Week 9 Site Specific: Spectrum

Like many in our class, I observed the Irvine Spectrum. It is a very different experience when you go with the task of observing the light. I noticed a lot of warm amber being used (or warm incandescent looking) light. There are occasional blue or pink accents in the overall space as well. The space is lit by several smaller lights and the architecture is showcased (such as the arches or things connecting the alleys of stores. I feel the light contributes to an inviting, joyful, and intimate feel. Things feel bright because of the contrast, but overall it is soft low intensity lighting that is warm. I also think the collection of little soft light sources which creates depth in the space that connects me to the intimate feeling. I can't take credit for the above photos, my attempt at photographic the outdoor location was unsuccessful.



I want to start with the store that was less successful with their lighting. This is inside Foreign Exchange. Their mission is to "unify different cultures and diversities through fashion" and it values "attention to detail, comfort, and quality". I don't think the lighting is terrible, but its what I would call, "whatever lighting". The best word to describe the lighting design is that it is unfocused. In this photo alone, there are seven different fixtures that say different things. In their defense however, you could say they were being "diverse" with their lighting choice. (Laughs). When I think diversity, I think vibrant with life. This store is shades of gray at best. I don't think the lighting does a very good job at focuing the eye towards the clothing either.


This is a photo inside the Levi's store. Whenever there is track lighting in homes on HGTV, there are always critiques of it being "so 90's", but this design is more successful than the latter. The design supports the rugged and timeless feel. There lighting is less diffused as well, so you can better appreciate the texture and dimension of the clothing. The lighting is also closer to how a home or art gallery might be lit. So in that sense it is more inviting.

Week 9: Site Specific Blog Irvine Spectrum

This is a picture of the overall environment of the Irvine Spectrum. I felt that the lighting designers were trying to achieve a feeling of old Hollywood glamour. I think this is what the environment is supposed to feel like because they used these lamp posts that resemble the style of Art Deco. Also, these lamps create dramatic pools of light almost like spot lights. In this picture you can also see that the palm trees are covered in white Christmas lights (I'm not sure if this is seasonal or is always a part of the design) which creates these gigantic pillars of light. These pillars create a statement of grandeur and majesty. I feel like they do succeed in creating a glamourous and glitzy atmosphere because of the stylized lamp posts and the lights on the trees.

The picture on the right is the store that I found had the most successful lighting. This picture shows one side of the restaurant called Javier's. I felt that the restaurant was going for a mysterious, alluring, and sensual atmosphere. As seen in the picture, light is being directed upwards against the building which shows off the interesting patterns and shapes of the architecture. This light has an amber color to it with helps create a sensual and alluring feeling. Also, there is a small window with four candles inside. The motif of candle light is prevalent with this restaurant and it adds the feeling of warmth and intrigue.

The picture to the left was a store that I thought had the least successful lighting. It was a shoe store called Eilatan. All they had for lighting was florescent lighting from the ceiling and long florescent lights against the walls to bring some attention to the merchandise they were selling. I felt that there was only one objective to this design: create a hip and industrial atmosphere and put extra light on the shoes. But this extra light was jarring and harsh. There was nothing hip or exciting about the lighting. They did not play with angles which would have drawn attention to the shoes without overpowering the store.

Out on the Town week 9

I visited the Irvine Spectrum for this assignment. It was a great place to go because the Spectrum really reaches out to a wide audience. It advertises itself, not just for its shopping, but its atmosphere. There are even pos

ters suggesting what a great date place the Spectrum can be to UC Grads that can't dance (not a problem for the grad students in this class). The dynamic outreach of the Spectrum is really reflected in its lighting design and many lighting fixtures. It serves as a fun, romantic, entertaining, and classy location. The palm trees are lit with warm hues. There is excitement in the use of grand scale. The Spectrum really plays with levels. Lights are imbedded in the floor. There are street lamps that suggest a midnight stroll. The palm trees reach even higher with the

light pouring onto their greenery above. On top of the warm tones that flood most of the walk, there is a great use of purple hues. There is a mix of magic and romance between the ambers and the purples. In the combination of these hues and variety of light fixtures, the spectrum reaches out to enterta

in and enchant. I did not display a picture of the light posts that line the walk from the parking structure, but I did attach a photo of one of the other fixtures from the Spectrum above. You can see that the fixture has a fabric of mirrors. At night, the light catches the mirrors and shimmers in a really beautiful way, which adds to the majestic atmosphere. I think as a shopping center that advertises itself as a place for friends and couples to mingle, the Spectrum did a great job by combining sophisticated, classy, and warm lighting with some really exiting purple hues and dazzling light fixtures.

I then visited a store by the name Customize. It is a very urban, cool, edgy, hip store. I found that they were not only creative in the design of their store, the lay out, and general interior design, but in terms of lighting. Along the walls they had vertical strips of light emerge just enough to add highlight to displ

ayed merchandise. The lights were innovative, but functional. There is a lot of down light that adds a lot

of warmth and made it easy to see everything even though the light was n

ot all even. Yet, unlike other shops that flood the shop with light, Customize used down lights and accent lights as mentioned earlier. Plus, all the light fixtures really created a cohesive feeling that matched their audience and store design. The light quality matched that of urban construction lights and there was also a warm glow to the store. The fixtures were all steel and silver. Part of the store had a sunroof that emulated being in a building under construction so that there was a mix of natural light and construction light.

Altogether, the renovated urban style of the store was really conveyed through their artsy design and use of such lighting and creative accent fixtures.

The next picture is not a store, but a restaurant. I took a quick visit to the Yard House because as I was walking the lighting of the restaurant from outside pulled me in. Yard House is a classy dine out experience mixed with the atmosphere of a sports bar. The atmosphere is dark, textured, and elegant. I would actually go as far as to say the Yard House lighting design is very close to that of Cheesecake Factory in the sense that there are pools of light that fall onto the tables, light is intricately designed on the ceiling, the lighting fixtures are classy and creative, and the colors are warm. Yard House's light is a harsher amber. It really brings out the colors in the dark wood of the architecture and tables. Yard House, as a classier sports bar and restaurant, sells itself as a more refined dining experience and a place of classic Rock. It is intimate and, like the music, classic. The pools of light on each table isolate each dining experience. There is an overall warmth to this darkly lit restaurant. It glows. As a restaurant selling itself for its classic rock, American food, and great style, Yard House did a great job of capturing a cultivated, warm, and elegant sense of lighting through its design.

Week 9: Site Specific Blog

For this project I chose to go to The Irvine Spectrum. This project was interesting to do so close to the Holidays because the lighting in this venue was amped up to match the holiday spirit. What I found while I was walking around is that, in general the Spectrum is lit to make the consumer feel like they are in a special and classy place. When you walk around the lighting hasalmost a romantic feel to it. Not because there are reds and pinks but because there is beautiful amber glow that floods most of the outside walkway. As you walk through the Spectrum it almost has that midnight stroll in the park feel that we tried to emulate in one of our exercises.

As formy specific picture, I wanted to show how the designers can break up the space to show that there is something different or seasonal in a location. What we are looking at here is the lighting for the ice skating rink surrounded by the the lit palm trees and amber glow described above. In this picture we can see that the designer predominately used cool colors to light the overhang of the rink. This choice obviously connects to the fact that you are skating on something frozen. But what I think is really interesting about this compositionally is that it really sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the lighting that surrounds it and this choice to not blend is clearly the objective. The more obvious you can make this rink stand out the more people are going to stop by and pay to skate. One impressive thing I would like to point out is the intelligently lit palm in the center of the photo. The designer was able to bounce the striking blue off the palm tree so that people from far away could see that something was different over there.

The next picture is of a store that I cannot remember the name of. Truth be told the employees were looking at me funny so I had to take this shot from outside. But the lighting was so dismal that I had to get this shot. In this store they were selling higher end quality clothes and the lighting aspired to support that. This lighting largely failed to do so because it was sloppy and designed without much thought. I think the first thing you notice is the 5 very sharp pools of light above theclothes on the wall.The lighting designer was trying to make a cool effect with thelighting but because the lights are not even and there are not more of them that extend to the left, the composition seems unbalanced and sloppily executed. Another thing to point out in this picture is that there are some unattractive shadows on the wall. If you look at the clothes hanging on the rack in the wall, there are shadows on the floor and the wall. This lighting of the clothes busies the room in a way that is off putting. It almost looks messy even though the clothes are on the rack in an orderly fashion. In general this shop should think about maybe adding some more color and light in general. I also think if the specials were softened it would be more interesting to look at.

The photo I picked for good lighting is in Old Navy. Old Navy likes to sell clothes that are a little bit cheaper but still look nice. They kind of have a pre-packaged feel to them and I think the lighting supports this. The lighting in this store is a bit more industrial with clearly exposing the long florcents and making that part of what you see in the store. There is no hiding or shadows really it just feels clean and bright. This store really gets its job done. Wen you walk in you know what you are getting.

I also want to point out that Anthropologie spends a lot of effort in the design of their store in general. The lighting is very much a part of that. They want to make the consumer feel like they are at home in a very beautiful place. I also attached a picture of this because it is incredible how they use fixtures above supported by other light sources like chandeliers and lamp.

Site Specific Blog Irvine Spectrum

The overall theme of the Irvine Spectrum is of an upscale open air market. Its architecture has been compared to Morocco, The Moors of Spain and Alhambra, Spain. The picture below is The Mausoleum of Mohammad V in Rabat, Morocco.
The picture on the right is the entry into the corridor opposite the Carousel at The Irvine Spectrum. The structural similarities between the pictures are apparent. The Irvine Spectrum's use of lighting plays a large roll in highlighting its structural nuances. Since this shopping venue is in Orange County, CA, so close to Disneyland, I feel that the lighting does contribute to a theme park feel. However, the lighting is really quite beautiful. The examples that standout in this picture are the cool, calming blue neon lights, accenting the upper angles above the arch, the sconces warmly illuminating the walls, and the small hanging lights across the walkway that give a festiveness of an outdoor carnival. The large hanging light at the beginning of the corridor seems to give a more formal entryway feeling to the path of shops. I feel that the builders and lighting designers succeeded in their designing process of creating an OC/Moroccan market place.

The next picture is of a shop that has an open ceiling industrial look. It does not work. The lighting and the unfinishedness of the ceiling give a real warehouse feel in a rough, unkept way. The randomly placed spotlights with the florescent tube lighting fixtures did not seem to fit into the Irvine Spectrum's more polished thematic look. The spotlights did not always seem to have a real purpose in their focus. This shop did not feel inviting and made me feel like I would have to go to work if I entered into the factory-like setting.

The last two pictures are of a shop named Hollister. I was intrigued by the hidden/reveal lighting throughout the store. It was surprising how well the directional spot lights were used. An example is how the rug is perfectly outlined with light. Each area of clothing is lit very well but once you step away from a display you enter into a most contrasting darkness. This shop has a surf theme, which I could not get from the lighting or architecture. However in the last picture the use of reflecting light on a corrugated metal above surfboards, is how I could surmise the surf theme.

Week 8: A Variation

So last week, I wrote about the sight of the lower level plaza and how gorgeous it was in the morning sun. But as I walked out of the arts lab in the late evening, I also thought it would be an interesting sight to write about. I got a pristine sense from the lighting in the evening. And what I think made me feel this way was the brighter and whiter lights on the balconies and the"filters"/"gobos" in front of them. The filters are perforated and give a twinkle effect to the lights they are in front of (..or maybe a result of my bad vision?). But as you walk by and look at them there is a lot of movement in it which is exciting.

The setting was very quiet and still, but had an energetic feel. For me, the energy in the morning scene was uplifting and joyful. The evening scene had a busy excitement (despite there being calm in the space when I observed the photograph). I'm so excited to have more UCI Arts department history happening here!

Week 8: Moony Rain Clouds

Tonight I found myself intrigued by moonlight. There is something so stunning about the glow the moon has. It is interesting to me that the moon's light has such a blue tint to it, and how that color is different then the sun. It was really apparent in the way that the moon lit up the scattered rain clouds. This is the image that is particularly striking to me. There is something beautiful about how the cloud can catch the light contrasted by the blackness of the night sky. This got me thinking about how you can capture light with. I know in Disney Land they have experimented with projecting on to mist of water. What other things can one project light on that would provide a beautiful contras? I know that there are fog machines that do this. But is their a way to contain the fog. What would it look like to catch fog in a glass box and shine light on it that way. It might not work or be interesting. That said I do think that the etherial and mysticism of lit clouds is engaging.

Site Specific Blog - The District

I went to a movie at the District this weekend, so I took the opportunity to take some pictures on my camera-phone while I was there.

The first two pictures I've posted are a couple of examples of the overall feeling of the District. The first shows a beautiful composition of balanced, yet asymmetrical, lighting that draws your interest through the entire aisle. It appears that the designers were looking for something classic, but open for people for all ages---and I think that they accomplished that.

The second picture shows some of the hanging lights put up for the holidays. Even though this is an addition to the normal lighting, it definitely provided a warmth to the season.

The third picture is my example of good lighting composition (although it looked much better in person). Outside of Chaparosa Grill, they've added a fireplace. The atmosphere created by this was really amazing. It almost seemed like you were going home.

The last photo was taken outside the Toys R Us Express Store. I believe that this is a temporary store, but it was quite disappointing. The lighting was minimal and made it feel like you were entering a warehouse. Especially around the holidays, I feel that stores should reflect an inviting warmth, and this store definitely failed to provide that.

Week 8: At the Zoo

I took this picture of meerkats at the zoo earlier this past summer. At the time, I took the picture because I thought the meerkats were funny and adorable. But now that I look at the photograph from a lighting perspective, I really like how the pools of light fill the picture. This picture reminds me of how we have made pools of light in some of the compositions we created in class. This picture shows the texture that we have been trying to imitate in some the compositions.

week8 again

I took this photo a week ago during a photo shoot with one of my roommates. What interests me about this photo is how the light softly enters the room with a kind of warmth. There is an antique feeling that is complimented by a warmth of afternoon light. It is gentle, but holds detail. The way the shutters are arranged lets in the light in a beautiful manner that says something of a lazy sunday in a room where the only light source comes from this window. The way the natural light on the outside filters into the unlit room and then bounces off walls to give some definition to the surroundings reminds me of how amazing natural lighting is. Looking at the photo I feel how intimate the moment is. There isn't a large group standing about this window. This is a place for one person enjoying the filtering light that passes into their room. It evokes a kind of stillness. There is no urgency, just observation in simply being here in this place by this window.

Week 8 - Optimism

My brother in Budapest sent me a few more photos this week, and I really loved this one, particularly because of the beams of light shining through the clouds. It's pretty incredible how a source of light can have such an amazing aesthetic. I love how it provides a feeling of optimism to an otherwise grey and somber setting. The lighting from the bus in the lower left-hand corner also gives a degree of hopeful interest.

Week 8 Strange Rainbow

This photo was taken from our home looking towards Saddleback Mountain. The overshadowing amber color in the sky put an almost orange-like cast on the sky, buildings, trees. There is a part of a rainbow starting from the right side of the rooftop. The rainbow is also affected by the amber hue. The overall feel was very unusual. It felt different almost unnatural with having such a dominant hue over everything.
It reminds me of some of our lighting projects on how the dominance of an overall hue can truly change what would be a normal event into one of unusual, extraordinary and otherworldly. Lighting like this could be used to make the natural unnatural.

Week 7 Glimpse

This image of the sky after/during a rainstorm. At first I did not like this picture because of the pole and wires, however upon more investigation I have come to embrace the contrast of light/darkness, pattens and colors within the clouds. I find the development intriguing, starting the gray at the top into line of pink hue in the middle and then opening into the sheeting and pooling of the whiteness. The way the whiteness casts down almost reminds me of our overheads in 1100 can be used in a directionally similar fashion. I feel lightness, an opening reveal from unsureness to a glimpse of what is to come.

Week 7 Morning Sun

So this is a photo of the lower level of or arts plaza in the morning. The weather was warm, and the sunlight gave a vibrancy to the plants. The buildings along the were indirectly lit so it didn't have any harsh angle lighting. The plants were glistening in the sun and breeze. This vision was really joyful and happy. The leaves were definitely beginning to show signs of the fall season against the lush green below them. The sun just seems to be lighting a pathway to go on with the week and created this very expansive feel in this area.

Week 7: TV Glow

This week I found myself looking into a neighbors apartment. They were watching TV in a dimly lit room and I could not stop looking at the way the entire room was lit in the rhythmic pattern of images changing on the TV. I think this image is familiar to most, but we do not often take a second look at it. I was really interested in the purple blue glow that brightens and softens at a varied cadence. Light can have a rhythm! I felt as mesmerized as the viewer of the TV program by this glow. It is similar to the way I look at fire but this light is so artificial that it fills me with a feeling of wonder as well as smallness. I started to think about all the technology I do not understand and realized that I may not be qualified to use some of the technology I use. I am interested to see depending on the context of a piece what this kind of lighting would do to help tell a story. Or would it just look like a cool lighting trick was being utilized?

Week 8 Outside the Library

This picture was taken at night outside the Langson Library. Although you can't really see it in the picture, the yellow light from underneath the arches was particularly eerie. The light made the entire entrance way to the library feel strange and almost sinister. Perhaps it is because there is a slight greenish tint to the yellow light that makes the ambiance of this picture feel unnatural and creepy.

week 8

This is a photo I took in Spain during my travels this past summer. I found this moment awaiting me around a corner while I walked the cobblestone streets of a white Spanish village. What I love about this picture is the soft lighting. There is a sweet serenity and beauty to the photo. I feel relaxed as I gaze upon the flowers and a nostalgia for summers past. The lilac is very feminine and whimsical. Because the photo has such a small field of focus, much of the image is blurred. Yet, the blur in the detail of the flower communicates a sense of movement and magic. I almost see the slightest of a twinkle even though it is clear the light is consistent. The image puts me at ease while also reminding me of all the beauty in nature and in life.

Week 7 - Maui Vacation

My family took a vacation to Maui, Hawaii a couple years ago, and I recently came upon all the pictures on my computer. It was a great chance to look back at some of the incredible sight-seeing we had done. Some of it I had forgotten, by when I saw this picture, I remembered how we were just about to leave the beach when we noticed this rock jutting out of the side of a small cliff. It closely resembled a coyote/dog in the night. The sun was going down quickly, so it was quite lucky that we snapped the picture in time. I thought that this would be a good example of lighting, because both in lighting and choreography class, we've talked about "revealing and hiding." Choosing what to reveal and what to hide will add more emotional content to a piece, whether it be through lighting or choreographic approach.

Week7

I had acupuncture a few weeks ago and during the time I was putting myself back together after the treatment I found the time to take a picture of the door that had mesmerized me for half of my acupuncture nap. The way the little mirrors of door capture and reflect light is inspiring to me. How the light creates patterns upon the surface of this collection of mirrors and cascades down in a patchwork of light and glass. The picture fills me with a sense of calm disorientation. There is a blur that intertwines with the clarity of the repetition of shape. Because of the nature of the glass window, I see different forms of white light blending and contrasting each other. There is an organized flurry. There is distortion and bright light. Also, there is an element of intimate space in this configuration of captured light and glass. It almost gives the feeling as if one is in the shower.

Week 6 Sunset

This is a picture of a sunset after some precipitation in Lake Forest, California. The ominous dark colors at the very top give an unknown kind of feeling. The clouds were blanketed above with the perception of a very low ceiling being felt. The sunset illuminates the softer texture of the clouds with a gentle glow. The silhouette of the trees give an interesting contrast to the glow of the clouds and the pale blue sky turning into an amber right at the treeline. The dark cloud jutting out from the left is a repetitive reminder of the foreboding upper dark cloud. There is so much happening in this picture. The different aspects of contrasting textures, colors and light defining shapes are abundant and they contribute to an array of feelings determined on which aspect is focused upon.

Week 7: Feeling Light

This week I found myself in the dance studio for a few hours and when I came outside I was amazed at how bright the sunlight was. I momentarily lost my vision. It was interesting because I felt a little frightened by the situation but I also liked the warmth on my face. There was something comforting in that. What I think is interesting about this is that I had a very visceral response to the light. It was an almost immediate reaction. This kind of response might have to do with the fact that the light felt like a physical thing. I am wondering if there is a way to safely manipulate light like that in a performance. Can you make a viewer feel light?

Week 7 - In a cafe

I took this picture several years ago in a cafe in San Francisco. I have always liked this photograph specifically because of the lighting. The cafe had an entire wall of windows and the sunlight was coming in and reflecting around the cafe. The lighting in this picture makes me feel a sense of excitement and intrigue. The high contrast between light and dark is especially attractive and interesting.

Week 6

For this week, I took a photo within my third home- the yoga studio. The hallway you see in the photo stretches at least 100 feet. The hall is very dark with textured, semi glossy wall paper and is lit by staggered wall sconces. Something i find a little awkward is the fluorescent bulbs vary from sconce to sconce. Some are blue-ish green, while others have a slightly pink glow. The space has a darker feel with the dark walls, dark ceiling, and dark carpet, with the only natural light source from out in the distance. Having the space darker on exiting a yoga class is the low energy environment you want after having a 2+ svasana (corps pose), which concludes all the classes I have ever taken. In the posture, you lay on your back with your palms facing up, close your eyes, and fall into a passive stillness.

However, the fluorescent lights cause somewhat of a strain on the eyes, and can make a little zombie-esque. The incandescent lights would probably provide a calmer, softer colored and warm environment. But I guess its the worthwhile sacrifice for being energy efficient. I think I'm a shadowphile...

Week 6 - My Brother in Budapest

This week, I've chosen to post a photo that my brother, Nick, emailed to me recently. He is a missionary in Budapest, Hungary, and although I obviously did not take this picture, I feel a major connection to it because of the emotions presented through the lighting. To me, this is a great example of the warm/cool phenomenon. The sun going down casts warm amber shadows in the sky and part of the lake, but there is also evidence of cool aqua/blue in certain areas of the water. This creates an excellent backdrop for defining the figures in the forefront. The tree is striking with its naked branches, and the glow being cast onto my brother's head and shoulder draw the eye as well. Even though this is a still image, I feel that it tells a beautiful story.