Week 3/4

I took this photo a few weeks ago while waiting for an  8pm dance rehearsal in the Arts Plaza.  I was laying down on the benches by the water fountain after a long day and looked up to this site.  I was really struck by this image because the campus was completely dark and quite, yet the green pigment of the tree leaves really stood out against the darkness.  There was one lamp outside near the tree that gave a little light to the plaza.  The mood was very serene and quiet and made me feel very calm despite my hectic day.  

Week 3/4 Journal

This picture was really interesting to me firstly because overcast weather in Irvine is almost unheard of. Secondly I loved how the sun only shone through the upper right hand of this picture. I imaged this being on stage as having a single light upstage right to light an entire scene. Overcast days also always create the most pleasant pictures and the most vibrant colors and I am not exactly sure why but I would love to recreate that effect in a man made way.

Blog #2- week 4

I am interested in the way light reflects in this photo. The viewer can see the purple hue in the upper left corner where the sun is situated in the sky. The sun and its reflection on the water is so bright that it makes the rest of the areas not reflected on seem dark. I can really see how light bounces off surfaces and is absorbed into water. 

Week 3/4

I work at a movie theater and I like all the neon lights. I like how intense the colors are and how neons are usually blinking lights. I think it makes a very strong statement and neon light very clearly point things out and are associated with very specific things like movie theaters and clubs and bars. 

Week 3/4 Before Sunset

As I was walking from rehearsal, I looked ahead to see the setting sun cast a warm glow on the student center. But when I turned around, I was really astounded by the brilliance of the sky. The clouds hadn't begun developing any saturate colors, but the sunlight had diffused to create a bright white horizon that lit everything beautifully. I liked seeing the trees against this sky because the heavy lighting accentuated each needle and made the central tree really stand out as the main object of focus within the photograph.  I also liked that the sky and the earth seem like they are in completely different universes, with the heavy contrast in lighting.

Week 3/4 - Makapu‘u Tidepools / Ocean

Unfortunately my phone is broken so I am unable to take any photos, in order to make up for this conflict I decided to post a couple images that I took while visiting Honolulu this summer. The above photo was taken at the Makapu‘u Tidepools which run on the back side of the mountain that houses the Makapu‘u Lighthouse. The hike down to the tide pools is regarded as dangerous by locals and we were advised not to make the trip. However after seeing images online I convinced my family to make the hike. As you can see the hike was well worth it. I really appreciated the contrast of blues from the ocean water and sky against the rocks, much like my last photo. However in this photo the color and clarity of the water within the tide pools is inspiring. I also appreciated the hue of the blue of the water that crashed against the tide pools and how drastically it differs from the ocean water.  

 This next photo is a panoramic photo that I took from the top of the mountain that we climbed down to get to the tide pools. I really appreciated the hues of the water and the overall landscape of the mountain. The depth and height of the mountain isn't clearly shown in the photo, however the bordered mountain cliffs leave create a scenic element that pleases my eye. I also enjoy how the sun was half covered when I took the photo so the bottom part of the mountain leading to the ocean was exposed by the sun, whereas the mountain top and the trail down is covered by shadows of the clouds. It is interesting to see how deep the sunlight penetrates the ocean in areas of extreme depth and shallowness. The water was a deeper hue of blue in areas where there were possible canals or crevices in the ocean floor, and in areas where the water was not as deep the water appeared almost green.

Week 3/4 Encroaching Light

I really liked how the light was creeping around the building. It gave me the feeling that the light was slowly encroaching upon the building and would eventually envelope it.

WEEK 3/4 Fluorescent light is not comforting

I took this picture because it was a great example of fluorescent lighting in hospitals. I think the the fluorescent light with white colors in buildings like this makes me associate it with being cold and sanitary. To me the atmosphere it is creating is not very comfortable and they way the lights in the picture continue down the hallway and the light reflecting off the shiny floor makes it feel endless. This screams thriller/suspense movie for me, empty hospital at night and hallways with fluorescent light, its creeps me out like someone is going to capture you and experiment on you kinda thing. Anyways the lighting is very appropriate for its function at a Hospital where the doctors need great lighting to operate and the hospital does seem more clean with such lighting.

Week 3/4

6:09pm

I'll be honest. This was by far NOT the best sunset Newport Beach has to offer. The clouds in the back absorbed a lot of the beautiful pinks, oranges, and yellows that would have been bursting through into the blue sky. Yet, it is still an amazing sunset and what I love about this picture is that if you squint, there are three distinct colors. The top is a steel grey/blue followed by this peachy yellow/orange, which leads into a cool grainy black. The three blend nicely together and along with the silhouettes on the beach.

Week 3/4

I really like this picture that i took on the way to rehearsal last week, around sunset. This is a picture of the campus administration building, and I really felt that the backlighting of the building portrays power and business. I also love the layering of the natural coloring in the sky; the blues and ambers contrast nicely with each other. The reflection of the sunlight off the clouds softens the background, making Aldrich Hall stick out as a point of focus in the layout. I also appreciate the dynamic shapes of the physical objects on the horizon line (the trees/building/etc) as they create depth and make the image more interesting overall.

Week 3/4

I absolutely love this lighting effect that I saw as I walked out of my apartment one morning. I am really interested in these kind of awesome effects with light. It was a kind of gloomy day with a little bit of sunlight and the lighting from behind on this designed wall produced cool projections of shapes on to the floor. When I go to see shows, I am often intrigued by gobo-looking effects such as this; effects like this projected on to people and to things on stage is something I find really interesting to look at. I think it adds an exciting element and I think this kind of lighting effect on any kind of back drop is really striking. The colors in this picture are a little more neutral and I like how it looks this way, but I can also imagine it on the other end of the spectrum with more contrasting and saturated colors which would be amazing as well.

Week 3/4

Today as I walked around the boardwalk, I noticed this view. I immediately thought how unimpressive this sky is in comparison to glorious sunsets or sublime sunrises. And then I thought how ordinary isn't something to  be overlooked. The colors of this sky are still beautiful, even if we see this same picture everyday. The fact that I can even see due to the light provided from the sun is pretty amazing. I think this picture of just normal, natural light and a pretty ordinary color scheme is a metaphor for how we shouldn't disregard the things we are so desensitized to. We all need to stop sometimes from our busy lives and recognize that everything is a miracle. Even all the things we take for granted.

Week 3/4 Ride Back Home & Shocktoberfest

Sorry, I had to post this many pictures. I was about to only post the sunset picture because I totally forgot about the Shocktoberfest that I went to on Friday. And I thought it was interesting to show those pictures too.

I took this when I was heading back to LA last week. For the first picture, I loved the hues that were created in the sky during sunset. It looked like cotton candy in the sky. The sun in the middle, lighting the sky and the cloud made me feel warm and calm.  There is like a shadow effect on the tree and the other cars which was interesting. Everything below the sunset/sky is like shadowed like some kind of silhouette. And the second picture was like 20 minutes after the first picture. I liked how the lights on the road, the street lights and the lights on the cars gave a great mixture of lights. There is a red like orange hue still left in the horizon. 

It suck I didn't have a great picture for Ty Dolla Sign's stage. But I have Kehlani's stage in the first three pictures and Sage the Gemini for the second two. This was from UCI Shocktoberfest! It was so great. Because I am taking lighting class, I really got to know what was going on with the lights in this concert. I was very impressed of myself for noticing some things. I was like explaining to my friends about the lights they were using. I realize it really feels good to know things rather than just watching the show itself. My friend was like "OMG! I think I saw people walking up there." and I was like "that's the catwalk!" 

Throughout the whole concert, three artists used moving yokes a lot, with the primary and secondary color (gel) lights. I haven't seen mixed colors. All I saw was Blue, Yellow, Green, Red, and Magenta. No Cyan colored lights. There was so many moving yokes I couldn't count. Those moving yokes were on the ground and hanged if you look at the pictures. They were shooting like lasers. I think it was ETC Source Four in the middle. In the first picture of the three for Kehlani, I think the blue lights were ETC source Four Par because it was very bright. It's blue in the picture but it also was regular white light (changes color), flashing very brightly like high beams, during and after each performance. Also, if you look at the second picture of the three for Kehlani, there are lights flashing from the ground like spotlights on the side. I am not quite sure what it is called.

This Followspots were used throughout the whole show to spotlight the artists. It was located back left and right facing the stage.

This concert was a great experience. I haven't gone to any "American" concerts, so it was very interesting for me. Very fun and exciting experience. I will definitely go next year too. This year theme was hiphop and R&B. I wonder how EDM concerts would use their lights.

Oooh, The Crane. 13 October 2015

This thing. We've all seen this thing looming over what was once Commons. I really liked this picture because of the silhouettes. I love that it is the lighting that is sculpting what is a tree and what is infrastructure. We can see that there is a huge crane in the middle of the background even though it has the same composition and is in the same plane as the trees. This is further shown by the street light that is in the foreground but is also in the same silhouette composition as the trees and crane. I also like how you can tell that there are cars in the foreground and you can tell that there are a number of them but not exactly how many. The lighting gives you the suggestion that there are many cars, and thus gives you a hint to the location being a parking lot, but it does not illuminate each car that there is. This, I feel, sets the place as more of a strong suggestion and less of a literal telling of where we are. There is also something lovely about the yellows of the horizon bleeding out into blues and purples as the light spills upwards. While the actual source of the lighting is being hidden by the silhouette horizon, you still get the idea of where right is coming from. I love how the cloud streams take the colors of the sunset and almost benchmark their transitions. The clouds add more color variant and intensities. Something I'm still struggling to come to a decision upon is whether the sunset colors are cools or warms. I think what I like most about the light itself is the fact that the colors at the horizon are warmer hues (yellows, golds, and a little red) and the colors farther out are cooler hues (blues and purples) the intensities are flipped in regards to the kelvin scale we were shown in class. The yellow light is the most intense and the blue light is the least intense. Since we are supposed to be looking at lighting in terms of emotions or descriptors that come to mind, the two words I would use to describe this lighting would be "stark" and "Romantic."

Week 3/4

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing Florence & the Machine at the Hollywood Bowl. I snagged some pretty amazing seats and was super close to both her and the stage; it was remarkable. This lighting was during one of her ballads. Out of all the lights she used, this specific cue was especially vivid and lit up not only the stage but the people around her. It expressed the emotion of the song (mellow, sad, calm) as well as added such an amazing visual for those of us sitting in the audience. It's pretty amazing how a performance like this one can take you out of reality for a few moments and into this world of complete bliss. That's what not only her whole show did for me, but this specific song and moment. I HIGHLY recommend next time she's performing you go see her. It was a night I'll never forget. 

Week 3/4 - Colored Shadows

I thought this picture was so interesting. It was taken at Disneyland on October 17th. This is at night and it was while the train was stopped at the Mickey's Toontown station. There was a bar right in front of my hand, and two differently colored lights were next to each other, leading to the really cool phenomena that you can see here with the colored shadows that resulted. I would also like to note the colors of the two lights: they were, if I remember correctly, blue and green in color.

Week 3/4 - Knott's Scary Farm

This photo was taken while in line for the Sidewinder at Knott's Scary Farm. I absolutely loved the contrast between the ride and the sky. The picture quality isn't the greatest; the sky looked muddier and browner than it does in the photo. The bright, primary colors of the ride also had slightly cooler tones in the amusement park lighting. It was a very dramatic image that really worked with the overall atmosphere of the park.

Blog Post 2 (Week 3/4)-- Band Life

Ok  I guess I have a thing for posting multiple images...

These are all photos from a recent gig my boyfriend's band played. I know we're not supposed to post "theatrical lighting", but frankly, I would think it an insult to consider this theatrical lighting whatsoever. It's just shitty flashing colored lights in a shitty dive bar that are impossible to shoot good photos in. Anyways.
The top two photos are the exact same photo, I simply made one version black and white for branding purposes--it suits their social media aesthetic better. This brought me to think about the effects of color usage and what colors can say or evoke. While both share certain aesthetic vibes simply from the locational background details, the color version could lead new viewers to think that their sound might be a bit more pop/punk or maybe even club-y. But the black and white version evokes a something a bit more calm or edgy, something that takes itself a bit more seriously. In the context of this band, the latter is more the image that is trying to be achieved, as their music falls into a post-rock ambient genre with some dance influence.
For me, the colors and texture of the bottom image harken back to the pop/punk themes of the 80s. Though this photo was an accident, artistically it ended up being one of my favorites of the night

because of this fact. The neon lights and blurred lines are reminescent of the indulgence and opulence of the era, as well as the expressive, chaotic energy that abounded coming off the 60's/70's era of post war escape into sex, drugs, and feel good ignorance.

PS, their band is called Via Vista, and they currently play at various venues around the OC area. Seriously, they are really freakin good. Check out their Instagram and Facebook page for upcoming events, and come out to support! They're also releasing their first EP soon, so keep an eye out for that ;)

Week 3/4

This week as I was walking across campus, I noticed the sunlight as it filtered through the leaves of a tree.  Not only did it cast an amazing shadow across my path (which I would love to use as a gobo), but it also made for a beautiful filter as I looked toward the sky.  The white light of the sun came through the leaves and created a greenish aura around the tree to my eye.  The rays of sunlight shown through the gaps between leaves.  I loved seeing the green against the pure blue sky.

Week 1-2 Post(s) - Mountains and Shadows

I was unsure how recent the photos that we took for our blogs had to be so I decided that this week I would discuss two separate photos that I found particularly interesting

In the photo above from my trip to Honolulu this summer I really enjoyed the different shades of blue that were reflected off of the ocean by the sun. Contrasting the rugged textures of the mountain and the different shades of browns and blacks from the rocks. I have a particular interest in textures and shading so seeing the contrast in the photo is soothing to me. In the moment the photo was taken it was around 11AM and the sun had been coming in and out of view from the clouds which added to the different hues and shades that are seen in the photo.

The photo above is from my trip to Disneyland this past Saturday with a friend. While standing in line I noticed that as the sun was setting the mountain in the central part of the park was being both lit and unlit. I again enjoyed the textures of the mountain but also the light and dark sides of the mountain contrasting the blue of the sky. The lamp at the top left of the photo was also giving off a subtle hue of orange/yellow which created a more homelike or familiar atmosphere. 

Flowers in Bloom

I really liked the way that the different intensities of sunlight lit the flowers on this tree. I find it very interesting how the angle at which something is being lit can so drastically change the way it is perceived. I find the shaded side of the tree to be easier on the eye and therefore more relaxing. I am curious to see other ways that light intensity and shading change my opinion of what I am observing.

Well 1/2

While laying in bed I noticed that my friends roommate left his light on. Mind you it was 100 degrees outside and the sunlight was both blinding and able to light up a room. It made me curious how different people perceive light and how it's useful to them. Sometimes having a light bulb instead of natural light is preferable. Other times it's the opposite.
I did go then it off though. Why waste energy when it's as bright as it can be outside haha

Blood Moon. 27 September 2015

This was taken from the 4^th floor of the CAC during the “Blood Moon” eclipse (some people were calling it the “Apocalyptic Moon” which sounds just metal as all get out) and I what I liked about it the most; in terms of lighting, was that it was an event that progressed through time. It took about an hour for the eclipse to be completely full. Theatrically that could be used to give a sense of time in a scene/act as the progression of the reddening of the moon moves through time. There was interesting light spillage from the nearby cities that sort of muffled the glow of the "moonlight."  I also really liked how there was a defined ring around the moon itself so the object was clearly in focus (lost a little bit in the photo) but it had a halo of glow around it. The colouring was really interesting to me as well since “moonlight” is usually a bluer white (at least to my eye) reflected from the sun and this “moonlight” had a lot of amber, red, crimson, white, and brown in it. Overall I felt like it was very romantic and lush as it had warmer colours, and a softer glow than normal. It was also very ominous, mysterious, and a tad unnerving as it was almost the exact opposite of what the moon normally looks like and because of the severe colouring.

Week 1/2

In the midst of the most two stressful weeks of my life, I was able to enjoy this moment of beauty at my home in Newport Beach.  This sunset reminded me of finding the beauty in life during the most stressful of days.  As I sat there, I was able to watch the sky transition from every shade of yellow, orange, purple, blue and pink.  It was quite extraordinary.  This specific frame of the sunset had me most mesmerized.  The sun had set beyond the waves and all that was left were clouds of cotton candy.  I loved the way the colors in the sky reflected onto the waves giving the water as well as the surfers a purple glow about them.  This picture does not do this moment in time justice, but it sure does give a little glimpse of the beauty that mother nature brings.          

Week 1-2 blog

I was sitting on the sandy ledge of the bay in Balboa Island. It was quite peaceful when I saw a small leaf by my side. The light was bouncing/reflecting off the pedals facing the sun. It was a very beautiful sight. I noticed how the sun brought out the yellow of the flower though it could be mistaken for being all white. This could have been because of where the sun was in the sky at 2:30pm on this sunny day. The depth and texture was interesting to observe as well because of the details the light brought out when facing this flower. I was able to see where the flower was bent. I was also able to see the detail of where the stem grew into the flower's pedals.  

Week 1/2, Late night atmosphere

I like how Eureka looks at night because of its lighting. I want to go there to get a late night burger and drink because the atmosphere is inviting and feels lively even if there isn't many people even there. I love the way the Eureka sign is lit, to have the glow around it. The fire water fountain thing is a nice attribute that light reflects off of. I noticed the color scheme was of cool colors instead of warm colors, which I think gives off more of the characteristics of a night out vibe. 

Week 1/2 - Mason Jars, Gross Dive Bars, and Words That Actually Rhyme

The atmosphere of a bar makes or breaks one's experience. Considering atmosphere is one of the key elements of lighting design - wink - I was reminded of this assignment as I sat in this bar, enjoying the best pairing of Raspberry Vodka and champagne ever created. Drinking with my family on a busy Saturday night, I couldn't help but notice the dim lighting which created feelings of intimacy and togetherness as I leaned in closer towards everyone to participate in the conversation. Remembering the blog and trying to narrow in on the mood of the joint, I looked up and saw the mason jars - which are pictured above - hanging over my head. Now, I am a huge fan of mason jars - they're so versatile and super cool! They are used for storage, for drinking (because I'm a college student and bought twelve jars for like 5 bucks in place of actual drinking glasses), and decoration if you're into that kind of thing. But, I never really thought of mason jars as an application for light. The jars were tinted different colors - blue, green, orange - and the temperature of the lights were very warm. This fixture brought a very rustic feeling to the bar and transported you away from the party streets of Gaslamp, San Diego to some intimate room somewhere in the country side. I really appreciated how the lighting fixture personally made me feel comfortable and brought images of familiarity and simplicity to my head. 

Weeks 1/2

I took this picture in a park in Oregon when I was on vacation last week. It was late afternoon, around 70 degrees, and my best friend and I were having a quick lunch in the park. The sun began to shine through the trees and create this beautiful effect on the pavement. I was instantly mesmerized and knew that I had to document this beautiful moment. I love how the light is filtered in different vibrancies throughout the areas of trees, and how dynamic the shadows are within themselves.

Week 1/2

This photo is one of my favorite lighting effects, that of a window reflection on a pavement. It is so interesting how you can see the design of the window, and yet it is slightly distorted because of the imperfections in the window. This was taken at Disneyland's Fantasyland right behind the castle. It was surprisingly bright for a reflection, and I like how it stood out starkly against the pavement in the area.

Week 1/2

I was at the beach last night so I got a great chance to watch the different stages of the sunset. Although the sun created the most brilliant pictures before it set, creating sharp silhouettes and high contrast images, I was most impressed by the picture it painted after it had dipped below the horizon. Although it was still back-lighting the ocean, the light diffused to give everything a softer hue, and the sky became the most beautiful peach-orange. I was also quite surprised to find that the ocean really lit up after the sun had set, to the point that I wasn't sure if the sky or the sea was exuding more light. This balanced feeling lent to an atmosphere of serenity and contentedness, and the colors, especially in the water, are definitely something that would be interesting to reproduce in a theater.

Week 1/2

I was on the bus on my way to see "Vietgone" at South Coast Repertory and was absolutely blown away by this view out the window and quickly snapped a picture. Not only are the colors of the sky just beautiful and soft, but what strikes me about this view is the contrast in this image. The sky against its surroundings is very unique to me. I love the soft light of the sky against the dark, angular, and sharp silhouette of the urban setting with the traffic light, the freeway, the Irvine sign, the wires, etc. I think this establishes a beautiful contrast between the busy nature of rush hour and city life and the sweeping calmness of the sky. I love the geometric shapes of the freeway against the organic movement and light of the clouds. The soft and colorful light of the sky establishes a calm atmosphere and the rushing and busy life below blends in harmony with the tranquility of the clouds.

Week 1/2

So I really enjoy sunrise. I'm usually up early enough that the sun isn't even up yet, but am too busy getting ready to go out and see it. I like how the colors at sunrise are both so vibrant and muted. I find sunrises revitalizing and peaceful--I like them more than sunset. I also like how backlighting creates silhouettes and I think silhouettes of trees are beautiful. 

Week 1/2

During rehearsals for "Man of La Mancha" in the Claire Trevor Theatre, I have been watching how the work lights and house lights play on various surfaces.  I got to rehearsal early one night when the piano was still covered and loved how the light seemed to bounce off of the cover.  It is not captured well in this photo by my pathetic phone camera, but the light glowed from the piano and created a golden/white aura all around it.  The surrounding area was bathed in the light and the reflection.

Week 1/2

I was walking towards the shuttles when I saw the amazing way the light was reflecting off of the office building in UTC. The picture doesn't quite do it justice; there was more color variation in the windows. Some looked fairly blue, while others were pinker. It created a sort of gradient, with the pink in the upper left corner and the bluer windows in the lower right. I'm really curious as to what could produce that effect.

Week 1-2

8:34 AM

I am so fortunate to be living just steps from the sand at Newport Beach.

So I've decided to take advantage of it!

Each one of my blogs will be from the as close to the exact location as I can possible get.

BUT,

at different times of the day.

To show how lighting can change the mood throughout the day.

Bright and Early

the Sun has been out for a couple hours and it simply lights up the entire beach.

The sand looks inviting as well as the ocean.

I am instantly thrown to my childhood of arriving on the beach and bounding towards the water.

It is tranquil. 

It is happiness. 

The shadows on the left corner make it seem that many have already passed through.

Yet,

No families or surfers can be spotted.

Staring off into the ocean one definitely feels very small.

Week 1/2 Post: Wine Glass on a Bench

There is a winery down the street from where I live and it is one of the my favorite places to visit whenever I get a chance. I went a few weeks ago and stumbled upon this random wine glass on a bench while I was walking around. I thought it was interesting and rather pretty. The environment of this winery is extremely peaceful and has a beautiful antiquey feel to it. To me this glass was an amazing subject for a photo because it both fit in and stood out in its surroundings. I also really enjoy that although the glass is the focal point of this photo it is slightly out of focus in comparison to the bench.

Week 1/2 - Aldrich Park Tree

After class from Linguistics, during first week of Fall quarter, I was walking back to the arts campus cutting through Aldrich Park. In front of me, I saw a tree. Obviously, the sunlight gave a wide spotlight to this tree, casting a small shadow next to it. Yet, somehow, the shadow made me feel like this tree is very lonely even though there is bright light all around.

Week 1/2 Post!

I took to his photo at Laguna Beach earlier this week. I had never been there before and let me say it was completely breathtaking. It was just as it had stopped raining so the sky still had clouds and there was a chill in the air. The lights were coming through the clouds while the sun was setting so everything was colored as if it was a painting in a museum rather than real life. The lights were warm and coming through the clouds as if the heavens were rolling down onto the earth. The sunlight reflected off the water in a way I hadn't seen it do before. I cannot rave enough about the entire atmosphere of this beach on Sunday at sunset. The water was loud but everything surrounding it was silent. The wind pushed around the clouds.

SAMPLE-Pier

As I walked The Santa Monica Pier I was captured by the way the sun sweeped over the building and sculpted the people. Not only was there a strong contrast between the building and people, but looking at the way the sky starts in this rich blue and fades into an almost white really draws me in. I am a strong believer that contrast creates interest, and the depth in this moment keeps my eyes moving. These are the kind of moments I wish I could bottle up and release in a theatre when the director asks for me.

SAMPLE

I went to see a movie on the beach over the weekend and noticed epic sun set over the movie screen. The moon is in the back ground glowing white/yellow that has created the beautiful split color sky. What I love so much about this image is how the people in the scene seam to be tinted in a sudo lavender hue. It's as though the combination of the blue night and the amber sun have blended to tint the people. The movie was good too. :)

Blog Post 1 (Week 1/2)-- Jessica Likes Trees and Faeries and Stuff

Overachieving and posting these hella early cuz I got excited and I got other stuff to do that is piling up in mah brain. Don't mind me....

Two for one. Took these both on the same day on campus. They captured my attention for the same reason and evoked similar feelings in me. There's something that intrigues me about the darker foreground and bright, backlit background. In lighting and photography, you more frequently find the foreground to be in focus and light. But this effect does many interesting things in my opinion. In the top photo, it brings a vibrancy and glow to the color of the leaves that otherwise may not have been there if it had been lit from straight on, or above. It creates an ethereal pop of color that draws your eyes to the focal point. Being that it is a tree, it's kind of strange--what importance does a tree hold? (Mother Nature herself!...idk..it could be very important I suppose. We'd be dead without trees, so there's that.) But put it in another context and you could be drawing your audiences' eye to something very important/plot or character altering/etc. Ethereal. This lighting also gives the photos that sort of quality, I think, which I totally love. Especially in the bottom photo there is a sense of mystery, something more beckoning from beyond the dark foreground. It evokes a faerie forest sort of visual in my mind. There is a vibrant and playful, yet calming and welcoming warmth to it. I love these photos because they carry a great sense of depth and warmth, two things which I really love and frequently find in my personal photography.