Week 8: Plants and Light

I love the look of plants at night with some sort of light source shining on them.  The green color magnifies with the absence of other colors around it.  The shadows that are produced by the palm fronds in this case are super interesting to look at! The shadows also create different shades of green depending upon where they are located.  If you include plants on a stage situation you have to remember that different plants are representative of different things.  A plant like the one pictured emits feelings of a warmer climate, summertime and tropical drinks!

Week 8 - Why we needs clouds

Besides the obvious correlation between clouds and precipitation, I find that clouds a a depth of beauty to the sky that I miss when faced with a clear-blue sky day after day. Take a sunrise, for example. The sun making it's way into an empty sky is pleasant; it foreshadows warmth and predictability. But the sun pushing through layers of clouds creates a sense of wonder; it highlights the expansiveness of nature and paints glorious images that stay in our memory. This morning, as I drove down highway 99 from the stormy north, I was privy to one of these awe inspiring sunrises. I doubt any photo could have actually captured it, and these below, taken through the window of the moving car, only hint at the reality. It was the kind of sunrise that didn't seem to be distant, just on the horizon. I felt like I was driving right through it.

Week 8: The Most Wonderful Time of The Year.

I love Christmas. I love the shopping, the food, the gift giving, family gatherings and the lights. While in Denver last weekend I went out of my hotel to look at the Christmas lights. What interested me most was the overall festive and happy feeling I get from Christmas lights. It is amazing how lights can change the character of the things they adorn. The white lights on the bare trees seem to be floating in space giving a otherworldly tornado effect. The red lights on the tall evergreens seemed to be standing proud and boastful showing off their new apparel like Regal Kings. The evergreen with the green lights seemed to have a subdued and reserved feeling in its slightly narrower stance. As a collective the group of trees seemed to have their own personalities and character like a bunch of royalty attending a ball. Each seemed proud of their Christmas adornment and gave off a feeling of cheer. Christmas lights signify wonder and they give me the feeling that anything is possible during this time of year.  I feel like the trees stand energized adorned in their lighted jewels waiting for a jolly man in a sleigh to rest gifts at their feet.

Week 8: Serene Setting

I know, another Spectrum picture! However, I like the juxtaposition of what is present at the Spectrum. For me, this is the warmer, more natural lighting side of it. I love the warmer lights from the fountain, hanging lights and ferris wheel against the blue, cool color of the sky. For me it is both calming and festive. There is enough warmth to suggest there is still action going on, but not the same busy feeling of the bright neon lights of the movie theater. It is the kind of lighting that I enjoy just sitting and being with friends! 

Fun sidenote, every time I look at this I can't help but see a face!

Week 8: When will my reflection show...

This week I was struggling to find any light that was both interesting and unique from previous blog posts. Then, just when all hope was lost and I was going to post a lackluster photo, I saw this! It made me think about the projections and scrims we were talking about in class last Wednesday. I like multi-faceted things in general, so the layering in this photo with the upside-down reflection of the building across from mine as seen through my watch's face is really splendid. The reflection is really interesting to me. The image is somewhat clear, but still skewed because of its orientation, so you have to think about what is happening. After taking this photo, I saw another great reflection/projection photo opportunity in the evening. Then I remembered a great picture I had taken in Chicago along the same lines as well. So please enjoy the other two below!

So many lights and layers!

This makes me want to create a light show on this building's surface. 

Week EIGHT ... So this may be where the branch gobo came from!

                 

This tree is probably just your average tree by day, but at night it is well illuminated from its base causing it to become mysterious, textural, and looming. The moment I saw it, I was reminded of the branch gobo we looked at in class last week. The intricate, weaving branches and dark pockets of negative space capture the essence of the gobo perfectly. This is a design I have always been very fond of using for texture on the stage in my choreographic works. It adds a density to the lighting design that appears almost palpable, not to mention the shading on the dancers bodies that defines yet conceals. This is also interesting to me because it replicates the look I am trying to achieve with my New Slate piece. Having these images to show my lighting designer will enable me to better communicate my thoughts and ideas, and will be a nice source of inspiration. If we can achieve even a bit of this tree's magic on stage, I'll be ecstatic!

Week 8 - "Cotton Candy Sky"

I took this photo at sunset from my backyard. I was captured first by the colors in the sky and clouds. The clouds look like pink, fluffy cotton candy and the blues of the sky around them help make the clouds pop out more distinctly. From the dark line of trees and hills at the bottom, you can tell it is becoming dark even though the sky it lit up. There is a sense of movement in this photo from the way the clouds are curving. It feels whimsical as the last rays of light from the sun create a dance in the sky. Looking up at this put me in a slightly dreamlike state where I felt I could just sit, watching the sky while daydreaming. It was entrancing in a calm, relaxing way.

Week 7: Dappled Light

This is from a few days ago when the sun was setting. When light is peaking through the trees and creating speckled light, it is calming. It suggests unwinding and time to 'call it a day.' I'd love to play with light like this on stage, perhaps with gobos? This would be a good image for Christian and I to work off of to create a forest-like feeling for our next project!

Week Seven - Sparkles and Sunlight

When I took this picture, I was concentrating on the sparkling water droplets that had caught my attention from quite a distance. They glinted in the sunlight like polished diamonds in a display case, but oh so much more friendly and lively. I found myself drawn into their magical little world, crouching down on the sidewalk to get a better look. 

When I saw the photo on my computer screen, however, it was the mean of sunlight coming from the upper left-hand corner that intrigued me. It softens what it falls on and the pieces of grass it doesn't touch seem sharper in comparison.

Week Seven: Backlighting!

This photo was taken about a year ago.  I was planning on using some photos that I had taken during the week but I was inspired by a conversation that I had with my lighting designer (Ebony) for New Slate.  We had discussed a few options for how my piece should end.  I said that I thought the lights should fade at the end with my two dancers (Chanel and Greyson) walking upstage hand in hand.  Then she suggested maybe having some backlight up so we could still see the silhouette of the dancers as they walked upstage.  I loved this idea!  After I went through my photos I found this picture and thought it really captured that idea!  I love the juxtaposition of the darkness and the colorful background.  I think the silhouettes will also add a dramatic flair for the end of the piece.

Week SEVEN ... Sometimes colors speak louder than words

On initial impression, one would not look at me as a "color" person. My daily attire is constituted by various choices of black paired with more a little more black and on an especially adventurous day, a hint of gray. I rarely wear color, but I do love to look at it and I love how it makes me feel. It lightens my spirit and brings happiness to the space around me. It can be the simplicity of a bright palette of sharpie markers that I use to write down my daily happenings, to the complexity of the numerous color offerings found in the LED and pipe-end fixtures in PS1100 that activate my creative and sentimental side. Color adds life, texture, vibrancy, and emotion to my daily settings.

 This particular light source brings me joy, festivity, and memories; joy in the energy of colors represented, festivity in the way they play together, and memories in how they refer me back to a favorite childhood "Lite-Brite" toy. The power placed at my fingertips when playing with that illuminated board and its many colored pegs was enthralling and addictive. I could create any shape and bring it to life. The best part was the moment of anticipation when I placed my last peg and was ready to light the board and see my illuminated creation for the first time; similar to plugging in the Christmas lights for the first time each season. Excitement, enthusiasm, and warmth cover the room and humor my soul.

This is an awesome little lamp that I happened upon a few years ago. It is a little kooky and childish, but it makes me smile every time I turn it on. Sometimes the simple use of color and its transmission of positive energy is the best mood lifter, spirit builder, and optimism generator.

Week 7: relection

I woke up one morning and went into my living room to find this awesome sight! What I really loved about it couldn't be captured by the picture (It was the subtle shifting of the tree leaves outside... this creating shuttle shifts in the shadows). Since this was one of the first things I saw this day. I was really excited by the sight. Upon trying to capture the light, I realized I can see the source of the light in the mirror, and that made me even more excited. It is rare that we can see the thrown light, as well as its source all n the same side. Of course, the window is not really the light source (the sun is)... but the shades almost serve as the gobos would. I felt I was fortunate to see this occasion. 

To me, the more i think about it, the more i think that this image is representing something metaphorical.This, to me, creates a "real world" (the reflection) and a world of light/shadow. I'd be interested in exploring  this idea through nor only lights but choreography. How would the real world (where we see the details and the reasons for why something shifts) and the light/shadow world differ.. yet be ultimately connected. Can this be done through dancers? set design? lighting? Something I will think about. 

Week 7- On the road again

Nature captivates me and this picture of the sky was a photo op I had to take. At first it was the clouds that caught my attention. It appeared as if the yellows and reds were burning coals int the sky that expressed an area of irritation in the heavens.  In contrast the blue clouds with the white border gave a cool calm feeling of resolve in that part of the sky. The cool tones on the right made me think that the yellow and red blaze in the sky would find it's resolution and eventually become calm as well.

Not only was the contrast in warm and cool tones an interesting contrast but so was the juxtaposition of the natural light in the clouds and the artificial light from the cars' headlights and tail lights.  The white headlights seemed to express a feeling of directness and purpose. The headlights were more contained in their shape and less alive and vibrant that the natural light of the clouds. The red of the tail lights were definite in their feeling of caution and were also less vibrant than that of the natural light of the clouds above.  The natural light definitely felt alive while the artificial light seemed pale and dead in comparison. You can't compete with the heavens. 

Week 7 - "Portal to Another World"

I took this photo while on a hike with my husband and our dogs. Brandon, my husband, and Sam, one of my dogs, was up ahead of me and the light as they walked under this archway of branches was majestic! The branches perfectly framed them and I made them stop so I could take a picture. The darkness on top and bottom that is contrasted by the brightness in the middle draws me in. It makes me feel a yearning to follow this path and step into whatever may lie ahead - perhaps a secret garden or another world! It is like a portal into something wonderful and beautiful. I love the idea of facilitating this in a piece; having the audience feel that sense of being where they are, then seeing something lying ahead and then taking those first few steps that lead them into another world. 

Week 7: Does this make you uncomfortable?

These two images make me think of a world that can be created on the stage. The proximity of the camera to the subjects in the first picture makes me consider the proximity of the audience to the world on stage. I think they need to be a part of it. I see an atmosphere of harsh red like in the first image...with fog, lots of fog. Because this is a harsh color for the eyes, I would be curious of the audience's perspective if they were on stage and in it with the performers to see if they are uncomfortable, annoyed, excited, other. But the lights here shout intensity and closeness to me. The bottom picture could represent a lighted scenic element, not unlike (harmless and fake) thorns. I think this is something that could influence the performers and choreography as well. It could create a unique experience for all involved. I would like to try this and attempt to make the audience both uncomfortable and intrigued by the environment created by the lights and the movement.

Week 6 - The Unknown

In this photo I am intrigued by the contrast between the warm, fuzzy brown on the edges and the sharp, stark image at the center. It gives me the feeling of an entry way into another world, one that I have not decided yet whether I will enter and explore. It could be a world of blinding light and harsh reality, or it could be a world of happy sunlight on a warm, summer's day. This gives me a sense of wariness, even as I begin to think creatively. As I think choreographically, I find myself hesitating, wondering if I really want to risk finding out what happens in that bright light or if I'd rather stay on the warm side where I know I am safe and content. I have to remind myself that many wonderful things can come out of the unknown!

Week 6: The lights in front of Chipotle

I knew it was only going to be a matter of time until myself or someone else used these lights for the blog!  I love these lights!  They add character to an otherwise dull mall.  I'm not sure how they work but they do change color (I think they maybe motion sensored?).  The color of the lights make me very happy and I love that they change.  I also love the design how they start very close together and dense then they spread out as you get further into the mall.  I think it would be really cool to do a dance with lights that are motion censored on the floor like this.  The light would take on a character role in the piece!  Below are a few more pictures that I took while messing around with the camera!

Week 6- Rose in Vase

The color red always attracts my eye. It reminds me of so many emotions. The placement of the candle behind the rose in the vase was an interesting image for me. The idea of a red rose in a vase usually denotes romance and ideas of love however this image gave me a darker, ominous feel. The rose seemed to disappear into obscurity as the vase reminded of a smirking Jack O' Lantern that taunted any onlooker. The stem even seemed to loose its beauty to me. It was visible but somewhat distorted by the light and the water. I got a grotesque feeling of deformity.
I find it interesting how light passing through an object can totally change it's character and the actual "mood" of the object. When the vase is made transparent and the viewer can see through it, the vase's character is more disturbing. I was also reminded of the idea of gels and how the saturation of the color will dictate how much light will pass through it.
The color red can denote so many things. Often I think of love or the polar opposite which is rage or hate. The color red is an indicator of intense passion in either one direction or the other and light has the ability to drastically change the character of an object from romantic to grotesque.

Week 6: Depth on a flat surface

This image shows me how deceiving light can be. When I look at this picture, I find that the texture of the shadow creates a feel that the flat surface is actually real and tangible. It reminds me of a gate (honestly, even prison bars), enclosing or trapping me on one side, with the light so close, yet separated from me. I feel deliberate detachment by looking at the bar-like shadows, as if someone is purposefully trying to keep me away from something... and the something on the other side is better than where I am. When I look at the picture, it seems to be vibrating with tension. While the shadow was cast merely by a green fence of the laundry building next to my apartment, I did not think about the simplicity of a fence. I thought about all the things these sorts of lines can represent. It was when I looked at the picture, however, that I realized their resemblance to prison bars, and the feeling of detachment that is radiates. It also made me realize that stripping a shape of its color (from green fence to dark shadow in the ground... and to me stripping it even further into black and white) can change the shape's meaning.

Week 6: The Spectrum Study

Above is another picture I took while at the Spectrum a few week ago. As I mentioned in my last post, there is something very interesting about the variety of lights there.

Something I found very interesting in this light source was the use of unnatural colors. This area changes colors often, but something about the purple and green intrigued me most. It is rare, for me at least, to see these colors used so prominently in a public area. It definitely got my attention. 

Emotions/connections that I associated with the colors present were eerie, space age and unnatural. It was interesting to see these colors used after playing with them in class a few weeks ago in our blog exercise because I had used them to communicate the same feelings!

Week SIX ... A String of Pearls

Saturday morning as I walked through my kitchen, I delightfully came across this dandy little gem.  The sunlight streaming through the nearby mini blinds reflected this wonderful pattern on the wall. It instantly reminded me of a pearl necklace and felt reminiscent of a simpler, vintage time. The pale sage green background gave it a soft, feminine feel while the detail of the light punctuated the surface. It made me think of a time when people moved slower, were more gracious, and were less consumed with wealth and material things. It had a peace and optimism to it. I imagined a scratchy vinyl album playing a soft big band tune in the background and people gathering to sip tea. It also reminded me with much fondness of my grandmother and her love of all things decorative and ornate ;)

It would be interesting to develop this pattern through lighting as a breakup on the floor and create choreography that aligns with the strands and guides the dancer through space.

Week 6: FLASH

What draws me to this image artistically is its asymmetry and abstract quality. It is very two-dimensional, and I think it would be an interesting challenge to create a three-dimensional version of this through light on stage...or, depending on the concept of the piece, find a way to make it intentionally two-dimensional within a three-dimensional space (the stage). I also like the blinding quality of the picture. Very little is seen beyond this flash of light. I once saw a piece that used a long row of lights at a very intense setting that spanned the width of the stage, shining right into the audience and moved from the floor to halfway up the wall. It was many seconds of needing to both look away and maintain focus on the stage because I was so enraptured with what the dancers were doing. 

P.S. This is a picture of the sun, zoomed in as much as possible and then obviously changed to black and white.

Week 6 - "Autumn's Eve"

I took this photo at night in a parking lot. There was a crispness in the air and it felt like cold weather was finally upon us, signifying that autumn must be around the corner. I then realized that it's already November. Technically, we have been in the fall season for a while. . . California just doesn't know it yet. Usually fall is skipped and we go straight to winter.

This light made the leaves of the surrounding trees glow with bright oranges and reds and I was reminded of what other areas of the world get to see during this time of year: gorgeous leaves changing colors! I looked up at the trees that were illuminated in the light and imagined that the leaves really were the glowing reds, oranges and yellows I now saw. This photo does not represent this image very well, though. It shows darkness surrounding the light, which evokes feelings of mystery and perhaps caution. It does not invite you in and instead almost seems to keep you away; "admire from a distance," is what it says to me. However, when I was looking at this light in person I felt happiness and a smile curled across my lips as I mused about the wonders of the fall season. It's interesting how our imaginations and personal experiences can alter our perceptions of light. 

Week 5: My kind of town

This weekend, I traveled to my home town....

These are two pictures I took from the plane just before we landed in Chicago. There is a lot to take away from this picture: architecture, patterns, innumerable details and motion. It was a light show. The vastness of the lights and the grids is familiar and welcoming. There is life and motion happening even thought everything seems to stand still from high above street level. I'm wondering what kind of lights could be used that could move around the stage along with the dancers to help realize the idea of a bustling city or the many moving parts that are a part of daily life.

Week 5 - A journey through gray

This morning, before the fog burned off, the ocean and the sky seemed to blend together. Even looking at this photograph my eye has trouble focusing between the grays. But as the sun pushed its way through the cloud cover, one long path of glistening water was highlighted. It grabbed my eye and pulled my focus out on a journey towards the horizon and up through the unfocused haze to the warmth-promising glow of the half-hidden sun.

Lights on a Red Wall

This photo was taken late one night at the Contemporary Arts Center at UCI.  The picture turned out a lot more interesting than I thought it would!  At first when I was looking at the lights hitting the wall I didn't really notice the separation of the colors.  The photograph actually made the lights effects on the red wall  much more apparent to me.  While looking at the photo I can't help but think of how costume colors are changed by light and how the intensity of light makes a difference with this.   The red, orange and yellow color palette make the environment seem racy, hot and jazzy!

P.S. I'm not sure where the purple light came from…I'm assuming its a reflection from something outside.

Week FIVE ... Rhapsody in Blue

In the neighboring city of Anaheim, adjacent to our local hub for sports, a new train station is currently under construction. Named “ARTIC”, an acronym for Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, this new transportation center is being promoted as the upcoming Grand Central Station of Orange County. Its appearance resembles a large beetle with its curved dome-like structure and colored “shell”. When I pass by it on any given night, it is always a different color. I am most fond of the purple ;) 

On this evening that I decided to go shoot some pictures of it to share with you, it was a deep, comforting blue; the type of coating and saturating blue that we are able to achieve with the down lights in PS1100. I could see it glowing from well down the street. If it had a sound it would be a rich harmony of violins serenading me and sending me into a peaceful evening. As I walked around it, I noticed it also had flickers of red, amber, and green which made it playful and celebratory. 

As I shot a couple of pics of the structure, I was struck by the blue reflection on the landscape. The tall, glorious palm trees placed to greet visitors at the entrance glimmered in a mystic blue. They appeared electrified. It was an interesting contrast. The structure calmed and soothed with its blanket of water-like blue, but the palm trees, in this unnatural blue state, created an intense, vibratory energy, much like a night club or the Las Vegas strip. I wanted to play some techno music and go dance around them … don’t worry folks, I refrained ;) 

I feel it is pretty safe to conclude that a color scheme can produce a drastically different environment depending on its subject; much like the lights on stage affecting and/or being affected by the type of movement the dancer is performing. 

Week 5- The Corridor

As I exited the elevator I was taken a little aback by the natural sunlight flooding the hallway. I realize I was attracted to the feeling of warmth and illumination/ enlightenment that overcame me. I am becoming more aware that I have an affinity for warmth and feeling enlightened.  The amber tones made me feel the presence of omniscience or God. 

Contrasting the light was the heavy sharp lines of shadows that created a sense of mystery and danger. The shadowed corridor has an ominous feeling as opposed to omniscient feeling of the light. . I found it interesting how the lines and the light seem to widen to the right leading to the source. I felt invited into the direction of good and joy. The picture does not allow the viewer to see what lies in the direction of the light source creating more mystery and expectation. I will follow the path of light to the greater good.

Week 5 - "A Succulent Succulent"

Walking up a set of stairs on campus I was immediately drawn to this glowing green plant. Viewing a succulent from below is something that I don't see very often. Succulents grow close to the ground, so are generally always looked at from above. As the light shone through it's leaves, this succulent beamed radiantly.

I was overcome with a sense of awe and wonder at this plant. I had to stop and take in this sight for a minute. It was almost like this plant was having it's own little sun worshipping ceremony: fanning it's leaves out towards the sun, taking in all the goodness and nutrients that the sun provides for it, and also in turn giving back to the sun and to others by showcasing the beauty that the sun has facilitated. It made me feel like I wanted to join this little succulent and bask in the sunlight, let it warm my face and provide the nutrients that I, too, need to take into my body. I walked away feeling rejuvenated.

PS. Did you know that succulents are also known as Fat Plants? ;-)

Week 5: Sunrise

On Halloween, it rained. The following day, Saturday, November 1, the sunrise was absolutely stunning. I was driving to a super early physical therapy appointment, and my breath was taken away as I saw the sky. I was little grumpy on this morning, my body tired and achy, and upset with myself for scheduling such an early appointment for the day after Halloween. But as I was driving, I could hardly keep my eyes on the road. The confidence of the shadows and contrast that the rain clouds created was majestic. I felt small compared to the hugeness of the sky, but small in a refreshing way, almost as if I was given permission to be care and judgement free. The clouds appeared to be whispering a secret, hiding something from sight on one side (through the shadows), and revealing on the other (through the first rays of orange/pink sun that peeked through). With this, I was amazed at how powerful light can be, and how much they can have an effect on my feelings. In person, these clouds simply left me speechless. I had to photograph it, and share this amazing energy it gave me with other people (you all).

Week 5: The Excitement of Light

Since I took this picture with my phone, it really doesn't do the light justice. What it does show, however, is the variety of colors that are present in the Edwards Cinema sign at The Spectrum. When I see lights like this, feelings that arise are: energy, excitement, flashy and an almost giddy happiness. It makes me feel like there is energy in the air, like a bustling city. The use of cool and warm lights with all of its shaping, communicate excitement that something is happening HERE. 

Seeing this light at the Spectrum reminded me of the first time I visited Times Square and just the sheer amount of action that happens there. That time, however, it was an overwhelming action…almost dizzying, nauseating. At the Spectrum, however, I felt excited. A lot of that had to do with knowing where I was and not feeling like I had to focus on so many things. (i.e. in NY navigating, new culture, safety, etc.) 

I really enjoy walking around the Spectrum because it has SO many different types of lights that can be associated with emotion. For that reason, my next few posts may take you on the lighting tour of the Spectrum ; ).

Week 4: Paper Lanterns

This photo of paper lanterns was taken while dining at a sushi restaurant.  For some reason the photo came out darker than it actually was in the restaurant.  I love the look of paper lanterns and was actually really excited that I could use this photo for my blog entry!  I think it would make a really cool lighting tool and prop for a dance piece. Paper lanterns make dim light and create a warm intimate space for the viewer.  Paper lanterns are also something that are not seen everyday so if they were used onstage they would immediately transport the audience to another part of the world.

The image that was captured in this photo is not what I had imagined I was taking in the moment. I had expected something brighter and harsher with maybe some strong rays of light that washed out left side of the view as the morning sun came up around the houses perched on the cliff. But the sun was held back just enough to create a much softer faded image, an image that looks like it could have pulled out from a special box covered in dust to show the children the beauty of the California coast decades ago. Although the morning for me felt crisp, bright, and active, just this one trick of the light changed the moment I captured to one of gentle, pleasantly friendly nostalgia.