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.