Mood Lighting

The lighting in this picture is a classic example of how color can be used to set a mood. Red and Green are associated with Christmas, so the holiday spirit is quickly conveyed. The vibrancy of the lights also adds to the magical feeling, with the intense colors bringing feelings of excitements.

I really enjoy the way this design conveys so much with so little. The stark white coloring already sets a mood of isolation, sterility. At this angle the light catches the matter in the air, creating an eerie sense of reflection, as if possibly signifying a memory.

Moody Lighting

This is for a scene from a play called Dead Man's Cell Phone. I think the lighting really helps establishes a looming mood because of the shadow "standing" over the woman. I think how small all of the other shadows are help make it more daunting. The use of a lot of darkness helps add to the scariness of the scene. I also think the only light that lights the stage is the light going over the woman who is otherwise surrounded by darkness aside from the back wall.

This photo is from the Bacchae and I think it captures the power and the mysteriousness of Dionysus (the character in the photo).  The way there is some light on the actor and a more defined light on the flowers focuses the audience's attention towards the flowers. The way there is not very much light, makes the use of the light more effective, as well as emphasize the mysteriousness of Dionysus.

Mood in Lighting

This set is from the rock musical next to normal, which is about a mother struggling with bipolar disorder. The lighting for this set gives off a gloomy, ominous feeling, and I would believe it if I was told that that is the intent.

This picture I took at my church in Houston. There is a lot of purple used here, which is usually a color of royalty and regality. Here it gives off a pleasant mood. This is during the singing portion of service where the band and the music are very lively but with controlled excitement.

Moody Lighting

This photo is from the Carriage House Theatre's production of The Garden. What has me obsessed with this photos is how the photo establishes a gloomy mood as well as nighttime in the garden. I like how the center of the stage is brighter than where the characters are. It makes me that there is some sort of tension or drama at this moment of the show.  

What is so interesting to me about this photo is that you can already depict a sad mood just from the woman's face. But the lighting design and the background makes the mood a little more complex by creating a look of solitude. The lights going across the woman's body is similar to lights traveling through jail bars, which can immediately invoke isolation.

Moody Lighting

This photo is from a movie called The Missing Person. I think it is a good example of moody lighting because of how the man isn't directly lit. He is being lit on one side of his face with a pinkish-red light so your attention is drawn to that part of his face while the rest of the lighting is really dim. It makes you wonder what is happening that is causing this bright light and it contrasts from the look on his face.

This picture is from the movie I Am Henry. I think the moody lighting in this setting gives off a very creepy and mysterious vibe. The audience isn't able to see much from the candlelight, and the figure in the center is mostly lit from the sides. At first glance, you aren't sure whether or not the figure is an actual person. While candlelight could be seen as romantic in some cases, it definitely isn't in this one.

Moody Lighting

The low red lighting sets an intimate mood in this scene. With the main light source as the lamp, the shadows cast under the table help focus the scene on the table and the champagne. I also really enjoy how the red light illuminates the walls, as if they were painted red.



This image is part of the ending act of Bo Burnham's Make Happy stand up comedy act. The use of fake smoke combined with the low angle spot lights create the effect of light being emitted by Bo. This creates a star effect. I really light the symmetry of each light peak and the light color.

This image, from Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, features low lighting, a blue-wash, and swirling gobos. The scene features Eliza singing about her husband's betrayal, burning the letters he wrote her. The scene is passionate and sad, with Eliza crushed over Hamilton's cheating. The lighting here exemplifies that well--it is easy for the audience to understand the hurt and despair Eliza is feeling at this point in the show.

This image is from Jonathan Larson's RENT, featuring very harsh, isolating lighting around each character on stage. This is a moment in the show where various cast members, portraying AIDS/HIV patients, sing out, wondering if they are alone in the world--and if anyone will care if they die. This lighting shows this literally--each cast member is alone in their own square of light. Along with this, there is no other lighting on the stage. No other wash, just blackness. This is a simple, powerful example of mood lighting.