Drama 16 Stage Lighting

Source: <http://www.flickr.com/photos/66722202@N00/2064929661>

Theme: Single Light Source

I do love me some chiaoscuro.  When I began looking for photos with a single light source, I was instantly drawn to the black and white photos I discovered.  The best thing about black and white is that the photography becomes all about the light.  Film noir, chiaoscuro, however these element are interpreted, The play of light and shadow is the simplest thing a lighting designer can do, and many times to the greatest effect.  In this case, the source of the light is unclear, but the cast of the shadow gives us the angle and the intensity of the light.  The crossed shadow is sharp across her face, suggesting an intense light that doesn’t have a change to diffuse or illuminate “her” face from any other angle.  The focus of the photograph draws your right to the face, where the most compelling contrast of light and shadow takes place, directly on top of the most compelling element of any human (real or fake) body.