Lines and Shadows

These two photos- one of the Atrium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the other of The Grove Arcade in Asheville, North Carolina- have a similar feel.  I like the way the light coming through the overhead windows create a shadowy grid in both pictures.

At the Met, the shadows fall high on the structure and emphasize the openness of the atrium.  The shadows seem to cast a protective net over the atrium, protecting its occupants from the outside world.  You’re still aware, though, that despite the beautiful natural light, the park-like feel of the atrium is, in fact, artificial.

The Grove Arcade is a much different space.  The shadows fall directly below and onto the floor, and the heavy lines of the shadows seem to guide you along the arcade, while the narrower cross shadows direct you to the shops on either side.

The natural lighting gives the arcade a much larger, more open feel, which, as you can tell from the photo, is not the case.  The arcade is long and narrow, and would be quite dark if not for the overhead windows.

I find the juxtaposition of the natural light and greenery with the man-made structures quite interesting.

Author: Don Baker

My wife says I make stuff up. While that's probably true I'm going to stick to stuff that's mostly true. View all posts by Don Baker