Light it Right!

Whether consciously or not we are all well aware the lighting is a key factor in setting our everyday mood. Think how those dark winter days lead us to feeling glum, and how great you feel on a beautiful summer’s morning. The think about how important colour is to us all, the attention we put into the colour of our clothes, cars and homes! So it’s quite obvious why we place such an importance on lighting our events.

Lighting is the cherry on the top of the cake when it comes to event lighting and getting it right can make or break an otherwise great event. The finishing touch that it provides is essential whether it is to provide basic illumination or full on energetic atmosphere.

Just think of the difference between eating in the food court of a shopping centre under the sharp and stark light of the fluorescent tubes compared to that of a blank canvas white venue that has been thoughtfully and artistically lit as a unique three dimensional space for an event. Light applies a new dynamic, morphing familiar objects giving them a new shape or tell a new story.

Our approach to lighting design is focused towards setting the desired ambience, whether it is a dynamic environment with lots of energy for a product launch or a seductive mood for a black-tie dinner. Once this has been done the correct equipment is specified to create this look.

The Lighting designer toolbox is ever growing as technology breaks down the boundaries between light and video, as you will evidently see on the stage set of all the major bands; this ground breaking technology is very exciting as moods can be reflected with video.

The major technological advance has been with LEDs, which provide an exceptional level of flexibility whilst boasting green credentials as they only require a small amount of power to run them compared to conventional lighting equipment.

LEDs allow for instant changes of colour and can also create visual effects; at a recent event using LEDs up-lighters the client was able to mix their own colour choice moments before the event started, making them part of the lighting design process as well as doing something that would have been impossible with traditional technologies.

Believe it or not but the key to good event lighting is when the guests fail to be aware of the lighting, they simply leave thinking that they had a fantastic evening, this is down to the lighting being right and creating the appropriate mood.

The stage designer Adolph Appia seems to sum it all up perfectly “When electricity came into the theatre… light was only illumination. By the first decade of the twentieth century it had become atmosphere. Today it is taking the place of setting, tomorrow it may be part of the drama itself.”