The Brief
A beam of light is defined as: a ray or collection of parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body. But we know a beam of light is more than this. A single beam of light creates an incredibly powerful and evocative image.
Whether you consider the archetypal shot of rays of light from a cloud, daylight streaming in through the oculus of the Pantheon or the windows of Grand Central Station, there is something in the purity of a single beam of light that moves us all.
One Beam of Light is a global photographic project based on the creative use of light. The idea is to create a collection of stunning and inspirational images that start with a single source of light — light stripped to its purest form — and use them to spread the word about light to a wider audience.
Find a beam of light, create something unique, take a photo of your creation, submit it online and become part of a global lighting initiative.
One Beam of Light is an original Light Collective idea realised in collaboration with Concord.
The Inspiration
The premise of the project was drawn from the artwork of Peter Callesen. We were inspired by the simplicity of his work and his ability to make endless creations from one sheet of paper. We wanted to translate this to our world and considered a single beam of light to be a comparable medium — light stripped to its barest essential. There are many different things that can be done to alter or manipulate a single beam; diffusion, diffraction, reflection etc. and this project affords us and the participants the opportunity to explore and demonstrate them to the world.
We have also been inspired by images of the artworks of Daniel Palacios, Chris Fraser, Yvette Mattern, Daniel Schulze, James Nizam and Kitty Kraus who excel in the manipulation of light.
Light Ray Studies
Waves
“Most great ideas are the ones that are very simple, yet effective. I’m looking forward to having the One Beam of Light book in my hands and seeing a compilation of stunning creativity.”
Developing a Mutable Horizon
“I feel very fortunate to have found a line of inquiry that regularly challenges and rewards me. It is less a style than a philosophy. I spend my days attending to each accident of light. I wave my hands in front of walls, swirl my water glass at dinner, and above all else, stare. My studio practice begins when I open my eyes and ends when I close them. I cannot wait to find out what the participants create with just one beam of light.”