portfolio

the portfolio is divided into these sections:

in the abstract: effects obtained while projecting onto a solid-color, evenly textured flat surface

in portraiture: optical reactions created while projecting onto a model’s face, neck and shoulders

on the figure: optical reactions created while projecting onto any other part of a models’ body, and

in performance: effects obtained during performance, usually outside the studio environment

If you are looking for a work by its name or time stamp, select from the listings below:

in the abstract

Using video electronics equipment in ways that are consistent with their design — but combined in ways that were never before imagined — allows the creation of unpredictable emergent properties. With some level of control, it’s possible to create long sequences of video which feeds upon itself frame by frame, uncovering graphical forms that are unique from one moment to the next yet exhibiting a consistent graphical signature that almost resembles a form of aesthetic style. Continuous optical reactions operate at a rate of just under 30 frames per second, and sometimes separate simultaneous reactions interleave the frames like alternate pages in a book.

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in portraiture

Most of what defines us as individuals happens beneath the surface of our skin. Respiratory, cardio-vascular, bio-mechanical, reflexive, electro-chemical, emotional, conceptual, spiritual and gastronomical forces are all continually churning beneath the surface. Some, though fortunately not all, of these forces become particularly evident when using specially connected and configured digital video recording and projection equipment.

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on the figure

In larger optical fields, all parts of the human figure become reactive, and even more so within a studio “light stage” setting. Human skin is a highly optically reactive surface that allows light to filter through many layers before reflecting back. While the light bounces within the more transparent outer layers of epidermis, unexpected colors may be picked up — the blue of a nearby vein for example — that can be sensed by the camera and amplified by the projection system.

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in performance

“Optical performance” is the practice and study of optical field interaction, either in stationary poses or with motion, to create some desired expressive effect in performance. The existence of one or more optical fields in a “light stage” adds greatly to the expressive potential of the space, even though the background will typically be a light-absorbing black backdrop. Since every location in space has different properties in an optical field, the performer is able to find those areas that produce the most desired colors and patterns on their costumes and bare skin, mostly through improvisation rather than through deliberate choreography.

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all images, recordings and videos that appear on these pages, unless otherwise indicated, are (c) 2003-2013 by Mike Hall Studio.

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