Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Photography and portraiture - The last emperor used light technology.

The last emperor used light technology.

When it comes to photography, we have to mention its photographer-Storrow. Li Pingbin, a famous photographer, commented: "A photographer can't produce such a good work even if he knows China culture like the back of his hand." Storaro skillfully interpreted Puyi, a controversial figure, with superb photography techniques and the relationship between light and shadow.

Life in Light and Shadow —— On the skill of using light in The Last Emperor

The film breaks the traditional single narrative structure, adopts flashback-style and nested time-space structure, and designs two parallel narrative time-space clues: one is the time-space structure of the film, and the other is the time-space of Puyi's subjective memory. From the perspective of human nature, Puyi's living environment is a series of great events in the history of China, which shows his mental psychology and living conditions in such a complicated environment. In the expression of Puyi's inner contradiction and loneliness, yearning for human feelings, yearning for the outside world, and the painful ideological struggle during the transition, the relationship between light and shadow and Puyi's psychological situation are integrated, and appropriate colors and backgrounds are selected according to the characters' psychology, giving people visual enjoyment.

In the light design of the space-time structure of the film, natural light is basically used, with large light ratio, mainly cold color tone, mainly sunlight in the scene, large color contrast, and a naturalistic tendency to use light; The design of inserting light into time and space is more dramatic, with small light ratio, mainly warm tone, light jumping and dim tone, which tends to express light. The structure, organization, movement and change of light used in the film not only show the different atmosphere and significance in different time and space, but also show the psychological change process of Puyi.

Life in Light and Shadow —— On the skill of using light in The Last Emperor

In the course of Puyi's life, different environments are represented by different lights, and the staggered use of treble and bass is clearly reflected in the film.

Puyi, who was only 3 years old, was called into the Forbidden City by Empress Dowager Cixi and made emperor. From Wang Fu's entry into the palace to Cixi's death, she was in a looming shadow, and the light was dim and cold. At this time, the use of low-key light makes people feel the mystery and horror of the palace compound.

Life in Light and Shadow —— On the skill of using light in The Last Emperor

As an emperor, Puyi has supreme power, but at the same time, he is bound by many rules and regulations. He was never free and could not leave the palace, so after he entered the palace, his life was always in dim light, which showed that he had no idea of his situation. Most of the light on the face is sidelight, which forms the effect of yin and yang face, showing the psychology of being bound, depressed and contradictory. He has always been isolated from the outside world, just like a "caged bird", always shrouded in this shadow, which is also a metaphor for his mental depression at that time. And light, for Puyi, who is always in the shadow, is not only a physiological need, but also means freedom and liberation.

Life in Light and Shadow —— On the skill of using light in The Last Emperor

Life in Light and Shadow —— On the skill of using light in The Last Emperor

It was not until Zhuang Shidun, a private school teacher, entered the palace to teach Puyi, so that Puyi could gain knowledge and light continuously to get rid of the shackles of the times. The light on Puyi's face gradually turned into high-pitched light, and the light gradually increased. When Johnston gave him a bike, he was surrounded by bright high-pitched lights. At that time, he heard the news of his mother's death He wanted to leave the Forbidden City surrounded by high walls by a bicycle, but when he watched the door symbolizing freedom close, the light on his face changed obviously and dimmed instantly, showing his inner anger.

Life in Light and Shadow —— On the skill of using light in The Last Emperor

Although with the increase of his knowledge, his light is more and more. But subconsciously, he is the ruler of a country. Although he knew that he only had supreme power in this palace, his desire for power made him reform and rectify Ouchi. When he cuts his braid, he uses sidelight or looks strange, which can show his inner contradictions and embarrassment.

Life in Light and Shadow —— On the skill of using light in The Last Emperor

After leaving the palace, Puyi followed the Japanese to the three northeastern provinces. When I asked him to be emperor again that day, Puyi, who was bent on restoration, ignored the gentle persuasion and agreed. The light that shines on Puyi's face is sidelight. A half-bright and half-dark yin-yang face effect was formed on his face. It clearly shows that Puyi's psychological activities are contradictory. On the one hand, he has the ambition to restore the throne, on the other hand, he is afraid of being trapped by the Japanese. This light effect almost ran through his whole period in Northeast China, indicating his embarrassment and difficult situation.