Tonight’s walk through the mall led me to a small ballet school with a window display that felt like a stage. A bronze ballerina reaching skyward, a pair of stern nutcrackers, and a little crown on a pedestal, all set against heavy curtains. The ambient light was low, but a tight spotlight cut across the scene like a cue from the wings. I knew right away this would live best in black and white.
What pulled me in were the textures, the ballerina’s rough dress next to the smooth curve of her arm, painted wood with tiny scuffs on the nutcrackers, the soft faux-fur beards catching stray light, and the metallic crown throwing crisp highlights. In color, those details would compete, in monochrome, they line up and sing. I exposed for the brightest edges to keep the glow intact, then let the shadows fall where they wanted. The result is drama, clean whites, deep blacks, and midtones that feel like velvet.
I also played with angles to let the spotlight act like rim light, carving the figures from the background. A slight shift left or right changed everything, glare disappeared, eyes came alive, and the curtains turned into a gentle gradient that looks almost theatrical. It reminded me how mixed lighting can be a gift if you let it guide your composition.
I walked in expecting just another window and walked out with a short lesson, good light doesn’t have to be bright, just intentional. Sometimes you find it not in a studio or on a street, but in a quiet corner of a mall, where a ballerina and a pair of toy soldiers are waiting for their cue. Thanks for viewing, and I hope these frames bring a bit of stage magic to your feed.
~ Andri Cauldwell
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