Lighting Imagery

As we increase our knowledge of videography, we find that the principle that lighting is photography to be constantly proven as filmmakers' law. This is applicable to all forms of visual aesthetics as seen in still photography and paintings alike.

Dali has constructed a masterpiece of color and light. While the imagery is certainly left to the interpretation of the viewer, the vibrancy and focus of light cannot be disputed. The foreground adds contrast to an otherwise brightly depicted aqua scene. The highlights of the clouds explode in the upper right and fade with the direction of the light source. The stern is well light, but the port side allows shadow casting on the hull all the way up the mast of butterfly sails. The water's color and highlights transition remarkably from right to left.

My favorite black and white film is The Hustler. I am astonished with the quality of contrasting light that seems to be such a focus with a lack of color. The highs are high and the blacks are crushed. This extraordinary composition has a key and fill light placed directly above and is a prop for the scene. The back light gives each character amazing definition.

The deep saturation of this photograph is what is most compelling, but the simplicity of the framing works wonderfully. Paul Rudolph's architecture is given even more life by the high sun's rays filling the branches of the beautifully placed foliage. Enough key light is allowed to give the house definition.

I tried not to focus on paintings or even nautical themes, but the most beautiful sunset in the world is supposedly just off the western most Key of Florida. I have seen it in person, but the beauty of the brush adds another dimension in this unknown arteur's depiction. The warm glow radiating from the clouds is a spectacular beauty, but my favorite is the reflection allowed by the gentle swells. The sailboat in the distance adds depth, but I honestly don't love the framing. Certainly, I do not have an eye trained to criticize.

Revolutionary Road maintained an overcast look throughout the majority of the film, and especially with exterior shots. The drabness of the clothing mixed with light saturation give an dynamic of old but classy. This medium shot shows many different colors that would mostly be on the same palette, all while evenly lit. There are very few shadows and the ones visible are softly cast. The skin tones seem to almost fall into the mix. There is no real pop, but the blandness delivers a unique tonality to the film expressed well in this exterior beach still.