Drama 16 Stage Lighting

Two photos today – both taken by myself.

So, the theme this week was modeling. Rather than try to find a good example of modeling, I tried to create my own. These two shots were taken in my dorm room at night, and featured only a flashlight as a light source. The skull was an effective lighting-dummy for a few reasons:

1) It has a predominantly round shape, but the face still has several contours – these are both likely to read with depth under minimal light.

2) If we digress from modeling alone and move into the image as a whole, we find that as audience, we assign emotional values to a skull in any light. I found myself trying to play-up those values while I was shooting, so the modeling may be influenced by, or serve to influence, an emotional response.

Were I to address whether or not I succeeding in creating effective modeling, I’d say yes – particularly in the first image, wherein we see hot light and cool light both from the same source on the skull, and really lending it a 3-d feel.

(Note: The skull is made of plastic – no human beings were harmed or exhumed in the process of this shoot.)

Where: Wednesday, 23rd, 6pm, Drama Lounge

Objective Description: The lights in the lounge are off. The Light from a street lamp shines through the window. It casts the light and shadow imprint of the window onto the far wall, almost framing the door.

Subjective Description: The image is beautiful. There is a certain old-world feel to it – something ornate and unnecessary, but at times pleasing and at other times intimidating. It seems large, and looms on the wall there as though it were some grand authority passing judgement.

DATE-TIME-LOCATION: 2/23/11; 12:00PM; John Cranford Adams Playhouse

OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION: Worklight from the lighting grid shines on a steel truss holding up a set piece

SUBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION: As the light shone on the truss, it created a sense of depth between the sides of the truss.  The truss, lifted high in the air, seemed very significant.  Because of the extra light on the truss, it seemed much larger and more prominent than it actually was.

1) In the hallway in my suite, 1am, Thursday night

2) Light from a nightlight shining. It’s one of those green ones without a bulb that glow in the dark sort of.

3) As I was lying down to go to sleep, I noticed the door to my room was open slightly. I went to close it and I could see the very dim light of the nightlight glowing. In front of the light was my bike. The light illuminated the bike with a sickly green, almost ghostly glow. The light also reflected off the wall and floor slightly. The bike reflected some of the greenish light taking on a very creepy and strange alien-esque light as it was lit from below. The whole room was dark except for the faint glimmer of the nightlight and created an eerie sight. Shadows splayed on the floor from the spokes of the bike wheel creating an interesting pattern. The scene created a strange and unearthly feeling.

DATE-TIME-LOCATION: 2/24/11; 5:45PM; Staircase next to Constitution Hall

OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION: Light from amber flood light reflects off of water/ice on ground and creates an amber pool of light

SUBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION: The amber light from a tall pole shone on a pool of water/ice on the ground.  It reflected and shimmered an amber color.  The sense of warmth from the amber light created a feeling that seemed as though the ice/water would melt away.

ATTRIBUTION: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b0yIEdL62-I/TFMYSlJLMKI/AAAAAAAABqE/RumNe0LPUW8/s1600/indiana-jones-silhouette.jpg

THEME: Modeling

DESCRIPTION: The light from behind Indy is behind and slightly to the side.  It creates highlights on his shoulders and the sides of his face, but makes the front of his face and body dark.  This creates a sense of mystery and doom.

1) H&M fitting rooms at Roosevelt Fields Mall

2) OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION: I am looking at a very white hallway with white partial-doors and white tile. There are very white lights in the ceiling, in round fixtures. They are casting reflections on the tile, which are in turn very round and white. The hallway is very long. Above and below each fitting room door more white light is escaping. There is no other color in the area except for the carpet at the end of the hall, where the entrance back into the store begins. It is red.

3) SUBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION: The room feels extremely sterile, like it is waiting for some color to enter it. The eye is drawn immediately to the red, as the rest of the area feels very muted. It also feels desolate, as if no one is allowed to be there. It causes stress, like something is missing.

NAB Blackbox during Intimations for Saxophone, photo taken by Brian Ballweg

3) THEME: Modeling

4) DESCRIPTION: Because of the textures of the masks and the shadows created by what seems to be a single light source, this is a good example of modeling. The picture is made much more interesting by the contorted positions of the subjects.

I chose this picture because it uses lighting to not only accentuate the shape of the ring, but goes farther into using the shadows created by the ring and book to create a heart shadow below.

Where: My house

When: Feb 21

The electricity went out temporarily this past weekend, so we were using candles for light. The image of a small room lit only by candles brings an interesting yet unsettling sensation of not knowing what is happening near by and what you do see is warped by the candle light, making it look unnatural.