Day 55: Noticing The Light
The first thing I notice is the light. No matter where I go, what room I walk into or if I go outside, the very first thing I am aware of is the light in that area. This awareness is both conscious and subconscious, I have been doing it for so long it is ingrained in me.
Maybe this started when I began my journey into photography. During this transitional period of time I paid more attention to the type of lighting I enjoyed shooting in and the type of lighting I could not stand to have in my images. This is most likely the time in which I developed a sensitivity to the personality of light in certain spaces.
Light is beautiful. It is such an incredibly prominent aspect of our daily lives and yet it goes unnoticed by so many. When was the last time you looked around and considered the qualities of the light you are in? What is the lights hue? Is is harsh or softer? Can you see distinct shadows or are they blended out? What is the source of light? So many different things can be considered when it comes to light.
As the day continues on the light shifts and changes almost as if it is alive. From darkness and the nightlight to the morning sunlight that glows golden over the horizon. Harsh overhead lighting of midday that sinks into the warm light of sunset. Indoor lights glow through the darkness and if you look up you can see the light from stars. Everywhere we look there is light.
Overcast days are my favorite. They even out the harsh shadows sunny days like to cast. Somehow these days feel softer and more comforting than any other. The thick heavy clouds that block out the sun blanket the world and bring out the most vibrant colors from nature. The light comes from nowhere and everywhere at once. It is soft, inviting, and mysterious. Everything is otherworldly and straight out of a fairytale. Shadows are deep and they mingle with the edge of light.
Night time is another of my favorite forms of light. The sun goes down and houses light up with warm glows that spill into the darkness. Tucked cozily inside a room that buzzes with the sound of a heater, the floor lamps drench the walls in comfort. Every is covered in warm hues that wrap a blanket of light around you. However, if one was to simply step out of the door and look up they would see thousands of time little lights. Twinkling above the world in their crystal clear way, the stars look down with a dazzling light.
Light captivates my mind and soul. Sunsets, cloudy days, twilight, etc. This is the kind of light that set my heart of fire and leave me speechless. Everything about light is beautiful, the way it brings things into view and shows us that which was once concealed by shadow. Light reveals to us the beauty of the world in which we live in and that is something worth remembering.
Until Next Time,
Lillian Merritt
