felt by the pond. Some of those feelings were achieved with as little as two lights.

Ahh the power of lighting desgin!