Join The Legacy The Marching 101

 Since its founding in 1918, the University marching band has grown into the powerhouse ensemble we know and love today—a group defined by passion, precision, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. For more than a century, The Marching 101 has carried forward a tradition rooted in pride, performance, and the promise to always transcend, conquer, and leave nothing to be desired.

 For more than 101 years, The Marching 101 has been a force of energy, passion, and pure musical power setting standards, breaking expectations, and proving time and time again why we’re one of the most electrifying ensembles in the nation.

Here we have an introduction to The Marching 101 Band here at South Carolina State University 

Click Here to Listen.  The radio version. 

Music: By the Marching 101 

Edit on Adobe Auditions 

While during this project, I decided to do a television version. In the video you will see some highlight of the Marching 101 Band for The South Carolina State University.   

 

Understanding Three-Point Lighting: A Demonstration

 Three-point lighting is a classic filmmaking and photography method that uses three separate lights to create a balanced, dimensional, and visually appealing image. The setup consists of a key light, fill light, and back light, each serving a different purpose in shaping the subject’s appearance.

Wide Shot of the Three-Point Lighting Setup (Lights Off)

This image shows the full lighting arrangement before any lights are turned on. You can see the (1) key light position, (2) fill light position, and (3) back light behind the subject.

Close-Up

With no lights turned on, the subject appears flat and poorly defined. This gives us a baseline to compare how each light enhances the scene.

Key Light Only

The key light is the primary and strongest light source.
Purpose: It defines the overall exposure and shapes the main features of the subject.
Here, the key light alone creates strong shadows and dramatic contrast. (Right Below)

 Key + Fill Light

The fill light is placed opposite the key and is softer.

Purpose: It reduces harsh shadows created by the key light without eliminating them completely.

In this photo, you can see the shadows soften and the face becomes more balanced.

 
Key + Fill + Back Light

The back light (also called rim or hair light) sits behind the subject.
Purpose: It creates a glowing outline that separates the subject from the background, preventing a flat image. With all three lights active, the subject appears more dimensional and professional.

Wide Shot of All Lights Turned On

This final wide shot shows the complete lighting arrangement working together while the subject stands in the middle. You can clearly see how each light contributes to the final image.

From this exercise, I learned how essential each light is in shaping the mood, depth, and clarity of an image. Three-point lighting isn’t just technical—it’s creative. Adjusting intensity, angle, and distance dramatically changes how a subject is perceived. Understanding this setup provides a strong foundation for any video or photo production.

Bounce Light Reflector Disc

Photography is all about capturing light and sometimes, the key to a stunning image isn’t finding the perfect light source but shaping the light you already have. That’s where a bounce light reflector comes in. Whether you’re shooting portraits, products, or outdoor landscapes, a reflector can dramatically improve your images by softening shadows, adding dimension, and giving your subjects a natural glow.

A bounce light reflector is a tool that redirects existing light onto your subject, rather than introducing new light like a flash.

Hold or mount the reflector opposite your main light source.  The angle determines where the bounced light falls, so experiment to find the most flattering effect. 

 The closer the reflector is to your subject, the stronger the reflected light. Pull it back to soften the effect.

A reflector disc is a lightweight, collapsible photography tool used to bounce or diffuse light onto your subject. Instead of creating light, it redirects existing light — filling shadows, reducing harsh highlights, and balancing exposure.

Photographers use reflector discs in both natural and studio light setups to achieve softer, more flattering lighting without the need for expensive gear.

Lighting can make or break a photo and one of the simplest, most affordable tools for mastering light is the reflector disc. Whether you’re shooting portraits, products, or videos, a reflector can instantly elevate your results by shaping natural or artificial light exactly how you want it.

A reflector disc is proof that you don’t need expensive lighting gear to take professional-looking photos. By learning how to shape and control light, you can transform flat images into vibrant, beautifully lit shots.

Down below, you will see some before and after shots of the reflector disc being use and not being use. 

     

Before Reflector Disc                                           After Reflector Disc 

Five Questions

 Bulldog Spotlight 

While constantly working on assignments for classes. Everyone deserves to be on the spotlight. Here we have our Spotlight of the week. Ms. Jalen Woodbury who is from Florence South Carolina. Ms. Woodbury is a Junior Journalism major. We had the opportunity to talk with Jalen to see why she chose SC State and her passion behind attending an HBCU. 

TAP HERE TO LISTEN