Drama 50C - F20: Beginning Lighting Design

This is my first Christmas tree that I have owned, outside of my family's tree that I would normally decorate. I love this little tree and what it represents. It's five feet tall and fits perfectly in the corner of my small apartment. Before I began decorating, I turned on the lights to see what it looked like bare. The warm glow mixed with the cool shadows, projected the intertwined branches on the walls. I love that the texture from the branches almost look like snowflakes. This projection made me think of the gobo that is utilized in lighting. This photo also allowed me to think more about texture within lighting, something I feel I haven't paid too much attention to. However, I am happy this photo has texture because it is something I will look more for and another element that I can consider creatively. 

It's okay, I am obsessed. I'll never get over lavender light. Someday I'll be lighting shows and people will be like, "hey, we've noticed that you've only been using lavender, are you okay?" and everything will be fine because this is my aesthetic, my style, my dream. Everything looks better in the lavender tints.  This was taken at 5:22 in the evening, according to my phone, and I believe that is right before the sun starts setting. You can see that through my back kitchen window the light has the same quality, so the sun was doing this wash over the entire sky. I like this picture because of the box the light seems to create. While the whole house is dark and black, the outside light glows with an inviting pastel glaze. If I were to recreate this, I would put a barn door over the main light and add in a low intensity pewter blue light to give those soft cool tones on the floor. I'd like to see a pink cyc fading into lavender. Will it look...

  This is a photo of my friend Shaden and her bird. I wanted to write about the emotion I feel when I look at this photo and what type of lighting inspiration I get from this moment. I love the energy exuding from both her and the bird, it seems playful, but also slightly dangerous. I think if I were to put this feeling into light onstage I would do a lighter tint of reds and oranges to put the audience in that dangerous/chaotic place. I think it adding a 2 count in and out would add to the chaos, and give it this quick fleeting moment this scene needs. 

 This weekend I began to decorate my room for Christmas since December is rapidly approaching. I put up this small tree in my room every year to make my space feel a bit more festive. This year I tried to make my space extra special because I'll be spending most of my time in it until the quarter is over. I love the comforting glow that Christmas lights give off especially in a small space. There is such a feeling of hope and joy attached to the glow the lights give off and the shadows they create behind them. The holiday season has alway been a beacon of light in the long fall quarter and is even more so in my last quarter of my undergrad. So the look of Christmas lights are a reminder of the rest and recuperation I can look forward to. 

  This is the a desktop I just installed by myself! After hand-picked everything from the market, I invested around 3 hours to install everything and made it into a working computer. Thing is, I did not use any LED lights for it but the main board has a small LED light that actually shines the whole cabin in the dark. In recent classes I studies the color theory and this moment actually captured an idea of theatrical lighting -- the mist purple color and the "box boom" on the left leaves a highlighted area on the graphic processor. The color tone is cool, and renders a somehow mysterious scenario for me. It is all amazing that seeing something from real life object so similar to the theater lightings!!

I took this picture during Thanksgiving weekend. I was on a hike at the Layfette Reservoir in Northern California, visiting my sister and brother-in-law for the weekend. I edited the photo to enhance its already mysterious and eerie nature and create a cohesive mood for the photo. I particularly like the gradient mountains in the back that increasingly get lighter and then fade into the sky giving depth to not only the photo but mood. The beacon, which is the focal point of the photo, stands tall in stature and gives off a strong and unwavering essence. Lastly, the texture and shadows on the water, engulfing the lighthouse, also signifies a calm and uninterrupted nature. The black and white edit creates a mysterious and eerie tone for the picture but is juxtaposed with the strong and unwavering beacon purporting an overall sense of hope in times of darkness.    

  The last few days have been a much needed break from a packed quarter. This Thanksgiving was, for many, different from previous years but, I found myself still giving thanks, even though this year has been incredibly unsettling and tragic. Being in quarantine with my family for the majority of this year has been tough at times but, I am extremely grateful to have gotten to spend all of this time with them. I took this picture as I was walking my dog with my family, something we started doing together at the beginning of quarantine in March and since it has gotten cooler we've brought it back. The colors in the sky actually made me think of our previous class sessions and the lights that have been used on the cyc.

Last week was a pretty hard week for me, last Sunday my pet Figment passed and I didn't really feel like myself. I felt an overwhelming feeling of despair and sadness. Though on Wednesday at who knows how early I woke up to the sunrise morning light coming through my window and I honestly felt better. I felt like I could move on and feel better about what happened. It helped me wake up with a smile on my face instead of no emotion. I still don't know why this image brings me joy and calmness but it does. I don't know how the lighting brings those emotions from me but I know that it helps me. When I saw it in the morning I couldn't help but be filled with the feeling of calmness as I just stared at it before I got out of bed. It helps me feel like there is a better tomorrow even when the days are dark. 

 This is Homer and she loves to sit on laptops because they are warm. Especially now that it’s cold. I took this picture right after class last week of my very spoiled kitty. This picture made me consider how difficult it must be to recreate indoor lighting. This was taken in the middle of the day but if told it was taken at night, at first glance it would be believable. However, I think that the mood would be a more important feature when it comes to lighting Lizzy on stage or even my cat Homer. For example I would probably use booms to create a softer look to express the cuteness of the photo but also only light that part of the stage to show that this area is closed off to indicate a room or indoors. I would probably use warm colors too despite the weather in this case because like her, this picture brings a lot of warmth and love.

  I took this photo in the summer of 2019 when me and two of my friends took a road trip up to Vancouver, Canada for a few days. I was extremely excited at the time because, until then, I had never traveled outside of the US, and because I was able to spend a lot of quality time with my friends who were usually all away at different colleges. We really had a blast driving up the coast, and exploring a new city. Oh how I took the time before Covid for granted. I know that this picture isn't the greatest quality ever, but I still think that the lighting is interesting in it for a variety of reasons. First just looking at the street lights, I really like that in the distance the design of the street lights is really undetectable. We can only see blobs of light and the reflections of light from a variety of sources on the street. It is not until we look at that larger street light in the front of the picture that we can start to make out the individual shapes of the lights, although bl...

  Awe and Odyssey     It is the small things, I say, and here is a picture of clouds, which in themselves are quite large. It is the small things, I say, and here is a picture of mountains, who hunger upwards in size around us. It is the small things, I say, because this moment, with all of its spatial greatness, is quite temporary. A moment. A point. A dot on the timeline.      I was on a drive back from Reno, and this moment made me pull to the side of the road. Is it a large scene? Perhaps. But it is not the clouds that awe me, or the mountains, but my luck in witnessing this point in their odyssey. Me, but a speck on the timeline seeing this even smaller speck. What a sight to see.         You see, it is these gargantuan things coming together in such a way so as to define a small moment--it is these infinitely miniscule momentary interactions that I stare in awe at. Moments where the light slips through the giant cotton-balls b...

  I chose this image of my two puppies because I felt that this one clearly showed the emotions on it. Their facial expressions and the bright lighting just reflect the emotion of happiness and it brings a smile to anyone. Both puppies look like angels in the picture, but trust that it’s only because of the lighting, they both can be little devils when they want to, but cuddle buddies too. The lighting in this image is great because it doesn’t have many shadows and reveals their faces. I can’t help but laugh at this picture because I know them and I know their personalities, and it just brings pure joy to me when I’m not feeling well. They’re the “babies” of the family and are really spoiled, but I love them nonetheless. This image of them is just perfect, I can’t think of anything else to describe it.

  This is my cat Baby, and this year he'll celebrate his third Christmas. In this picture he was on the table playing with the Christmas decorations we were putting up in the house. I think this is an interesting picture because of how many lights sources are in it and the contrast between warm and cool colors. The warm yellow Christmas lights are right in front of him and on an angle that lights mostly the left side of his face (or stage left if this was to be on a stage context :)), creating some shadows on his right side. I like how these lights reflect on the gold and red decoration around him and on his eyes. On the background, although it is blurred,  we can see two main sources of light, the TV on the left and the Christmas tree right behind Baby (and more on the upstage right side). Both sources are adding a cooler light in contrast to the ones coming from the front. I think that the lights all together add layers to the composition of this picture and the feeling of i...

  Rajah is probably one of the grumpiest cats you will ever meet, but she has a lot of really sweet moments - like this - that make you question how a cat could be so entirely grumpy 99% of the time. My house is usually shaded for the majority of the day, and the cats are indoor cats so they really do not get that much sunlight. However, around 9am every morning they are practically breaking down my door to come in and catch the sunlight through the window, and by 10:30am they have usually moved on to their next spot in the house. I really enjoyed this picture and it kind of reminded me of a gobo on the floor of a stage. You could totally design a gobo pattern to have a similar look of sunlight shining through a window, or you could actually have light shining through a scenic window element to do the same thing. I'm glad I captured this sweet moment and also captured how natural looking light could be easily moved into a theatre space. 

                                   (Sorry the photo is sideways! I couldn't figure out how to fix it.)     This is a picture I took earlier in the week looking out at The Wedge in Newport Beach. I was missing some of my friends on Monday night and asked them if they wanted to meet up and take night pictures at the beach. They were up for it, and this is one of the first photos I took when we got there. There were a lot of really bright street lights on, so the lighting in the photo didn't turn out quite how I was anticipating. Instead of a soft, sultry look, I captured an image that looks more harsh and exposed, which was not the same feeling I got while looking at the same beach in person with my own eyes. This fun little hangout showed how much a difference in lighting can make for a setting's mood and tone, and what to look for if I want to take pictures that convey certain emotions.

  I love San Diego. I've been lucky enough to grow up here and it truly is one of my favorite places. While I don't make it downtown too often, seeing the skyline always makes me happy. The way it sits right along the bay is so gorgeous, especially at night when this photo was taken. This skyline means a lot to me. It gives me a sense of home. But I also never tire of seeing it.  This photo was taken from a ferry boat headed towards Coronado on the other side of the bay. It was also just after sunset. I like this picture because it really captures the colors of the sea and the sky very well. You can see the last hint of orange in the sky from sunset as night begins to come in. And then the reflections from the buildings onto the water add so much to this photo. It takes the natural blue of the sea and amplifies it with so much color and light. The water also has a beautiful pattern from the currents and wake of the boat that disrupt the reflection just enough to add more textu...

 My mom and I were dropping off some Thanksgiving food to my sister and her family since we were not able to all gather this year and on the drive there, we passed by this small pasture with cows! So cute! Not to mention the wonderful sunset in the back. (It reminded me of all the sunsets being built by my peers in their presentations and just how spot on they were with it with the distinct colors and the arrangement of them). Anyways, we were just passing through and did a very quick drop off of the food at my sister's house which was so strange. We talked from across the drive way and I waved to my nephews and niece and then we left. The moment was fleeting just like that sunset. It's so nice and warm in the moment but disappears quickly. The holidays are very different this year but we're lucky we're all still here to celebrate even if it's from afar. 

We all know 2020 is a year for the books. I think we are feeling that especially now that the holiday season is upon us. I am not super religious but I do love celebrating Christmas. I'm not really mad that this Christmas will be different, because it has to be. It's essential that this holiday season is different. And we are all going through it, so we don't need to feel alone. It just sucks. It sucks that we can't go holiday shopping, or go to Disneyland, or go see all the amazing soon-to-be Oscar nominated movies that come out around this time. So, yesterday, I was feeling a little sad. Because it's supposed to feel like the start of the holiday season, but it's hard to feel that without seeing all the shops and places lit up. My partner and I went out to the park for a few hours and when we came back, his Dad had put the Christmas lights. I smiled immediately. It's not that many lights but it still felt at least a little bit like the holidays. There are ...

  I took this photo a few days ago while my family and I took a drive to Long Beach. It was maybe 11pm at night and there were no people around. I remember it being very cold and the silence deafening. As I leaned on the railing and watched the pitch black water, I felt calm. There's something about silence that can be both beautiful and frightening, it leaves you with nothing but yourself and your thoughts, which can be at times overwhelming, however, very much needed. The coolness of the blues in the sky and water gave me a feeling of isolation, but the wonderfully warm tones of the city lights gave me comfort in that darkness. The reflection of the homes and lights on the dark water also caught my eye. It was so clear that it felt as though there had been a mirror placed underneath the city. The small waves in the water made the lights flicker, which was also beautiful to witness.

 As I was getting ready to do my picturization project this past week I was trying to figure out a way to see how it would look using the lights I had available to me. In this picture, I was trying to use my desk lamp as though it was backlighting different objects on my desk. I noticed that the lamp was causing more of a spotlight upon my desk, so it didn't really work the way I wanted it to. But it created this cool picture when I lined up a heart-shaped coaster with the light in the middle. It almost looks like the sun as the light is perfectly circular and the light itself seems to be creating a flare within the picture. 

  Lately, I haven't had too much time to sew and work on my hobbies and the light from the window hit my sewing machine just right. My machine has been sitting on my floor for a bit of time so it makes me a little sad that I haven't been able to pull it out and work on projects. Though the light does bring a little hope that I will be able to sew small pieces either for myself or my pet rats. The darker parts of the picture still bring that little bit of sadness I have but I know once things fall more into place as time moves on I can pull out my fabric, patterns, and everything I need to once again construct garments.

I am once again forced into the cold winter of Utah. This time, however, we have some nice snow pictures instead of just presnow days.  I love how reflective the snow is. I didn't have to edit or adjust my camera for this photo because the light was illuminating everything even though it was 9 in the evening. I often hear people describe winter as cold and dark because those two words seem to go together so well, but it's kind of miraculous to me how light it really is, even in the night.  I also find it funny how we talked about the hotter a light being, the less of a warm color it would be. So to have something this light winter color, I would imagine the lights needing to be fairly hot. I think a similar effect could be created with tints to make the lights more white and icy. I'm also interested in the warm amber colors from the windows in houses that makes them feel warm, cozy and lived in.  The lights from the street and garage are more blue and cool....

      My mom just put up this little snowman air freshener in my bathroom which has a tiny led light in it. I walked into my bathroom without turning the overhead light on, and it made me realize how interesting the light cascading from this tiny plugin was. It gives me a feeling of cold isolation, perhaps even desperation. I really like how the lighting bounces around, giving nearby items a slight amount of reveal. It plays up the mystery and suspense of the scene. The colorful hairbands on the counter ruin the cold feeling a little bit though.

      I took this picture in an afternoon. I was on a bridge riding my bike and heading home. The sunset surprised me because of the cool tone and the shadow on the river. The sun looks like a huge channel 9 (down face Fresnel) to me. The faraway building and the woods merged together in the shadow, and the blue, green water just lied there reflecting the cool sunlight. I really like the vibe of the picture, especially it somehow mimics a possible lighting cue in the theater. If possible, I wish the sun can have a R02 in front of it, so that the scene can warm up a bit!  

I recently visited my sister in her apartment in downtown San Diego. We went up to her rooftop to find this beautiful view of the city. The gradient of the horizon with all the different colors is what attracts my eye. There is a lot of color, cool and warm, creating an interesting composition. The pink, purple, yellow, peach, green, gray and blue come together and almost create a youthful glow to this smoggy city. The peach and pink tones pink stand out against the blue and gray. I think this is where I get the lively and youthful feel.The brighter colors add some fun to what could be boring and gray.  This photo also gives me inspiration for possible color combinations on the stage. I would be interested to see cool blues and warm peach and pink tones. 

    This is a photo I recently took of my cat, Apollo. He is laying in bed next to a little stuffed toy I got that looks like him. I love this picture not only because it is of my pet, but also because of the warm and cozy feeling that it conveys. A few months ago, my boyfriend and I got string lights for our room. These lights feel much more comfortable and less jarring than the lamp we used to use, which is something that made me really appreciate the art of lighting. It's crazy how the intensities and colors of lights have the ability to alter my emotional state so much and going forward, I will only use cozy lights for my bedroom. 

  For the first time in my life I have my Christmas tree up before December 1st! I want to say it is because I love Christmas, but it's because I got this tree onsale and couldn't say no. It came pre lit and I have to say, for being a fake tree it is very well lit and of good quality. The lights featured on the tree are LED and show up vibrantly throughout the tree. I find it interesting that multi colored light colors never clash, a lot of the colors are warm jewel tones that harmoniously live all together. There is also something very jubilant about a Christmas tree, it seems like every space a tree is in, it is the focal point of the room, or party.  

I recently started a new job at a small wine and cheese shop that's near me. I have been there for a few weeks but never really noticed the beautiful lighting that came from our front window until today on my break. The warm light shining in through the shelves makes the store feel so homey and inviting when paired with the glow coming from the cheese grater chandelier. The balanced of the light and shadows keeps the sunlight from feeling harsh and makes the glow feel more like your grandmas fun kitchen rather than a harsh store window. 

This past week, I went on a hike in the woods. Hiking is one of my favorite activites, and it's a great way to enjoy the fall weather. It's also a great way to experience the beauty of nature. This was taking a the top peak of the hike, where we found a meadow lined by forest. The sun had almost set behind the trees, and it created a beautiful subtle glow through the branches of the trees. The sky was just starting dark, becoming a dusky lilac color, with the light pink of the sunset bleeding into it. The colors in the sky reminded me a lot of some of the colors we utilized in the first project, with the light purples, blues, and pinks.

 "OH MY GOSH IS THAT AN OWL?!" I screamed as my fiancé and I drove up his parents' driveway. It was an owl, but obviously totally fake. His dad has been having issues with crows and thought some fake owls would scare them off - it has not worked, but it was a funny and kind of spooky thing to drive up to. The light hit this little owl perfectly, so I had to take a picture. I'm not sure if he placed this here on purpose because of the light, but I can't help but to hope that it was a happy lighting accident.  It reminded me of how we have been playing with lights in class and how revealing this light is on the owl, but yet it is still pretty creepy and mysterious. We usually associate something that is not revealed or concealed as those things, but even though this owl is totally exposed and well-lit, the darkness behind it gives off that eerie feeling. It gives me different ideas on how to play with light when it comes to our upcoming projects because revealed doe...

                Hi everyone, this week's blog post is a picture I took of my family's new Australian Shepherd, her name is Misty. She likes to rest her head on the bottom of the sliding door frame, and I thought that the pattern of the sunlight and gate combined made this photo really special. While this photo has a cooler tone with the shades of white from the wall, her fur, the gate, and the sliding glass door, but I feel like the sunlight on Misty's face makes this photo warm and cozy. Whenever I look at this photo I get a strong feeling of home and comfort. The sunlight against the wood floors is also a vague memory I feel like a majority of people can say they understand what that feels like, and is another part of the picture that warms up the overall tone and feeling in this photo. 

  I took this picture a couple of weeks ago from my telescope. It had been a long time since I had used it, but one night I decided to take it out and try to see if I could remember how to use it. A couple years ago, I was really interested in astronomy, maybe even a little obsessed and I took every opportunity I had to look at the stars and especially the moon with my telescope. I find this particular photograph unique since the light isn’t exactly reflecting the entire face of the moon, it’s giving it this shape that to me gives the picture the feeling of mystery, of the unknown. It makes me think about how little information and the many mysteries we have about the universe and it’s actually quite terrifying, but at the same time I find the moon calming.

Adrift      To borrow the words of a man of thinking disposition, nature reflects our mood back at us. To the melancholic misanthrope, storm clouds looming on the horizon are a bad omen, a sign of danger and bitterness to come. To he who meditates on his own thoughts, the thoughts themselves are the omen. Just as winter can be cold and summer can be warm, so too can winter be warm and summer cold. While I stood, barraged by winter winds, on the dock outstretched into drifting waters, I was warm. My hands were cold but my heart was ablaze, stoked by the breath of good company.     Cold can stand on its own, yet warmth must be accompanied by cold. Why is this? Yes, perhaps it is as simple as good composition, but perhaps there is a connection to be drawn. Happiness must always be overshadowed by doubt; all beauty must die, only to be reborn again. It is a simple feeling: the feeling of slight disconnect that ravages relationships, the feeling that births a void of...

  I took this picture just as the sun was setting on an outing with my family this past week. Seeing as covid restrictions are getting tighter and that it's getting darker much earlier, I haven't been getting out of the house much. I'm not one to take pictures of anything and everything, I don't even take pictures of my food before I eat like I’m sure most girls my age do but, the blog post assignment has been making me want to take pictures of my surroundings. When I go out, I want to absorb the colors around me and when I saw this sunset, I instantly took a picture. I love looking at the colors blended in with one another from a darkish blue to reddish orange to a soft yellow and back to light blue. I find sunsets so alluring and bittersweet because as beautiful as they are they don't last for long.

  Last week I was walking my dog on a cloudy day and I noticed small strands of pink piercing through the clouds as the sun was setting. While that was very pretty, the color only grew more intense as the minutes passed and shortly the whole sky was reflecting one of the most vibrant and beautiful sunsets I had ever seen. It almost came out of nowhere and disappeared only a few minutes later. But it was an absolutely beautiful thing to see.  This is the best photo I was able to get from it. I love the contrast between the grey and almost gloomy sky against the incredibly bright and warm colors from the sun. The shape of the clouds are very dramatic as well making it more interesting. The way the sunset fades into the clouds is extremely gorgeous. And I like the way the trees are silhouetted in the distance. I've had the pleasure to see a ton of great sunsets but this one will definitly stick out to me. 

  I think that this photo I took on the beach is really interesting and it has captivated me. I think that one of the reasons why is because this picture has two different sources of light--the sunset in the background and the fire pit in the middle of the photo. I think that these are not only beautiful, but they add a really interesting depth to the photo. The sunset in the background has a beautiful blend of colors and contrast with the clouds and the line of the horizon so well. The light from the fire pit illuminates the subjects in the middle of the photo by basically creating a visible outline/glow of orange on them while the shadows fill in the rest. Additionally, because the two sources of light are coming from the middle and background of the photo, the subject in the very front of the image almost blends into the setting. It is really hard to see her because there is no source of light in front of her to illuminate her.  All of the more technical details aside, I ch...

 The holidays always know how to spark joy and happiness. Even the idea makes me feel a little more at ease. However, the past few years I find that I just become more and more stressed at the anticipation of a holiday. No matter what, I know that my job makes it mandatory to work on those days. It’s been 3 years since I’ve been able to fully enjoy a holiday with family and friends without having to cut it short by driving an hour back home to get ready for a long 10 hour shift that I know I won’t sit down during. Although, I never like to let the holidays stray too far. I went to Target and bought myself a mini Christmas tree. It’s not much but it felt festive. I enjoyed this picture because it reminded me of small acts I like to do to keep my holiday spirits up when everything feels tiring. The blinds shedding the little light in the room gave the tree the cool color and feeling of a winter morning in California but also kind of shut off the rest of the world for a second. How ve...

 The other day I was in a really good mood because I had just a made a sale on my online shop and was excited to drop off the package at the post office. I was also excited to get out of the apartment even if it was just for a short trip and as I was walking to my car I looked up and saw the sun peaking over that house and the sky looked liked something out of an animated movie! I thought it was beautiful! I love the dark shadows of the trees in contrast with the bright yellow sun, blue sky and white bubbly clouds. It came as a gentle reminder to myself to not keep myself cooped up too much because I miss the small pleasantries like this when I don't get out for a short walk or even just a lap around my apartment complex. 

  I took this photo a few days ago while I took a break from my computer. I've been pretty stressed due to all the midterms and homework lately, so I decided to take some time for myself and get some fresh air. I just sat outside and hung out with my dog, Benji, for about 30 minutes. I sat and soaked in the warm sun and felt the cool breeze on my skin. As the clouds slowly moved across the sky, I watched sunlight flicker from behind the swaying tree leaves. Even though I only sat in my front yard for 30 minutes, I felt a sense of relief and stillness that I had been desperately needing. The sunlight just gave me a lot of hope and comfort.

  This is one of my foster kittens, Sultan. I went to LA for the weekend to spend some time with my family. One day everyone in the house went out and I was left alone with the cats. The older ones are always on their own, but the kittens like to be around. I tried to take a nap while my parents were out, but the kittens kept staring at me. It was a cloudy day but the sun would come out from time to time. I played with the kittens when I noticed the sunlight coming through the blinds, and while the other two kittens were running around, Sultan laid down and looked at the window. The sunlight made his black hair shine even more and make these contrasts of black and grey on his hair. His little eyes turned into some color between green and blue. When cats are babies, their eyes always look blue, and they eventually turn into their actual color as they grow up. I like the shadows that were created by the sun and the blinds, and the color combination of green and blue with the warmth o...

       This week my partner and I decided to go for a walk around Lake Hollywood. I'd done it once before but not at this time of day. The walk was definitely longer than I remembered, but it felt good to get out. When we started the walk, it was around 3:30 so the sun was still high in the sky, but it was juuuust starting to dip. By the time we were near the end of the walk, it was almost 5 (we were walking pretty slow). At this point we were on the east side of the lake, so we had a fabulous view of the sun setting behind the Hollywood Hills. Even though I knew this was a reservoir and that I was in the middle of a big city, seeing this lake at sunset made me feel like I was somewhere else. The feeling of seeing the sunset on big trees and a body of water brings me to a place on the east coast. Somewhere far away from civilization. What a camping trip must feel like. It was so beautiful to see the sun reflected on the water and how it lit the trees as if to say, "I...

  My grandma has this lavender bush in her backyard. The smell is soothing and sentimental. This photo also makes me feel nostalgic because I grew up with my grandma gardening in the backyard. Additionally, lavender happens to be my favorite color. I was sitting in the backyard with her and the sunlight gleaming over the hill made me feel at peace. It was a combination of the color, light and smell. In terms of design, I was intrigued by the lines that the sun rays create and how we can manipulate them on the stage. There are many ways we can show sunlight on the stage. Now after taking this photo I can see how sunlight shining above a hill can be represented in so many ways. For me, this form of sunlight shining over the lavender bush represents tranquility, hope and stillness. 

  This picture was taken on Tuesday when the fires were happening. I thought about the color lecture that we had recently and how the temperature of light determines the color it produces and with the fires happening, it was a rare chance to see the various colors of heat and light mix together in the sky. Parts of the sky were still blue while most was a deep orange. Since both come for sources of heat, this unfortunate event gave me an example of the Kelvin temperature and an example of how light can appear bright but have a negative emotion or connotation. I do hope all of the people effected by the fires are able recover quickly and smoothly. 

Last week, my best friend and I carved pumpkins together. It was a great way to be creative and get into the mood of the holiday. It took longer than expected, neither of us are great artists and we didn't have the best tools, but we were both pretty please with the end result. We placed candles in our pumpkins, and that was when our creations truly came to life. The orange light emanating from our pumpkins' faces harkens to the autumnal colors of the season, and the warm glow seeping out from the cutouts makes our pumpkins' look more friendly and loving than spooky or scary. I also love the rays of light streaming out from the wicks of the candles, giving almost a heavenly glow to our cozy fall night in.

  I visited a park near my home last week. It was almost sunset, but I took this when I was down the mountain. I didn't realized that the picture turned out to be very bright, but at that moment it was surprisingly dark outside. The sunflowers are beautiful, but the feeling of the scene gives me a sense of "doomsday". Like the sunset before the earth falles, humans' fate are just as unknown as ever. It was wired but the feeling was there, "the peace before the storm coming". The texture on the sky, though, is my favorite part that somehow like the leaves of the sun, which composed a huge sunflower on the sky. -Charlie

  I took this picture the other night of the flowers that I picked up at the farmer's market. I recently have been spending too much money on plants around my house whether it be flowers, succulents, and even fresh herbs. The silhouette that is being shown is being caused by the light from my wax melter. The bulb is protected by a ceramic cup with snowflakes around it that give off a small amount of light in the room. I really love the warmth of light because it resembles the warm colors of the sunflowers and poppies. This may be a weird statement but I actually prefer the look of the flowers in the silhouette, I love the detailing of each petal that is being projected on the wall. 

  I took this picture when I had some car trouble a week or so ago. I accidentally left my hazard lights on, which drained my battery. I have a hybrid car and there isn't an actual lock on the doors, so I can't open them up. If the battery dies you can't even open up the doors with the FAB(Car Key). You have to pop off a piece on the door handle to get to the actual key lock. I tried this for a long time while on the phone with my parents trying to explain that I couldn't get the stupid piece off my door handle. I took this picture in my frustration to show what I was dealing with and I just laughed because this picture just screams frustration and annoyance. There are pieces of lint in the air, the light is glaring, and you can't even tell what you're looking at. I just thought this was a really good representation of how light makes you feel something. How even when there is light its can still be confusing and annoying.