Week Eight: Natural light and photography

I am usually not one to post photos of myself, but I felt that I found little inspiration this week in the photos that I captured. I was randomly looking through photos on my computer and found this gem from a photo-shoot collaboration that I modeled for in January, and was inspired to elaborate on lighting from both the natural sense and the architectural sense.

When shooting this photo, I recall posing for long periods of time to allow for the photographer to find and grasp the natural light and the angle. There are so many ways that the photographer could have captured my position, but I thought it was clever that my friend angled the camera so that she could capture the position of light against the concrete wall. I am drawn immediately to this photo by the line cast on the pavement from the sun. I believe that the shadow and light separation truly compliments both the dominative and supportive strength that the concrete wall represents. The angle of the light plays a trick on the eye, and I believe that it makes the wall look bigger (taller and wider) than it actually is (it's only a handball wall). I also believe that the angle of the light played a huge role in making me look longer, more angled, more powerful, focused, and edgy. The angle in which the photographer captured this photo truly reminded me of lighting design:  a designer not only sets the tone and mood of the setting, but ultimately has the opportunity to build and establish a setting in the way that he/she wants the audience to see it, whether than means angling lights to make merchandise in stores seem more luxurious, cleaner, and supreme (I'm struggling with adjectives today), or angling lights to create a divine, celestial space on stage. What I am getting at is: ANGLE IS IMPORTANT in design because it makes objects appear differently (depending on the angle)!

This photo was taken in the early afternoon, and so the light seems warmer, which juxtaposes the harshness that the cold wall represents. The warmth of the light during this time of day not only adds color to me (as a model), but establishes a tone to the photograph. The warmth of the natural light in this photo adds energy and vibrancy that would not be the same if shot during a time when natural light is cooler.