Disney

In this picture you see the roof top of Hyperspace Mountain (a ride in Disneyland for anyone who does not know). The interesting thing about this picture is that during the day this roof top is white and then at night they paint it blue/purple/pink with lights. This shift in color adds a bright, slight "futuristic" look to the whole building. It is just amazing how a simple design can change the whole look and feel of a building.

Cloud Cover

This cloud arrangement was absolutely fantastic to drive through - the stark difference between the opacity of each of the cloud covers was striking. The spread of the light ahead coming through the clouds is quite wide, and the terrain is visible even though there is no ambient light from above. I do love the very consistent blue tone of both parts of the sky, with one so bright and hopeful, and the other gloomy and dark. This contrast brings on a very clear emotional, visceral reaction in me, showing a light at the end of the cloud "tunnel," if you will. 

Light & Water

I obviously am drawn to the way light interacts with water. This light was coming from a streetlamp after a fresh rain. It's intriguing that the "spotlight" essentially of the light changes places depending on what angle I was taking the picture from. The way in which the focus became larger or smaller depending on the angle reminds me of our lecture in class from a couple days ago. If this were a stage I'm not sure what would control that spot of light. I don't think it would be shutters. Perhaps the type of lens? I also think the pop of blue color from the cup is very attractive. In the midst of the dark colors I find the blue either feels like a symbol of hope to me, or a symbol is loneliness. 

"Painting with Light"

photo courtesy of http://sleazeburger.tumblr.com/

Gels are a really interesting way to create saturated color with light. I have always been pretty fascinated by color and the way that colored light creates and shapes an environment. I collect websites and boards on pinterest entirely dedicated to light - especially neon light.
I associate neon light with a few different things: bad 80s movies, Miami, and sleazy bars. These things all fascinate me because of the mood (almost mysterious) created by all the wild neon light, in-your-face and vibrant. It's so tacky but also a really powerful tool in films and photographs.

Much in the same way that neon lights evoke specific scenes in my head, vibrantly saturated lights - created in movies and photos by powerful lamps and dark gels - aid in setting that scene. Directors like David Lynch use saturated gels and powerful lamps to create moody environments with sharp shadows and contrasting colors.
The way that we create color with light in theatre is much the same, and the lecture about how we do so was interesting because it taught us in a more tangible way about the nature of light. Being able to see how colors react with each other as well as different textures and patterns in a controlled environment is informative for me as a design student. And understanding the way color is created through by combining light versus gels is useful because I have a better grasp on how to use light to create the physical environment from the ideas in my mind.

photo courtesy of messynessychic.com

Websites and Pinterest board on neon light and more:
http://sleazeburger.tumblr.com/
https://www.pinterest.com/tessannbook/neon-signs/

Mexican Coast

I took this photo while visiting Mexico. This was taken shortly after noon and I love the even wash of sunlight across the coast. The vast canvas of blue is broken by the spattering of sparse clouds and the enormous mountains in the distance that look like mere smudges of a darker paint from this distance. The sun hits certain parts of the rock and brings out the lighter, beiger, more orange hues. On the opposite side of the rock the deeper blacks and browns are exposed, contrasting sharply with the foaming white of the water. The white and lighter blues encircle the rocks like separate pools surrounded by a considerable, darker pool. The sunlight gently catches the wave crests, making them glisten and adding more variety to the extensive ocean.

Early Morning Sunrise

This is a photograph that I took at about 6:50 a.m. from my high school parking lot in February of last year.  I used to hate getting up so early in the morning for my zero period class, but every once in a while there would be a perk like this to look forward to.  What really intrigues me about this photograph is that most of the parking lot itself is lighted in grey, whereas just above the horizon there is a beautiful blend of orange, yellow, purple and blue.  I also really loved how these colors, in one form or another, are reflected onto the clouds above.  The lighting really captures the placid atmosphere (something not usually expected in a public school parking lot!), so much so that I think it could almost be the backdrop for a movie or a landscape painting.  Overall, this photo just sums up everything that I really love about nature and the continual rise and fall of our closest star!

This is a picture that was taken during a dance I performed and choreographed. I originally told the lighting designer that I wanted colors that encapsulated a moment of passion, to help convey the story. I think the lighting designer did a wonderful job in helping tell the story. As an audience member I feel the gel colors the lighting designer choose translate passion, love, and reconciliation. Now of course I collaborated with the designer before I knew about the craft of lighting but we can see that that my vision as a choreographer was conveyed. By me telling the lighting designer that this part in the dance was a "moment of passion" he choice colors that represented the essence of the piece. Much like we talked about in class. Expressions, feelings, and objects all can be convey through light. I think it is fascinating how light can translate into different words and feelings.