Drama 16 Stage Lighting

Jan. 31, 2016 – 11:30pm – Front porch of my house in Great Neck, NY

The lamps on my street used to glow a soft amber. They were recently changed. I can see about 4 or 5 of them, harshly cutting through the atmosphere, illuminating every 50ft or so in a bright, wide white circle, leaving patches of darkness between every lamp. The bright (I suspect halogen or LED), new lamps throw the shadows of trees and piles of snow into stark relief.

What used to be a soft, warm glow guiding your leisurely walk home in the darkness of winter is starkly contrasted by the haunting white beams slicing through the black, foggy night. A nervous, quick-paced walk through the eery mist in the dead of night replaces an evening stroll. Clutching your bag to your chest, constantly checking over your shoulder, the buzzing hum of the electricity bounces around in your head while the whistling of the wind through the branches of winter-bared trees sends a shiver down your spine. You quicken your pace as the blinding white light leaves your vision spotty as you enter into the dark, growing stretch of pavement between you and the next glaringly bright spot ahead. Only one more block to go.

1. 1/31/2016, 11:12pm, Hague House lounge
2. In short the lighting is disgustingly florescent . And a few of the lights are not working so the light that is given is spread very unevenly.
3. The feeling that I get from this kind of lighting is one of being trapped in a skeevy basement straight out of Breaking Bad. It gives enough light to see but not enough to make anyone look really good.  The feeling I get from it is one of a lack of productivity and something that solicits sketchy behavior.

Taken: By Me

Theme: Sunrise/Sunset

Description: This was taken when a couple friends and I randomly decided to see the sunrise after a long night during finals week last semester. Getting there it was quite windy and chilly but the warmth from the rays, as we looked out to see the wiggles of the sand, and the waves crashing back and forth was simply soothing.

DATE- Summer 2015  TIME- Around 7 or 8 pm  LOCATION- Lakeside Park

Objective Description: The sun is on it’s way down yet is still very much high in the sky. Although the sun isn’t visible in the photo, the light is visible by the reflection from the water.

Subjective Description: It was a warm summer evening as the lifeguard oversaw everyone leaving the lake while the park was beginning to close. Just as I prepped my phone to snap the pic, a large gust of wind sends the sand blowing everywhere. And there’s just something about an abrupt change of circumstances that I appreciate a lot about this photo. From the silhouettes of the children playing to the fog-like nature of the sand that encompasses the essence of summer.

 TAKEN: By Me

Theme: Sunrise/Sunset

Description: This was taken when i was walking on the boardwalk at Sunken Meadow State Park. My family usually always goes to see the sunset in the summer. There is nothing like feeling the energy and warmth of the sun as it goes down. As it comes down to your line of vision, you cant help but stop in your tracks and appreciate this beautiful scene. It is amazing how warm, calm, happy, excited, emotion, ect. a sunset can make you feel

Date: 1-30-16 Time: 10:45 Location: Outside Roosevelt Field

Objective Description: When leaving the parking lot of Roosevelt Field Mall the contrast between the parking garage lighting and the outside lighting was truly remarkable.

Subjective Description: As i walked to my car from a stressful day of work, I couldn’t help but be bothered by the fluorescent lighting in the parking garage. This just made me annoyed and a little more stressed. As soon as I pulled out of the bright parking garage I was hit by this calming darkness that was lit by the sky and the few street lights. Suddenly, I became calm and didn’t mind being out. It seemed that all my stress and frustration from serving snotty people coffee at Starbucks just left my body.

Date: 1/29/16 Time: Around midnight Location: My dorm room

Objective Description: There was a dim, ambient light created by a set of white light string lights in an otherwise dark room.

Subjective Description: At the end of a long week there was something comforting about sitting in my bed in almost darkness. The small amount of light illuminating the room, soothing my mind putting a pause to my chaotic life. Those few minutes of soft light created a time for me to unwind and decompress before a rough night of sleep.

Date: 1/30/2016 Time: 8:42 p.m. Location: Constitution parking lot

Objective Description: The sun has already gone down and it was dark out. The parking lot was illuminated solely by the the orangey  street lights. The light I was standing under is broken and flickering randomly.

Subjective Description: Being alone in a parking lot is kind of sketchy to begin with, but as I was approaching the flickering light, my feelings began to intensify. The dark night mixed with the unpredictability of the street light made me anxious and a little fearful. Having light in the dark makes me feel safe and relying entirely on the street light to keep me safe (so to speak) was terrifying, especially because it was so unreliable. The lighting gave off an ere vibe, similar to that of a horror movie. That association is why the lighting affected my emotions so strongly.

Date: 1/30/16; Time: 1:38 PM; Location: Monroe Hall Room 216

Objective Description: I was seated on the piano bench and the overhead classroom lights had just turned off. The main lights are set on a timer to turn off if there is no overt movement. However, once the main lights turned off(as I was playing), I was left with the singular spotlight that remains on unless manually turned off. It was positioned directly over the piano. the mood immediately shifted and the light created something even more poetic.

Subjective Description: The room was filled with artificiality in light, structure, and form. The man-made desks and left over trash that had been left was ablaze in such a way that it was almost distracting. My fingers moving swiftly across the piano keys suddenly noticed a sudden serenity. As the bright manufactured glow dissolved immediately like that of the theatre beckoning the start of show, the soft and dimly-lit beacon directly above me showcased the piano in an entirely new way. The man-made materials and abandoned trash were now dark, no longer alive and taunting. The piano, however, had new life, and it danced as my hands progressed down the keys. The shiny black veneer of the piano showed, for the first time, my true reflection. No longer did the room feel counterfeit and fabricated, but it felt organic and raw.  There was a feeling of peace as even the music felt more organic and the anguish of the song and my aura was ever-present. It was just me and the piano. Everything in that moment felt more personal. Although the main overheard lights remained off, the spotlight beamed on and music lit a fire that burned steadily.

Time: Some morning a couple days ago, probably around 11 am

Objective Description: Sunlight hit my jar of liquid marbles, illuminating them and scattering purple light nearby.

Subjective Description: I woke up one morning because it was so bright in my room, even with the blinds closed, that I couldn’t possibly sleep any longer. It was annoying because I wasn’t necessarily ready to get up, but the sight I saw on my windowsill made up for it.

I have a glass jar of purple liquid marbles (those tiny beads that you soak in water and they get bigger; primarily used as a substitute for soil for plants, does anyone actually know what I’m talking about? I’d really appreciate if you at least humored me and pretend you do) sitting on my windowsill. They are clear enough to allow light to pass through, and I happened to notice that the sunlight escaping through the blinds was hitting them in such a way that tiny specks of purple light were thrown all over my windowsill. The marbles were illuminated right down to the bottom of the jar and looked so sparkly and bright. There is nothing like light hitting a translucent surface. I tried to replicate it so I could take a picture, but it seems that the magic of that moment is something that could only be produced organically, which made it even more special.