The assignment to observe the lighting in three places allowed me to understand better the concept of light. Previously, I only considered lighting to frame objects or people, but this assignment led me to consider natural lighting, and the natural beauty it adds instead of the constant lighting that man creates. I found that the feel of natural lighting brings a more graceful and delicate feeling, a feeling of being more at peace. I’ve always considered light an everyday part of my life, and never consciously thought of its significance. The first time I remember realizing the importance of light was during Earth Day, when we turned all the lights off for the night. Not having proper lighting to see really hinders communication. The importance of suitable lighting for various situations is imperative. When light is not properly set up, everything seems off, from the colors to the shadows.
For the extreme lighting situation, I found that what really caught my attention was this machine that my friend has, called Laser Stars. Essentially, it fills any dark space with a really sharp spectacle of animated stars and cloud formations with an occasional shooting star. The stars and clouds are constantly moving and morphing, created by green and blue lasers. There are thousands of little green lasers in motion, and the intensity of the blue clouds is adjustable, giving the user full freedom. The first time I saw it, I was really impressed and just enveloped within this created reality. Even though I was in my own room with a concept of the space, when the projector turned on, I suddenly felt like this new reality was huge and I was just a tiny part of it. While they were only lasers, it was very intense and captivating.
In my dining room, the curtains are semi see-through, casting a very soft and subtle light on everything it caught. Without any indoor lights turned on, the light that showed up through the curtains set a very calming and serene setting. The pale eggshell color of the light, and the striped reflection on the light brown tables brings a welcoming and homey approach to the room. I never really noticed the soft shades that the sunlight comes in, but after this assignment, I examined the light more closely, first from afar, then from up close. Standing away from the windows, the light looks blocked away and strapped. However, once you get up close, the individual mesh-like areas make way for the sunlight to escape into the room and rest on the different chairs and tables.
The lighting in my bedroom gives everything a yellow glow. Because the lighting is not at all harsh, it is more of a relaxed atmosphere, rather than a harsh studying one, such as Powell Library, with all its fluorescent lights. The tranquil environment with it’s soft shadows and concentrated colors makes it difficult to work in, and get ready in, but with the two windows and the sun that sets through one of them, the lighting becomes more natural and comforting. The lighting in the bedroom is not that great, seeing as how it is not light enough. The single light for the entire room does not allow for much homework to be completed. Instead, it is more appropriate for lounging around. The lack of light creates a feel of laziness in me, which is detrimental for my work.
While I did not pay attention to lighting before this, after the assignment, I have found that the lighting everywhere influences the feelings of people who are subjected to the light. I have a better understanding of lighting and how to create various scenes and stage various settings. The differences between extreme lighting and subtle lighting and their significance in influencing people’s feelings are interesting. The different colors reflected by different types of lighting on the same object are able to create three different looks and feels rather than just the one object. Light is able to influence everything about a setting or feeling. A dark light leaves an ominous feel to something, whereas a bright light leaves a joyful feeling.