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Hallå! My name is Erica and I am a 21 year old lighting design student from Sweden. I study Lighting Design at Jönköping University, and I got the amazing opportunity to do my internship here in the US with Hartranft Lighting Design, and Andrea Hartranft. In this series of blogposts you will follow me and learn about my experiences here in the US.
I hope that everyone gets the opportunity to travel because I think that is really important, you get a better understanding of the world we live in and you learn how you handle different situations. To be outside of your comfort zone is intimidating at times but it is very valuable. I learn the most about myself when I am put in new situations and I it was amazing to get the opportunity to travel on my own.
Every single person I have met here has been very kind and friendly, especially Andrea and John. They have been so welcoming, helping and they have made my weeks here really, really perfect! I cannot thank them enough. They made sure that I got to see all the things here in the area. Thanks to them I got a better understanding of American culture. I mean what is more American than a Super Bowl party? This has been six truly amazing weeks, I have done everything I wanted and more than I could dream of. I really like it here and I would not mind staying longer but I have some exciting things happening this spring so I leave with a big smile on my face. I hope my suitcase is in one piece when I come home, fingers crossed!
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Hallå! My name is Erica and I am a 21 year old lighting design student from Sweden. I study Lighting Design at Jönköping University, and I got the amazing opportunity to do my internship here in the US with Hartranft Lighting Design, and Andrea Hartranft. In this series of blogposts you will follow me and learn about my experiences here in the US. Week 5 Spoiler Alert This has been another great week, once again. I am getting really spoiled! Light Calculations / Perceptions of Light My work has been focused on light calculations this week. Calculations are a very powerful tool when you plan lighting and there are several different programs that have different strengths. There are even some programs where you can type in location, date and time and you can calculate the daylight which is very valuable, especially when you will use daylight controlled lighting. There are pros and cons to lighting calculations and I think it is important to know that. When you are planning lighting there are sometimes regulations and standards that you have to follow and then it is great to be able to make a calculation to see if the lighting is meeting the standards. It is an easy way to see the different lux levels in the room and you do not have to do a full scale mock up to get an idea of how the finished product will look like. With that said, the calculation does not say anything about how the light will be perceived or how the room will feel. Lighting Standards As I mentioned before there are some standards that you have to follow as a lighting designer and they vary a lot. I have learned that the standards vary a bit between the states here in the US but in Sweden we have the same standards in the whole country. It can be very good to have a standard because it can make sure that the installation is good and that the lighting is adjusted for the user but that is always the case. In my education we have made installations and created spaces to evaluate the standards. We noticed that some standards are very good and that some are not created with the user in mind. It can be difficult to know when to deviate from the standards. This is something you learn on your own but I think it is important to reach out to other, more experienced, lighting designers as well.
Hallå! My name is Erica and I am a 21 year old lighting design student from Sweden. I study Lighting Design at Jönköping University, and I got the amazing opportunity to do my internship here in the US with Hartranft Lighting Design, and Andrea Hartranft. In this series of blogposts you will follow me and learn about my experiences here in the US. have now done my fourth week here and I am still having a great time! It has been a calmer pace compared to the last week. I have had some time to reflect this week about everything that I have experienced, which has been nice, but this all feels a bit surreal, almost too good to be true. This is such an amazing experience for me. In the Neighborhood One of the projects we have been working on this week is right across the street from my condo here in Rockville. It feels more hands on in a way. I see the building every time I step out the door and that makes it so much easier for me to visualize how it will look when it is lit as we propose. Two of my tasks this week have been to make some visualizations in Photoshop and do drawings in CAD. We draw our fixtures in the drawings from the landscape architect and from the architect and then the engineer gets the drawings to execute them. It is very exciting to be a part of this process.
Peers I have talked to several of my classmates to see what they are doing on their internships. One friend of mine is doing his internship in Scotland, some are in Stockholm, Malmö and Jönköping. We are everywhere! They all seem to be having a great time and I think everyone has different tasks and that really shows the versatility of this profession. I get bored fairly easy but I don't think that ever will be a problem when I work as a lighting designer because you can have so many different assignments
I have always appreciated alone time but during these four weeks I have come to love alone time. With this said, I also love to spend time with my family, friends and to meet new people but I like the freedom of doing things alone. I can walk around at the Renwick Gallery for two hours if want to, go to every shoe store there is and drink coffee whenever I want to without anyone complaining, even if I try the same pair of shoes on three different occasions. I think it is important for us to be confident in being by ourselves.
Toward the Finish, Dawn of Something New? It dawned on me this week that I only have two weeks left here. Two weeks! I have got a routine here now and it will actually be a change to go back to Sweden and especially going back to school. I have not been in school since before Christmas, that is almost three months. I am really looking forward to the two coming weeks but I think that they will go by very fast. Hallå ! My name is Erica and I am a 21 year old lighting design student from Sweden. I study Lighting Design at Jönköping University, and I got the amazing opportunity to do my internship here in the US with Hartranft Lighting Design, and Andrea Hartranft. In this series of blogposts you will follow me and learn about my experiences here in the US. An Eventful Week 3 This has been the most eventful week in a long time. It has been quite hectic some times but I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I have met so many interesting and inspiring people, tried new things and been to several new places.  Mock-up Meetings & Mock Ups The week started with meetings with the architect and landscape architect for the same project which is interesting because I get to see three sides of the same project and that gives me an overall understanding of the project and that is invaluable. During the meeting with the architect the we discussed how the lighting should emphasize the architecture and the overall function of the lighting but during the meeting with the landscape architect the focus was on how the environment should feel and how the lighting contributes to that. One question that came up during the meeting with the landscape architect was how the light would look when a fixture is placed in water, in this case the fixture would be placed in a fountain. There was a difference of opinion so we had to try! We found a vase, filled it with water and placed the fixture beneath it. A simple but yet effective mock up.  National Gallery of Art Lecture and Architecture I went to a lecture by the architect Mark McInturff Monday evening and it was very interesting. He explained how his work is influenced by Washington DC and what his thoughts are when he designed houses. I have never studied architecture but I would love to do that since that is such a big part of the lighting design profession and it is something that always is present. The lecture was very inspiring and it made want to design my own house someday. Speaking of architecture, I went to the National Gallery of Art and the architecture was amazing and I actually liked the architecture better than the art.  Charleston, SC South-Bound Tuesday morning we flew to Charlotte and then drove down to Charleston. I absolutely loved Charleston! It was a warm day, about 75 degrees, which was perfect for strolling around and looking at all the beautiful houses. I have not seen that much sun for several months, the winter is sometimes a dark time of year in Sweden. In Charleston we had a meeting at a construction site which was really fun! We met with the developer and several persons from his team. It was my first time at a construction site but I fell in love with it! There is something majestic to a house being built and since I got to see all the drawings I could really visualize how it would look like when it is done.
Super Bowl I watched my first Super Bowl this Sunday and it was amazing! Half of the time I did not know what was going on and the other half I did not know where the ball was but I had a great time. So much good food and so many wonderful people, it was simply a great evening. Everyone I have met here has really made an effort to make my stay here as good as possible and I am so thankful for that! I have been invited to events, been introduced to their children who are similar in age and I have got tips about what to do in DC.  Visiting Dad is Correct
To be completely honest, this was actually the hardest blog post to write so far. It has happened so much and there has been so many impressions and it will take some to process everything and there for it was hard to put it on paper. My dad says that you enjoy travels three times: the planning, the actual trip and the memories. I have always agreed with him but it is even more true this time. During my stay here I have learned so much about the lighting design profession and I know that no matter where I work after I graduate I will get use from all the things I have learned here. Hallå, again! My name is Erica and I am a 21 year old lighting design student from Sweden. I study Lighting Design at Jönköping University, and I got the amazing opportunity to do my internship here in the US with Hartranft Lighting Design, and Andrea Hartranft. In this series of blogposts you will follow me and learn about my experiences here in the US. Awake It is 1:17 am the 26th of January and I cannot sleep. I never have trouble sleeping. I am reading an article about an luminaire that can control almost everything in your home. It senses the humidity level and it can even turn on the TV when you enter the room. This is a really cool product but my thoughts keep wandering away...  Photo of photo session. Good lighting (and sleep) are good foundations of fashion. Dressed and On Time ...”What am I going to wear tomorrow?” I was going to a lunch the next day with two women from a very good architectural lighting design bureau. While I was planning my outfit I got text from a friend in Sweden who was going to work. There is a 6 hour time difference between here and Sweden. I asked her what I should wear but she said that it doesn´t matter what I wear if I look tired. Strong argument! I make a mental note of what I would wear but now I´m getting a bit worried about oversleeping… I do not want to be late, I hate being late! That must be a Swedish trait. We Swedes get cranky if someone is 10 minutes late. We might not say anything but we do not like it. My grandmother always said that you should leave so early that you have time to change a flat tire on your car. Luckily I had her advice in mind when I left the next morning. On my way to Alexandria there was a technical problem with the Metro Red Line so the trip that was supposed to take 50 minutes took 90 minutes but thankfully I was not late and I had a lovely lunch in Alexandria.  Light and a sense of place in Chinatown DC Dressed with Lighting Design I have always loved design and that sparked my fashion interest but since I started my education my love for design has grown. I have got more interested in architecture and especially interior design and I think that is something that can help me evolve as a lighting designer. I was looking at a lighting designers website and it said that their aim was to enhance the environment using light. Light can change a space or an object in countless ways and that is what I find so fascinating. My favorite part of DC is Chinatown and I think that the lighting is one of the reasons for that. There are glowing signs, streetlights and lit shop windows everywhere and that creates such a dynamic atmosphere.  PB & J, essential ingredients with many variables. Design to taste. Food for Thought (and Design) I ate a peanut butter jelly sandwich for the first time in my life this week and I actually feel a bit more American. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first but I like trying new food so I gave it a shot and I was not disappointed. It was great! It was filling yet sweet at the same time and there were many different textures. Crunchy bread, a sticky peanut butter and a smooth jam. John, Andrea's husband, made the sandwich which I instantly liked and a few days later I tried to make a sandwich myself but it did not turn out as good. I made mine with toasted white bread, creamy peanut butter and grape jelly but I was not satisfied… I tried using different amounts of peanut butter and jelly but it was not as good as the sandwich John made so I had to ask him for advice. He gave me some tips and pointers and I will keep experimenting!  Electronic Superhighway lights up! A Light at the Museum I had a perfect ending to my second week here in the US. I spent the whole Sunday in DC in the beautiful, warm weather. I decided to go to the National Building Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. The National Portrait Gallery was amazing! Such a variety of exhibitions, a beautiful atrium in the middle of the museum and perfect lighting. I think the lighting in a museum should highlight the art without actually being noticed. My favorite installation was ”Electronic Superhighway” by Nam June Paik. The installation represents the artists association of each state in the US. Each state is represented by a videoclip and the states outlines is created with neon tubing. This was such a vibrant and expressive piece and the neon made it even better! I kept making my way though the museum and suddenly I found myself in the middle of a photo shoot so I had to take a photo of that, which in hindsight probably looked kind of funny. See the photo above. This might sound a bit cliché but I will truly see things in a new light when I get back to Sweden. You learn so much when you travel, things about yourself, things about others and you learn to appreciate what you have at home.
 Glowing light on a wintry night, Rockville, Maryland 1/22/2016 Hallå! My name is Erica and I am a 21 year old lighting design student from Sweden. I study Lighting Design at Jönköping University, and I got the amazing opportunity to do my internship here in the US with Hartranft Lighting Design, and Andrea Hartranft. In this series of blogposts you will follow me and learn about my experiences here in the US. An Introduction I chose to study lighting design because I love technology and design. I want a job that challenges me, where I always will continue to learn and a job that is versatile. It was actually a coincidence that I chose to study lighting design because as many others, I did not know that it existed before. I found the education at my local university and I thought it sounded really interesting, and I am more than happy with my choice. Even since I found out that our education included an internship, I knew I wanted to go to the US for my internship. The reason for this is that I wanted to learn as much as possible and I wanted to see how it is to be a lighting designer in an other country. I met Andrea in Alingsås 2015 during Lights in Alingsås. Lights in Alingsås is an annual event that attracts about 80.000 visitors every year. Seven international lighting designers have their own team with students and during one week they create a light installation together. After the week of constructing, the seven sites are opened to the public. Week #1 January 18th my 6 week long internship started. I did not know what to expect, but I knew that I would learn a lot during these weeks. After only one week, I have got a better understanding of lighting design as a profession, and I have seen a lot of the DC area. I have attended meetings with architects and interior designers which gave me a good understanding about the design process and what everyone brings to the table. As a lighting designer, you have to learn things from everyone who is involved in this process because you have to understand things within their fields to be able to create a functioning lighting design plan. You have to coordinate your knowledge and ideas with everyone else. I spent this past Friday night in, watching the news report about the approaching blizzard and in the middle of the newscast I realized I was craving ice cream and I wondered if I really should go outside now, it was dark and snowing and the blizzard was approaching. But I came to my senses, and realized that I couldn't spend a weekend possibly snowed in without having ice cream, so I headed out. It was a bit windy out but very peaceful and beautiful, apart from a few plow trucks, I was the only one out. To my delight the supermarket was open, although I felt a bit sorry for the guy working. I picked up my ice cream and headed to the cashier. We talked a bit, and he noticed that I wasn't from Rockville. ”You have an accent, where are you from?” he wondered, ”Sweden” I replied with a grin thinking who else would go out in the snow to buy ice cream, and he agreed, he thought I was a bit crazy for buying ice cream in the middle of a blizzard. The day before the storm I went out looking for candles but I couldn't find anything until I got to the last store. The thing that worried me most with the blizzard was if there would be a blackout, so I bought some candles. It was actually a great comfort having a burning candle next to me when the storm raged outside, and I realized that the candle probably spoke to something primal in me. Fire and light has always meant safety to the human being, no matter if you are relying on it to survive or just to endure a blizzard. Light means much more to us than what we realize. My thoughts go out to all the people troubled by the blizzard, those whose homes were destroyed by the snow or the floods and those who lost their lives.
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