Drama 16 Stage Lighting

Photo taken by Nic Christopher on August 31st at around 3:00 PM

THEME: Shadows

DESCRIPTION: This photo was taken on a relatively clear day in the city right across the street from St Patrick’s cathedral. It was taken as the sun was going down yet still high enough in the sky to cast light down onto the buildings, unobstructed from the buildings surrounding the cathedral. I love this picture because not including the sepia tone, it is entirely untouched in post production. The way the sun cast its light onto the buildings and the fact that statue was completely covered by the shadows provided an illusion of a photo montage even though the composition was untouched.

The intricate patterns and cut outs etched into the side of the cathedral offered a playground for the sun’s rays to cast shadows all over the wall. The intensity of the sunlight emphasized every raised surface on the cathedral. The shadows behind these highlighted portions offer an amazing contrast on the building making it appear 3-D in the flattened image. In the foreground of the image ties the piece all together as the building to the right had cast a shadow over the entirety of the statue. The dark figure placed against the bright background offers a wonderful contrast that makes the viewer seem as if they are right there. When I study the  picture, I can sense the angle of the sun and the approximate placement of all the structures that surrounded me as I snapped this picture. The sun was at a perfect angle that day and at a perfect intensity to capture a moment with a melody of intense lighting accented with soft and harsh shadows to make the image come to life and bring the viewer to 50th and 5th on this august afternoon.