Week 7: Shining Bright

I was in Los Angeles this weekend, and while sitting at brunch, I looked up and saw this bright, shining, almost perfect reflection of the sun. The building looked so flat and silver and shiny, and the way the sun bounced off of it was as bright as looking into the sun itself. It’s not something you can really capture on photo, but I think you can see how hot that spot is. Of course we all are aware the light bounces off objects, and that glass and metals reflect light, sometimes very strongly. But something about this building just made that sun so hot. I couldn’t even see the sun itself, it was blocked by another tall building. But whatever metal or shiny stone that this building was covered in almost acted like a mirror. I also was struck by just how dark the side of the next building is— not in the path of sunlight. It is pretty remarkable how directional light is. Again, it’s something we know, but the juxtaposition between the vibrant hot, almost white light next to something in complete shadow really brought that home. The sun always makes me think of warmth, summer, cheeriness. And certainly that is something I’m noticing about living in California— there’s just a lot more sun (and a lot more time outdoors) than there is in New England, and I truly think it affects general mood and mental health. In this particular image, the brightness actually comes across as harsh, which is something else I associate bright light with— a harsh reality, seeing something fully for what it is— totally revealed. Everything is out in the open, exposed, seen. But at the same time, I have no idea what these buildings are (hotels? offices? apartments?) and the sun isn’t shining into the rooms from my perspective, so there is still conceal too. Which made me think of how when it’s bright out, you generally can’t see into buildings, but when it’s dark outside and the lights are on, you can. Another trick of light.