Week 7: Dusk in the Desert

I was lying in bed at about 8:00 one night last week, and I was so tired I was about to fall asleep, but then the most amazing stream of golden light came in through my window and spilled onto my bed. The cloud cover had broken just before sunset, and there was light everywhere.

Without a moments hesitation I grabbed my camera and headed out into the world. I have been waiting a while to start really shooting a lot. When I am anywhere new I like to get the know the place a little before I start snapping or the shots end up looking really touristy and un opinionated. Anyhow, this stream of light told me that this was the decisive moment to go capture this little world.

The light was just incredible. It seemed like every 2 minutes it would completely shift in color, angle, quality and intensity. I think the reason sunsets are so intense is that all of the elements are shifting at once. This is actually something for me to ponder with stage lighting. Which elements need to shift in the next cue to convey what I want to convey?

One moment it was beaming and gold and peach and within a few minutes everything was this intense purple and blue. (See below) What I find amazing is that the way things look completely shifts. (Of course, as it does on stage, it't just still kind of baffling.) It's not just the sky that changes- its the way everything else looks. Today we went to Zion, and on the way there it was overcast and we didn't really notice these pale cliffs- but on the back when the sun was lower, suddenly we could see all the detail in the rock and they colors were completely brought out. It was 100% the light that brought out their incredible beauty.

The funny thing is that I drove for as far as I could without getting on the freeway, and by the time it was dark I was literally right back at my apartment. I made a big circle. Small town!