Drama 16 Stage Lighting

Time: Late afternoon, last Wednesday (this happened over spring break when I was home)

Objective Description: Afternoon sunlight shone on Big Tupper and the other surrounding mountains, creating patches of light and shadow on the rolling landscape.

Subjective Description: The sight of light and shadow on mountains is one of my favorite lighting moments in the world, ever. It seems like such an insignificant thing, but personally, I don’t think anything else could top it. It’s a sight that I’ve admired outside of my bedroom window for as long as I can remember.

I could see Big Tupper, the local skiing mountain, as well as several of the other nearby Adirondack mountains, from my bedroom window. It was late afternoon and the day was still bright despite the drab March landscape of dead, leafless trees. The sun shone brightly, casting dark shadows on some of the area. The shadows contrasted immensely with the parts of the mountain that were lit up by the bright sun. You could see every contour of the mountain. It almost gave the impression of movement, despite the fact that these mountains are some of the oldest and have been in one place for billions of years. The dark parts made the mountains seem huge and mysterious – you’ll never see every part of it clearly, because by the time the sun illuminated the shadowy spots, another part of the mountain had gone dark.

The light and shadow accented the mountains’ natural beauty. The sight was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Every time I see it, I am reminded that I am blessed to call such a beautiful place my home. I don’t miss the snow and cold weather and driving 40 minutes to get to a Starbucks, but I do really miss the way sunlight shines on the mountains in the afternoon.

1) 4:37 PM, December 30th 2013. Photo taken by me from the backseat of a car while driving near Mt. Fuji.

2) Sunset

3) As the road gets darker by the minute, the blinding rays of sunlight pours into the car brightening up the place as if it is wringing out the last bit of energy before disappearing. In contrast to the cloudy sky and blurred silhouette of mountains in the right window, the setting sun is not only bright and powerful but also serene like the moment of silence.

This photo was uploaded on flickr.com by user Greg from Maine.

Theme: Sunrise/Sunset

As the sun sets behind the mountains, a massive rainbow is cast parallel with the horizon establishing a feeling of serenity. The sunset begins to cast purple shadows against the trees, letting all of us know that the day has ended and it is time to rest. The oranges and yellows in the background are the memories of the day’s past and the moon sits high in the sky ready to light the coming darkness of the night. The light from the sunset paints a picture for it’s audience.  It is vivid without being overpowering. None of the hues are harsh or overwhelming. In contrast, the all fit together purposefully. It’s a calming beauty that comes with the sigh of relief when the day is over. I especially enjoy the effect of light in this photo because it makes me think of summer nights when I was a kid. My favorite part of the day was the sunset. I would recall what I did that day and smile because all the happiness of the day did not end abruptly and quickly, but in a celebration of light and colors across the sky.