A.Potmesil
D|MA 158
Exercise 1

See the Light: an exercise in seeing
I. Bathroom.
The bathroom in my apartment is fairly long and narrow with a ceiling light and set of four lights above the mirror. The bathroom is about four by eight feet in dimension with the shower and toilet on the right. Three quarters of the left wall is covered by a large mirror with counter and sink below. Walking in with both lights on the first impression I have is the light surprisingly does not give a very comforting effect in the room; as I would think is optimal. Considering the room has two lights, I try the first; the ceiling light. The white light is dim with a tint of yellow. The shadows of bottles that line the counter are soft and sometimes barely visible. Reflections of the lamp gleam softly on the white wall. Everything around me seems to take on the same color tone, blending into a boring shade of beige. Looking at myself in the mirror I find the lighting is atheistically favorable; giving me a soft looking complexion and warm skin tone. The room is however a little too dark to concentrate on any detail that is not right in front of you. I find this a little annoying in that it is not create a practical environment. Turning on the light over the mirror, the tone of the room is suddenly changed. The brightness brings an immediate energy that consumes the small room, and is hard to get used to at first. Looking at myself again in the mirror my immediate reaction is that I look older, and not in a good way. The shadows around my eyes are noticeably darker and deeper and I can see frown lines on my forehead. My nose also looks larger or longer. I can see patterns much more clearly now than before. The pattern of the faux granite pops out with speckles of black white and a soft rose. I find it harder to relax my eyes in the light, always looking around. The room also seems messier than before. I notice the magazines are messily stacked and find the bottles to clutter the counter. A strand of hair I notice contrasts sharply against the gleaming white ceramic sink. Looking at objects more closely, I find one advantageous part of the strong light is the highlights it creates on objects. I notice in the sink faucet handles nice patterns of the light above made by the changing shape of the handles. The nature and beauty of the material is showcased under this type of direct overhead light and background mirror. Shapes seem to pop out more and are much more dramatic and clean looking.
II. Beach
Arriving at Santa Monica beach, it is 10:40 in the morning. The sun is out with a scarce amount of clouds accompanying it. Walking onto the beach, I sit down about fifty yards from the ocean and face west. The light here is very bright and I find myself having to squint a little as I look around. The shadow of my body sticks out sharply in front of me with solid, defined edges. Directly in front of me I look at the sand and in the strong light am able to see every granule sharply and clearly. The multicolored aspect of the sand is very apparent and the warm colors stand out against each other like little crystal like objects. This small landscape gives way before me, rising up before me then slopes down until it meets the ocean. The depth and altitude of this is really enhanced by the strong sunlight that adds dynamic shadows and bring out every little wrinkle in the sand. People walking in front of me stand out clearly against the sand and ocean. Two people with white shirts and shorts walk past me in conversation. The white of their shirts shines brightly, making it hard to focus on details like pockets and seams. Their facial features are distorted slightly by harsh dark shadows that blow out sections and seem to completely hide others. Conversely, the shadows cast on the rear of their shirts are very dark and creates a separation of color that runs down their respected bodies. The shadows they cast are also dark and clearly defined. Their rapid movement and white shirts reflect the light in different directions that also draws attention to them. I can feel the heat of the light on my neck and shoulders has become uncomfortably warm, and I head back to the car to take cover.
III. Parking Garage
The parking garage is one floor below ground and about one the size and shape of a football field. The walls and floors and ceiling are a dark concrete. Large, square pillars (about two feet by two feet wide), are spaced out lengthwise down the garage, four per side. The ceiling is about eight feet high, and down the center runs a string of four oblong lights. At the entrance to the garage a large rectangular gate lets cars and light into the garage. The western side of the garage the wall ends about six feet up, leaving two feet of empty space near the ceiling that lets in light and air. It is 2:00 in the afternoon, and the lights above me are not turned on, leaving only natural light to illuminate the garage. The dark space of the room seems to eat up any light that gets in; while light shines brightly through the side �windows�, the far corners of the room are completely dark and slightly menacing. The floor, slightly polished by cars driving on it, reflects a faint line from the windows on the floor. In contrast to the rest of the garage the western wall is illuminated semi brightly below the windows. The illumination is cast until about three feet below the window and gives the concrete a softer gray coloring. The edges are fairly soft, yet light seems to be quickly sucked up and ends without bouncing or reflecting. The gate to the garage, now closed, lets in light from the street above and softly illuminates about ten feet of the ramp that slopes into the garage. In the brighter part of the ramp tire tracks and the concrete texture can be seem fairly clearly. This is lost once there is an absence of light. The faint almost censored sources of natural light trying to get in, coupled with the overall darkness and dreariness of the garage, I feel like I am in a dungeon type environment. The large, dark flat spaces are not inviting or comforting and feel very hard and cold. Light does not seem to thrive here creates a cold uninviting atmosphere. While small, light does however create the only accents in the garage by entering through the front gate and windows.