Magic Darkness

This poem is, of course, a metaphor for yin and yang, the balance of light and dark.

But it is also a photography lesson, the point of which is illustrated in the original image as captured by my Samsung phone onset during the shooting of The Magicians. The “magic” of this photograph is created by isolating the subject (a hanging chandelier of light rings) in darkness, which removes the distraction and clutter of the set and the various crew, actors, and background performers milling about before the director shouts, “Action!”. The light rings are not nearly so magical without the balance of darkness.

Hmmm… removing distractions to clear my vision… there is a metaphor in that, too…