LIGHT AND LIGHTING

FUNDAMENTALS
LIGHT AND LIGHTING
 LIGHT - is a form of radiant energy from natural
sources (e.g. the sun and stars), and artificial
sources (e.g. a candle and electric lamps).

 LIGHTING - is the application of light to

illuminate objects, surfaces, scenes, pictures
and people.
RADIANT ENERGY, LIGHT AND COLOR
 Light is that portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum to which the eye responds. This
visible energy is a small part of the total
spectrum, which ranges from cosmic rays
with extremely short wavelength (1 x 10-14
meter) to electric power frequencies with
wavelength in hundred kilometers.
RADIANT ENERGY, LIGHT AND COLOR
The human visual
system responds to
the very small part of
the electromagnetic
spectrum that lies
between 380 and
760 nanometers. (a
unit of wavelength
equal to 1 x 10-9
meter or one- billionth
of a meter).
RADIANT ENERGY, LIGHT AND COLOR

The color of light is determined by its wavelength.

 shortest wavelengths (380 to 450 nm)
produces the sensation of violet
 longest wavelengths (630 to 770 nm) produce
sensation of red.
 In between, light blue (450 to 490 nm), green
(490 to 560 nm), yellow (560 to 590 nm), and
orange (590 to 630 nm).
RADIANT ENERGY, LIGHT AND COLOR

 INFRARED - The region with slightly longer

wavelengths immediately adjacent to the red
end of the visible spectrum.
 ULTRAVIOLET - the region with slightly shorter
wavelengths immediately adjacent to the violet
end of the visible spectrum.
RADIANT ENERGY, LIGHT AND COLOR

The primary colors of light (red, green, and blue) can be added
to produce the secondary colors of light–magenta (red plus
blue), cyan (green plus blue), and yellow (red plus green).
RADIANT ENERGY, LIGHT AND COLOR

A primary color is defined as one that subtracts or absorbs a primary

color of light and reflects or transmits the other two. So the primary colors
in pigments (sometimes called subtractive primaries) are magenta, cyan,
and yellow – the secondary colors of light.
 THE EYE AND VISION
The rays of light enter
the eye through the
Cornea, which is the
transparent membrane
that bulges out at the
front of the eye. They
then pass through the
Pupil, which is a round
opening in the colored
Iris. The eye reduces the
size of this opening to
limit the rays of light to
the central and optically
best part of the Lens,
except when the full
The ability of the eye to adjust to higher or lower aperture is needed for
levels of luminance is termed Adaption. maximum sensitivity.
THE EYE AND VISION
 Muscles around the lens make it fatter or
thinner so the eye can focus sharply on distant
or close objects. This ability is called
Accommodation and ensures that sharp, clear
image is focused onto the light sensitive cells
of the Retina. We don't "see" with the retina—it
is only when the information it collects has
been transferred along the Optical Nerve to the
brain that a conscious visual image is formed
and this is the time we "see".
THE EYE AND VISION
THE EYE AND VISION
 Photopic or daytime Adaptions
 The cones operate during the day and nominal daylight
conditions, and enable us to see in detailed color.
 Mesopic vision
 If light conditions are not bright, as the rods can only
"see" a black and white image, the overall impression is
much less brightly colored.
 Scotopic or night time Adaptions
 At even lower levels, much lower than the average
street lighting or moonlight, the cones cease to
function. The eye losses all its facility to see in color
and the rods take over giving completely black and
white vision
THE EYE AND VISION
Photopic vision, the
eye has peak
sensitivity at 555
nanometers, which is
yellow-green color.

Scotopic vision, peak

sensitivity moves to
505 nanometers.

The Mesopic vision

peak will be
somewhere between
the two.