Week 9 - JB - Silhouettes on the Horizon

 Week 9 - Silhouettes on the Horizon

As always, I am in awe of sunsets. I spent two back to back days at the beach this weekend, staying just past 5pm to savor the watercolor beauty of the sky. The first photo is from a cloudless day, with a lone paddleboarder silhouetted against the horizon. The video, which does not capture the richness and intensity of the painted sky, features the silhouette of San Diego's Coaster train. I thought about the aesthetic of shadows and silhouettes, as I was very drawn to the emotional image of the paddleboarder in particular. The images give me a sense of hope, yet longing, loneliness, yet the prospect of new beginnings.

-Jeevika

Week 9- Colors in motion - TA

 I found this very colorful Wall while wondering around Vegas and asked my friend to move infront of it. It was interesting of how some of the colors made him disappear and some brought him to life. This was my favorite since he is wearing black and he faded into that deep red color. Also his movement changed according to the color change. With deeper colors he got more grounded and mysterious and brighter colors he was more energetic and interactive.

 

WEEK 9 - Rubí Danielle - Dark Moon 

This is a photo I took of a Navajo Native American Indian, who was giving a presentation on the history of the Navajo Native American Indian Tribe. During his presentation he played music and sung songs of the Navajo Tribe, and performed a few dances such as the Eagle Dance. He also shared the wisdom that his ancestors passed down to him, about our relationship to all things around us, such as the earth, sky, and moon. This performance/presentation was especially meaningful to me, being that I am Navajo Native American Indian. When I reached adulthood, that is when I began to feel uneasy about the Thanksgiving holiday, as this holiday is revolved around the White man slaughtering my ancestors. So I am grateful that I was able to see and hear someone speaking of my people with great honor, during this holiday when so many of my people are dishonored. I was immediately drawn in, not only by the music and haunting voice of the performer, but also by the striking lighting that was utilized throughout this demonstration. The tones that were used in this lighting design, created a mysterious atmosphere that allowed me to feel and see the mood that the performer was evoking. There is a combination of deep blue, purple, and amber tones, that altogether create a natural, yet saturated environment. The performer talked about the moon, and the lighting definitely matched the narrative he shared about the moon. It felt and looked like I was under the deep blue moon that was in the story that was being told. The lighting most certainly added to this performance, and without it, it wouldn't have been as magical.

Week 9- Food Coma- KM

 

Is there anything better than an afternoon nap after having way too much food?

What I appreciate most about this photo is the way the light from the window is contouring the shape of Arlo's body. Because the light is coming at a downward and slightly sideways angle, the light really accentuates the shape of his muscles the same way side light  highlights the form of a dancer onstage. I also appreciate the golden glow off his fur which is emphasized by the warm afternoon light. There is also some cool shadowing showing up on his body and uninteresting light streak on the wall to the right. Overall, a very pleasant and cute image. 

Week 9 - Joey NM - The Net of Dreams

I miss being a kid, and I could sit and wonder all of the time. Yet, I am grateful for the gift of hindsight and age to afford, do, and buy the things I want because of my ability to mobilize quickly. 

Lately, I've been amazed at people's ingenuity in creating beautiful creations out of ordinary or straightforward things. 

When I initially saw this image, it was as if I were looking from a bird's eye view onto the stage. I thought it was a large sheet with teacup lights installed into a transparent netting or sheet. (It also didn't help that the window was a bit dirty). When I looked closer, I realized that regular string lights were meticulously strung in parallel rows to appear like a sheet. Perhaps it's my overactive imagination or my appreciation of dream interpretation from my nightly sleep. Still, this image looks like a dream net or a stage set to make the scene aetherial. 

If I had the money or the extra time, I'd play with filling the space with fog. I imagine the scene would appear more dreamlike. Or, perhaps If I carefully laid out sheets of a mirror or mirror-like material and lit the area in blues, from the sides and some from the diagonals, it could become nebulous. 

Again, I think a good artist allows himself to sit and wonder. Yet, he has to put imagination and motivation into action. Although I would love to sit in one place longer than the other, we can't heavily exist in one extreme all of the time. Given this is still real life, the beauty of scene design is that you can be in real life and still be in the dream or wander through the nebula with the proper stage setup.

week 9 - ws - light shaping form

 This week I have noticed more how distinctly shadows can capture the essence of human form. I am almost more captivated by shadows rather than seeing all of the other details with frontal light. Body expression and attitude is almost heightened because the viewers mind can "fill" in the gaps of detail that are not seen. The interaction of shadow on the surface creates another storyline of the shadow form and the texture it is "dancing" with. Seeing multiple silhouettes really makes me think about the relationship between them all. The space between them is exaggerated and the shapes are more noticeable. 

Week 9 - FH - Sunset & Street Lights

     I was initially intrigued by rays of the sun hitting the industrial buildings and bridge; although the camera just doesn't capture it the same. And when I turned the bend and saw the incoming traffic building up and starting to turn their headlights on with the sunsets early arrival, I thought it would be nice to try and catch the tiny red and white dots weaving all the way up to the hills. And of course I'm always interested in the dirty specs of my windshield adding texture. Honestly, the idea of the textured tiny light with one large focal point gave me a lot of inspiration for lighting design ideas as well. 

Week 9- LA- Conflicted

 

A thin line of neon blue highlights a female-presenting astronaut as beautiful, sexy, and desirable. Does this lift up women or put them down? Does she have it all? Are brains in a woman exalted only if she looks like a model? Does exoticizing an intelligent woman make her less threatening in a man’s world? Imagine different faces in this circle and how that might affect meaning. Imagine your own; how does that feel?

Week 8 - JB - [Obsession] - Do it for the 'Gram

Week 8 - Do it for the 'Gram

Lately, cafes attract customers mainly by decorating and creating particularly instagrammable walls. Every I go, I see aesthetic arrangements of plants, succulents, neon signs, lights, flowers, which are often paired with frustratingly mediocre food. This particular neon message struck me as ironic - since everyone standing below the sign to get their pictures for the Insta stories were oxymoronically not at all living in the moment. I thought about our growing obsession with social media and how without check, it can restrict us from living our lives to the fullest. I am definitely an avid social media user myself, and I found myself wanting to take a photo of this moment for myself (even if I didn't have this blog assignment), but it made me think regardless.

-Jeevika

Week 8 - Amber Morales - Obsession

 

I am obsessed with GREEN. I have had an obsession with Green since I can remember. The color green has so many meanings, represents so many things, and displays so many emotions. Green holds endless possibilities. 

Green is kind, peaceful, and safe. Green brings tranquil to one’s day. Green saves us all from toxins and delivers us to good health and well being. However, Green has a sinister side. Green creeps up at any moment. Green is disgusting and sickening when discomfort arises. Green is mysterious and frightening, and builds curiosity for those watching. Green is a lot of things, but never goes unnoticed. Always capturing one’s eye and crave for revelation.

Week 8 - Bradford - Obsession

In a sickly sense, obsession communicates an intensity that is larger than life and all-consuming. This photo (no filter) encompasses all of those attributes. The color alone, while beautiful in some regards, can be perceived as intense, sickly, and all-consuming. The dancer in motion doesn't communicate anything particularly obsession-related. However, the dancer's shadow projected onto the wall is larger than life, and the profile view shadow almost looks like the dancer is choking and reaching upward for air.

Obsession-week 8-AM

Obsession is a very strong word. It reminds me of addiction, lust, fixation, passion. I think for many of us in this path our obsession is quite clearly something we keep returning to, something that ignites our soul and gives us a sense of fulfillment like nothing else: the stage. The feeling of performing, the result of so much time spent rehearsing, learning, teaching, creating, all for a few minutes under the stage light. The interaction with the audience, the relationships that are created with the crew and everyone else on stage with us, there is nothing quite like it. The truth is that art is transforming and the stage provides an opportunity to share it with others. Those that dedicate their livelihoods to the practice of their art can often be seen as risk-takers, but i like to think that it's a combination of loyalty, love, madness and obsession. After more than a year of staying away from it, we finally get to return to our stage, only to continue this lifelong obsession.

 

Week 8 - Joey NM - (Obsession) Nimbus Clouds

I used to love staring up at the clouds, especially when I first entered undergrad. Anytime I had the chance, I'd go outside and stare up to see what images the universe would show me in the sky. Thinking back at it nowadays, I think it was a protection mechanism from the loneliness I felt being separated from home for the first time. It feels like it became a bit of an obsession to distract myself from the newness of college.

Nimbus Clouds on 2nd Street

Instead of photographing the sky, I saw this hanging near my house this weekend. Those long fall, winter, spring, and summer memories of 2010 rushed back into my mind. I couldn't help but be in awe of this fixture's construction and how realistic it looked to me. Besides the hanging tassels, the way the cotton envelopes the lighting fixture is like when the clouds would envelop the sky and reveal to me endless pictures to daze into for hours. 
This past obsession with cloud gazing and the campy ingenuity of this fixture reminds me of the magic one can make on the stage.  It is mind-blowing that the magic they can make with a bulb, hot glue, cotton stuffing tassels, and an electric cord. 
Although I may not have the same process I once did before, I often find myself staring up into the clouds at my most vulnerable moments. It reminds me of the endless potentiality that life can offer us at any given moment.
But stop to Imagine 20 or 30 of these on stage and at different heights and depths; that'd be a piece I'd love to stare at for hours!

Week 8- Obsession-KM

 

As you may or may  not have guessed, I am more than a little bit obsessed with my dog. Here are a few pictures of him mulling about the living room next to a very cool lighting effect from the setting sun.  The windows in our living room face almost directly into the setting sun which means we get warm, yellow, orange, or in this case reddish light coming into the living room most evenings. The lighting in this picture makes a very comforting but surreal atmosphere. I love the reddish orange color of the light and the interesting design made structure of the window. I can imagine rectangular columns of orange light making a very interesting lighting design on stage- especially if you were working with a light colored floor. 

 WEEK 8 - Rubí Danielle - Obsession

In terms of lighting, a color that communicates obsession to me, is the color red. The overall feeling that the color red conveys, is intensity. Red represents so many emotions such as love, passion, and lust. When someone is deeply enamored in these specific emotions, their intensity leads to obsession. A man can be so in love with a woman, that he becomes obsessed with her. Love is always represented by the color red, especially on holidays that are revolved around the theme of love, such as Valentine's Day. When Valentine's Day is approaching, stores begin to stock up their shelves with red cards, red teddy bears, red boxes of chocolate, and red roses for you to buy your loved one on this special holiday. There are many different forms of love, such as love for your profession, love for food, love for a physical activity, etc. Love can easily become an obsession, which can be perceived as either negative or positive. Obsession is viewed as something alarming, and the color red most certainly provides an alarming quality. Emergency lights on police cars use the color red when they sound their alarms, because it is a color that captures attention and provokes a sensation of intensity and panic. When I hear the word obsession, I immediately think of the color red, as it provokes all of the emotions that obsession offers. Red has always been my favorite color, as it makes me feel alive and it is a color that does not go unnoticed. When someone is wrapped up in obsession, their adrenaline is high, and their life feels like it is at its highest peak. Obsession is intense, and so is the color red. 

Week 8 - FH - Obsession

     I decided to put the phone and laptop away for TWO whole days. Its was a very risky move and lots of emails were missed, but my mental health was declining and I needed to just spend time with my person and not feel like I was drowning in a sea of doodle polls, meetings, homework and emails. so we headed to the mountains.

    My and my boyfriend are obsessed with nature and hiking. We hike pretty hard. Here is a picture of him (his name is Garrett) in front of some picture perfect mountains. He was just a bit ahead of me and and the light was hitting just right to capture the lime green ground and fluorescent flowers. 

Week 8- LA -Obsession

 

An unidentified flying object orbits the neighborhood competing with the moon. Or, my camera couldn’t handle a brightly lit close-up.

week 8 - whitney - obsession

 

Nothing else has been more of an obsession for me than image making or image seeing. Through the lens of photography, I am fascinated by how light, form, focus, movement and essence interact. These photos were taken of Anna in a short 20 min play session we had as a break from our school work. What fascinates me is how the relationship between someone's form and the environment tells an innate story/ essence of their being.

By taking this class I have started to notice even more that light is one of the most important factors to composition and symbolism in any image dependent art form. Still images also remind me that we can create different depths of field and focus with lighting components for the stage/ performance venue. 

Week 7 - Bradford - Through a mirror darkly

 Do you see it?

I see it.

Look closer.

I don't see it either.

Neither do you.

And yet you do.

There, plain as day.

Plain as daylight.

Painstakingly plain

and not there.

So still and unmoving

but also fleeting.

Trickery.

Two faces give way to three.

There, plain as day.

Plain as daylight.

Painstakingly plain

and not there.

Now we see but through a mirror darkly.

Week 7 - Amber Morales - What is color?

 

I was astonished by the vibrant colors in this projection. When I viewed this projection in real time, the purple coloring was overpowering the blue coloring. However, when I took a photo of this projection, the blue coloring came out stronger in the photo. It’s funny how a visual is affected by what lens it’s viewed through. One can see this image as more purple, while another might view this as more blue. What colors are we really seeing? Is it a combination of both? Or is it an optical illusion?

Week 7 - Joey N-M - Duality (a show)

 

There's something mysteriously quiet about the scene. It's so dramatically apparent, yet if I didn't stop to see what was there, I would've missed it entirely. It's like a moment on stage. If your attention wavers for a moment, then you'd likely miss it, but when your focus is kept deliberate, you'd see the quiet magic right in front of you.

Two downlights shining down diagonally towards the floor. Light bounces off of the garage cyc, which looks like two different worlds.

The one divine light dancing toward stage left, while the antagonist, a sickly green, dances stage right.

Two opposing characters in their own world, yet coexisting together.

This show will continue through the morning, but as I walk away, it's time for the final curtain call.

Week 7 - JB - On Again Off Again

 Week 7 - On Again Off Again

This broken streetlight caught my attention on my walk home. Even though I knew it was probably just a mechanical issue, it gave me an ominous feeling, as though something bad was going to happen or that something was hiding in the shadows. I thought about how we react to flashing lights in general - it's usually an indication that something is wrong or that we need to pay attention. I wonder if I can employ this on stage using a series of very short cues to create this foreboding feeling. 

- Jeevika 

 

week 7 AM Light in unconventional places

The light in this bridge is located within its walls and pointed downward.

It caught my attention that the light isn't placed over the bridge or right on the floor, but in the middle of it. It gives it this futuristic and sophisticated look. It's also incredible that that unique source of light can illuminate the entire bridge. As week 7 concludes and week 8 approaches I would like to say that "I see the light" at the end of the bridge. However, this bridge that is lit up entirely and evenly reminds me that the end goal is not the prize, the reward is in the journey.

 

Week 7-Majestic Skies-TA

 Majestic skies are not something we get to witness everyday nor all day. The disappearance of the sun and the way the rays of lights come through the skies are always fascinating. 

My first thought is angels calling, or in this case the reflection of the light off of the suns crown. I also think it's calming and satisfying to see the grey clouds reflect the golden light. Better yet, absorb it and saturate it. 

Another interesting observation is how the side of the hill in the picture is completely dark. Even though it was still bright. 

 WEEK 7 - Rubí Danielle - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

As I walk through neighborhoods, I am seeing more and more houses putting up their Christmas lights and decorations. Christmas lights have an entirely new meaning for me now though. They seem more important and intentional than ever before. There are a lot of purples and blues used in this lighting set up, which I really appreciated, as most people do not typically use purple as a color to represent Christmas. The use of cool colors in this lighting arrangement, allowed me to feel like I was in a cold winter environment, so the lighting choices gave me a physical sensation as well as visual stimulation. Purple and blue are the overall colors holding everything together, and then there are accents of red, green, orange, and yellow. All of these colors combined create a rainbow like effect that is very pleasing to the eye. At the top of the photo it looks like the purple line of lights on the ground, are being reflected in the sky. Perhaps that reflection was only captured in the photo, as I did not notice it in the sky when I was looking at the front of this house with my naked eye. Either way, I think it is interesting how you can see the purple line of lights in the sky, as if the sky is like a mirror to the ground. The Christmas season is a perfect time to indulge in the joy of lights, and I am looking forward to seeing more houses light up the night sky during the Holidays. 

Week 7- Arlo Walks- KM

 

All of the pictures in this post are from my evening walk with Arlo. What I enjoy most about these first three photos is the contrast in color between the last orange glow of the sunset and the beginning of the cool night creeping in. It is hard to tell through the cell phone pictures but in real life the night sky was very purple, providing a perfect contrast to the orange. These images remind me of how were have continually talked in class about using warm and cool colored light together to make affective lighting schemes. 

This is Arlo. He is very patient while I stop and take pictures of the sky and street lights. I enjoy in this picture the way the colors of the sky are washed out but you can still see hints of purple and orange, lifting us know the time of day. I also enjoy the two street lights shinning through as spot lights. 

I got a little carried away with my pictures this week  but when you start to search for light you notice it everywhere. I really enjoy in this picture the way the single street light is partially illuminating the tree beside it. In real life,  the light from the street lamp allows you to see the reddish tint of the leaves on tree changing in fall. It is also interesting the way the back light from the setting sun allows us to see the scene around us, but the focal point of the picture is the one bright street lamp in the forefront. 

Finally, here are a few houses I passed that I felt had effective, warm, and inviting front porch lights. They make think of holiday dinners with family and the anyone is welcome to come inside. 

Week 7 - FH - Light Through The Leaves

 

    Awaiting seeing my fellow classmates lighting projects, I laid on my back and took in what little time I had to just enjoy the sunshine. It is not often that spare time isn't taken up by catching up on emails, filling out doodle polls, or sorting out my schedule for the week and the most affective strategies for accomplishing things. 

    However, with downtime within a class setting, I was able to just relax and wait for the show to begin. Staring up at the sky, I noticed how dark the tree branches looked in opposition their bright green leafy counterparts. Somehow the sunlight was able to silhouette the solid bark while illuminating the slightly transparent lime green leaves. Looking at this picture, my eyes almost experience the same affect from the bright bulb of sunlight piercing through, it is still a bit blinding but also mesmerizing. 

Week 7 - LA - Deep Purple

 https://d287f21.blogspot.com/

This snapshot of my laptop in the dark could potentially make an engaging projection.

I imagine lighting it with blue so that the edges disappear seamlessly.

week 7- ws- warm and cool

This week my intention was to pay closer attention to light in terms of warm and cool colors/tones. November definitely has this beautiful amber glow and I perceive the light as more amber and orange. It was interesting to find almost a balance of the cool in many of the natural light situations. The digital photographs seem very saturated in these photos, more than usual, but the saturation was not altered.This really reveals to me that the use of more saturate colors on stage isn't too far from those found naturally.

 This is from Ballet Hispanico's performance on Thursday evening. I thought this was a beautiful example of warmth with mix of different cools for stage. It was also helpful to see the grey marley after two pieces prior that used black Marley. They were able to use the black drop in the back, but the space was still bright. I enjoyed the lighting design as I felt it supported the dance without distracting from it. 

Week 6 - Amber Morales - Site Specific

 

Taking this course has brought my attention to color and the affect that color has in our everyday lives. The photo above was taken this weekend when I visited Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California. I have been to this shopping center many times before, but I never took the time to notice the colors in this scene. I usually find earthy tones to be boring and lack vibrancy. However, the earthy tones present in this scene is full of life and warmth, as it is brightly lit under the night sky. The architecture and lighting of this location creates an inviting sensation, full of anticipation and excitement for night life fun. I can hear laughter, music, glasses clinking against one another. I can smell the strong aroma of warm food as guests gather at their tables for a night of exuberance. The designers did fantastic work on focusing on the warmth and vibrancy of this scene, as many gravitate towards this particular site to spend time with friends, family, and loved ones.

Disney is known for being the happiest place on earth and allowing us to connect with the childlike spirit in all of us. Taking the time to analyze the colors in this specific site has allowed me to connect with my childlike spirit and appreciate all of the colors in the world. I have learned to not be afraid to play with different colors. Like a child and their coloring book, always exploring and finding new ways to be creative.

This is a photo of The Disney Dress Shop. The dresses in the shop reflect the traditional 1950’s housewife look with inspiration from iconic female roles such as Minnie Mouse, Queen Elsa, and of course Cruella de Vil. I feel the designers were trying to stay within the theme of 1950-70’s housewife theme by committing to having as little color as possible in the architecture and lighting in order for the dresses to pop. I would have liked if the designers added more texture and depth with the lighting, as the lighting above may come off bland and even plain. Overall, I appreciate the simplicity of this shop, as it brings a classic and sophisticated look. 

This is a photo of Sugarboo & Co. The items in this shop reflect around the theme of peace and serenity. A lot of the merchandise in the store have affirmations written on them and include photos of natural life. I enjoyed browsing through this particular store as it held a positive and calming sensation. However, the designers should have incorporated more warmth in the lighting, such as Amber tones and even shades of blue to sustain the relaxation of the environment. The lighting seen in this photo lacks color and does not allow one to fully engage in the environment that has been created.

 WEEK 6 - Rubí Danielle - Site Specific Blog

Downtown Disney is a family oriented location, so the designers are utilizing lighting that is warm, welcoming, and vibrant. Downtown Disney at night, is a place to have fun and feel the magic of Disney. In this photo there are amber tones being used, which provides a feeling of warmth, and encourages an environment of safety for the families that are attending. The green tones also provide a calming sensation, that is still vibrant at the same time. The designers definitely accomplished their goals, as the lighting has set up a friendly environment for all ages, while still incorporating the excitement of night life. 

This is a photo of WonderGround Gallery. I absolutely love the artwork in this gallery, as it has a psychedelic feel and look to it. In this picture the lighting looks quite dull, however, in person it looked much more vibrant. The goal of the designers, is to make the art work the star of the show. These designers were successful in doing just that. When you walk by the gallery, there is a white glow effect that draws you in. The colors of the paintings pop against the white walls, furniture, and lighting. The way the lighting is used, definitely displays the art well, and makes the paintings the focal point. The art pieces all have very vibrant colors, so the simple white lighting helps the eye see all that the paintings have to offer. 

This is a photo of Disney Home, which is a store that sells different homemaking pieces. The lighting in this photo does not match the way it looked in reality. In person, the lighting was very warm and welcoming. The designers provided an atmosphere that made me feel comfortable and like I was in my home. They captured the correct mood that one should feel when shopping for homemaking goods. The color of the lighting showed off the items in the store well. I felt like I was being invited into a home, and the designers' lighting choice welcomed me into the store with a positive sensation in my heart.