Matthew
Weikert
Light and
thy Effects on Human Experience
Often when an observed atmosphere is
discussed, whether it be designed or natural, light is one of the main
concerns. Atmosphere inside, outside, or
in any space is directly linked with its light because fundamentally we cannot
perceive without it. But from human
experience we know that light is not the same everywhere, and could never be
unless highly influenced. Light differences
define a place’s purpose, a person’s behavioral response, and how we artificially
perceive time.
The most basic and yet complex
origin of light is from nature. Bioluminescence,
thermal sources, chemical reactions, and solar energy (to name a few) were
there from the beginning and are still some of the hardest to control and
comprehend when it comes to their light properties. Sunrises, for example, are quite often studied
in many respects such as photography, cinematography and even literature, but
no two are ever the same as the reading extrapolates to us. The same event can even differ greatly a few
yards away not to forget about what diverges with different climate, altitude,
latitude, air particle level, time, local flora, soil & water color and
humidity. There are sure to be hundreds
of differing considerations that change our perception.
One
of the most memorable sunrises of my life was on the Aegean Sea. I awoke just before
dawn on a ferry my group boarded the night before in Italy. Unfortunately for them I was the only one awake to witness the sun rise above
the sea and shine onto the clouds
before we docked in Greece. Although I
was tired and the day had just begun, I knew
as far as human experience was concerned that few would have the opportunity to witness something
this selectively special and even less would appreciate it for that reason.
To better understand what occurred
out there we could analyze the situation by breaking it down into unknown factors
and all that had to transpire for that particular experience. Most importantly the time was correct; a
later or earlier transport would have rendered the whole occurrence null. The climate of the Mediterranean was brisk at
the time, but relatively steady winds and a storm from the night before kept
the air clear until it hit higher altitudes where some clouds remained. Positioned around the 36 degree latitude we
were about halfway between the equator and the North Pole so the light angle
would not have been the strongest, but at sunrise the difference is minimal. At sea level the full spectrum of the sun
could be absorbed and then visually doubled due to the mirroring of the water’s
surface.
All of these factors lent themselves
to this one perception. Any difference
and the light would have changed, the experience would have changed. An infinite number of differing experiences
could have been had. But what does
another experience matter? It all
depends on the final relationship of task.
The most important task in life to me personally is to experience and
enjoy those experiences. The light in
this instance helped me accomplish that goal.
