All of the Lights: How Lighting Design Can Improve a Live Event

Trying to make your live event stand out from the rest? A competent lighting design can add an extra flair to your event while also keeping your audience engaged. The advancement of different lighting technologies gives live event teams some choices on how to light an area. Before designing a light scheme, here are some things to consider with lighting events.

Type of Lighting and Light Source

Not all light sources are designed the same nor do they serve the same purpose. LED lights offer the most versatility with thousands of color options and customizable light intensity. They don’t use traditional high power, saving both time and money,  and can be easily hidden away for a dramatic effect. Old fashioned incandescent and CFL lightbulbs can light up a room, however, they do not offer the same versatility as LED. 

Where the Event is Located

Knowing where an event will be held will determine the event’s lighting design. Most events are held indoors with live events teams can easily provide a variety of lighting options.  Consider the amount of natural light coming inside the event and how that might affect the look. These days more people are doing events outdoors or in tents. Outdoor events come with their own set of lighting challenges but can also come with a new way of looking at how to light the event. While most indoor settings allow for more power sources, in outdoor venues you may need to bring in a generator, but keep in mind that LED lights can work off of standard electrical outlets. Keep this in mind when coming up with a lighting design.

Light Customization

Now it’s time to put those light customization skills to the test. Have some fun with the light’s color and hue. Match the colors of the event’s theme or the company’s color. Keep the colors engaging and dynamic throughout. If the event has a speaker, the audience needs to be able to see the speakers. Will the event utilize a spotlight to track the speaker while they are on stage? Will the stage just have stagnant light sources to light the entire stage? No matter what the design is, make sure the room has some sort of lighting element.