Drama 16 Stage Lighting

April 27th, 1:11pm corner of Oak St. and Hempstead turnpike.

I’m driving in a rush to work, and the sky is a glacier blue like blue Gatorade, very saturated and bright. The sun is deepening the color and the brightness while also illuminating the heavy dark clouds in the distance. The color of the asphalt in the road seems to have lost saturation, it doesn’t even look black it almost looks like a grayish white.

April 16th, 6:07 pm, my desk.

The sun is setting below the top part of my windowsill and lighting up the dies of my face and the rest of my desk. It is now difficult to see my computer screen with the light bouncing off of the white screen. My plants are a brighter green and the dry soil is more visible. It feels like a warm cast has been thrown over the room.

Theme: Wild Card

Attributes: I took this photo at 7:12pm on April 17th at home

Description: I like all of the different soft shadows and geometric shapes. There is a beaded bird hanging on the lamp that is also reflecting the light. I just find all of the different  lines on the wall to be exciting and also a bit confusing because there wasn’t more than one light source in the room- only a window to the right so I wouldn’t have expected the shapes being created.

Noon on a hot summer day in the Caribbean-

The time in the prompt informed the position of the warmer light because in theory the sun would be directly overhead. The sky, I tried to create a cool but misty blue. The entire scene is meant to appear a little hazy from the heat.

Easter Sunrise in a Gothic Cathedral-

I like how the light used to represent the sun rising is illuminating a large circle of light as if the Cathedral is on a hillside or a mountaintop. While teal isn’t a natural color for the sky, I feel like it somehow works well with the vibe of Easter morning in a church because it’s sort of ethereal and bright.

Winter afternoon just before the snow fall-

I sort of imagined this scene taking place in a kitchen with big windows and the circle of light on stage left would be the outside view from the window. I tried to combine cooler colors to show that it’s winter while also deciding the best place to trickle in sunlight in order to show the time of day but not stray from the perceived weather conditions.

Fall sunset in Vermont- I chose to use a sidelight that hangs a little lower to depict a sinking sun. The violet/deep blue is a cooler tone for the sky since the fall has cooler temperatures.

1. Hofstra University (Oak St) Friday, April 1 6:59pm
2. Objective Description: The traffic light is red. There is a row of white-yellow headlights facing me. The sky is covered by clouds that are grey, white, and light purple. The sun is behind me, setting. The trees lining the street are being lit from the side as the sun bounces off the dorm windows.
3. Subjective Description: The overall image was somewhat compelling because the sky was objectively gloomy but as the tree leaves rustle in the low sunlight and the deep green and orange meld together next to an old brick building which almost looks golden with the late afternoon sun, the day itself seems to assume a warm summer evening even though we know that not to be true.

1. ATTRIBUTES: 1:42 pm Friday, April 1
2. THEME: Spring
3. DESCRIPTION: I thought this photo was a good representation of Spring lighting because it captures the transition from cold and gloomy to sunny and warm in the same moment in the sky. The sun is still a little lower because it’s not quite summer. The clouds are still thick and low, masking some of the light that otherwise could be seen. The parts of the sky that are visible are a deep and bright blue near where the sun pierces the thinner clouds above. I think it’s unlikely this type of lighting could be recreated in a different season.

1. ATTRIBUTES: Central Park Dec 7, 2021 4:58pm
2. THEME: Night Life
3. DESCRIPTION: I chose this photo both because behind me, everything was completely dark. Visually, it just as easily could have been 10pm but in this area of the park, the sky is fully visible and you can see the last of the sunset colors in the bottom corner in the clouds. The lights from the skyscrapers are reflecting off of the dark water. The lighting lends itself to depicting an idea of nightlife while also still having a lot of natural light. I think lighting a stage while trying to create a night time scene seems very tricky because in theory you are looking for ways to implement darkness while still making sure the actors, dancers, etc. are visible to the audience.

1. ATTRIBUTES: Google Images (photographer not listed)
2. THEME: Cold
3. DESCRIPTION: I chose this photo both because despite being a tropical setting where the inherent perception is warm, the deep, cool, blue colors create a cold atmosphere. The lack of sunlight (or any artificial light) has turned the pool an even darker blue than the ocean and all of the foliage is only visible in silhouette. It almost seems to elude to a possible storm approaching. There is movement in the leaves and in the ocean, but the setting as a whole, appears to be deserted which reinforces the idea of a chilly atmosphere.

Date/Time/Location: Feb 14th, 4:48pm, Holliswood (driving to LI from Brooklyn)

Objective description: The sun is lower in the sky and situated behind me. The low light is causing the blue sky to brighten.  The light is reflecting off of the road and cars in front of me and the lane lines and signs are illuminated and shimmering. The moon is softly visible ahead.

Subjective description: The trees, dirt, and road no longer seem only brown and instead have an orange and yellow glow lifting off their edges. The sky looks as saturated as an ice blue gatorade while the warmth from the sun contrasts cool tones of the end of a winter day. The atmosphere is calming and nostalgic.

1. ATTRIBUTES: This photo was taken in my window on Feb 15th at 5:06pm
2. THEME: Romance
3. DESCRIPTION: I chose this photo because I love the soft glow coming through the blinds, brightening the walls and the copper ring around the mirror, illuminating the leaves, displaying the range of colors on the branches. The pots are warm and earthy as the sun lights them from behind the camera. The lighting in this setting is inviting and idyllic.