Archive for the tag 'Moire effect'

Lighting Observation #11: The Sun Hitting a Fence and the Pathway that emerges

4/18/16 – 8:30am – Outside Colonial Square on Path Towards Student Center

The morning sun shines through the temporary black plastic fencing lining the sidewalk. It casts a shadow across the width of the sidewalk making it patterned with oval-ish shapes.

When one stared at the lighting and pathway too much, the shadow and light on the sidewalk had this hypnotic feel. It was mesmerizing and was dizzying to look at it. The lighting that cast this shadow made the path feel like it belonged in Alice in Wonderland since the path looked like it was trying to be an optical illusion. The intensity of the morning light made the shadow dark and the light that shined through to hit the pavement bright; there was a sharp distinction between light and shadow just like the colors had been black and white instead of black and golden lit grey-tan pavement. The lighting moment and mysterious effect on the path would not have been the same without this intensity. The stark contrast created made it seem like this pathway must be leading to some sort of black and white timeless dimension. The shape of the holes in the fence made the spots of bright light on the sidewalk curious ovals. In my mind, the path swirled for some reason due to the pattern cast upon it. It was like a moiré effect. Walking across it was like being on a boat. The mood that the lighting created was surreal.