LED Up Lighting
One of the more dynamic and unique event enhancements we have here in the Cutting Edge arsenal are our LED up lighting. Over the past few years, there has been an exponential rise in clients interest in up lighting at events in the Philadelphia area, and we here at C.E.E .are more than happy to oblige.
What is the purpose of up lighting at an event you ask (besides ‘lights that go up’)?
Up lighting can transform the atmosphere in a room, enhancing both the feel and the architectural detail it may already possesses. Much like key lighting in a motion picture can make a scene dramatic, shocking, comedic, romantic (or even horrific); up lighting a ballroom for a wedding, mitzvah or event can take the venue from being simply the “set” of your party, to filling it with a spectrum of color, adding a personal uniqueness. Instead of seeing only white walls, LED’s can add a splash of color that is inviting and exciting to guests. The up lights can create a mood for an event because they stimulate the visual sense with columns of light that slowly fade from blue to red (or many other colors) adding a warm feeling to the space, or simply remain a static solid color throughout. LED’s can be set to a pulse activated setting that could make even the biggest wall flowers jump out of their seats, because when the beams of light start changing colors to the beat of the music, you just want to “get up off of that thang”, as the Godfather of Soul so wonderfully put it.
Up lighting is not merely an asset during party time. Due to their versatility, LED lights can be used for multiple functions. Imagine a couple walking into a grand ballroom with pillars of light running from the floor to the ceiling, the colors of which are set to match the wedding color scheme… Hell of a picture right? Up lights can be used to take an average, or even a superior space, and transform it into a photographer’s dream world. LED’s can be used to compliment a wedding color arrangement, a bar or bat mitzvah theme, or coordinate with a corporate promotional idea. Arranging up lighting, just like DJing, is a skill that when done right can produce extraordinary results.
So what are some of the differences between LED lights and the older Halogen and Par-Can models?
We are sometimes asked in meetings – by clients who aren’t already familiar with the LED advantage – “What makes the LED lights so special?” Without getting too technical, there are a few things that set the LED’s apart from old-fashioned lighting fixtures.
The old Halogen up lights used gel screens for each color; the LED’s can be set electronically to any color due to the ability of the many LED light bulbs each fixture possesses. Due to the need for gel screens, the halogens are unable to produce the multicolored fading or pulsing effect that the LED lights can at a party or reception.
The older Par-Can models used an incandescent or halogen bulb, much like you would find in a lamp at your house or flood lighting outside. While perfectly suitable for giving off light, these bulbs also create major amounts of heat, often times enough to cause minor burns.
LED lights are a much “greener” light. LED up lights use less power than the older models, and the LED bulbs give off little to no heat (warm at worst). Due to these perks or privileges, the LED’s can be positioned anywhere in a building and not be a cause for concern. No one will get burned if they bump into them, and the LED’s are not a fire hazard if placed close to drapery or table cloths. While the older up lighting fixtures are suitable for events, the LED lights are both environmentally and people friendly.
With all this talk of up lighting, how can I get an idea of what it will do to a room?
A picture is worth a thousand words they say, so let’s take a look at this photo by Kevin York Photography at the Mendenhall Inn. I think it is obvious enough that the up lights really make this picture pop. Notice how the blue and pink lights compliment the room, but also take time to note how the blue electrifies the room, while the pink is the accent color, adding a gentle feel to the ballroom’s aura. The lights are used to accent the already grand interior of the room, highlighting the columns that run along the walls and also drawing the viewer’s eye upward towards the uniquely designed ceiling of this ballroom at the Mendenhall Inn. The image speaks for itself.
As an MC here at Cutting Edge, I love up lighting a venue for a client. It is incredible what a few simple LED lights can do to change the look and feel of a room.
Lighting is an art form, and the LED’s are a whole new type of brush with which to paint… all we need is a canvas.
~Tony A.
Image Courtesy of Kevin York Photography
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