Sunday, June 7, 2015

The Art of Architectural Photography 6-7-2015

I am fascinated with and inspired by light in any form.  And, as usual, my insights into light and its many configurations have a way of presenting when I am not looking for comprehension.  I came across a wonderfully profound aspect of light in an odd but familiar context quite by chance. When I was in college, I took a geology course.  One of the classes took place in a cave (!!) where we looked at natural rock formations.  The cave was very dim and our professor eschewed flashlights in favor of studying the rocky surfaces and outcroppings au natural.  It was OK but on that field trip an incident occurred that changed my perception about seeing and understanding all that is visual.  There was a hole in the top of the cave and for some reason I looked up just as a drop of water, gilded with light fell through the gloom.  It enchants me still, thinking of that single beam of golden light descending through the dim cave.  All at once I could fathom the glorification of light by the ancients.  Comprehend the beauty of natural light in its many guises.  The experience reinforced my desire to use light as the most pervasive element in my work.

While natural light is sublime, electric and other artificial light sources have their charm and value.  Often old electric fixtures can create unusual or even unique lighting scenarios.  This hallway graced by magnificent and imposing old chandeliers offers light that casts wonderful pools and shadows.  The "noise" prompted by the darkness and the artificial rays is fog like and gives an aura of mystery.  That, coupled with the antique furnishings gives a time-travel-to-another-age feeling to me.  Light can transport as well as illuminate.

Sepia Architectural Photography

To learn more about the properties of light visit:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/3dgraphics4.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_%28graphical%29 
http://www.nightlase.com.au/education/optics/light.htm

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