Light impact and luminaire arrangements
Light for video conferences
Combining vertical and horizontal lighting
Video conferencing is a highly useful technology for personal discussions over long distances. A decisive factor for successful communication is good facial illumination. Modern camera systems are light-sensitive, but with high contrast ratios on faces or between the face and background for example, they reach their limits. The ideal lighting solution is a combination of wallwashers and horizontal general lighting. Added value of combining vertical and horizontal lighting: - good facial illumination - uniform distribution of brightness for automatic camera settings - good spatial depth effect.
The challenge for lighting design
In addition to luminaires with good glare control that avoid reflections on camera lenses and screens, the correct luminaire arrangement is decisive with video conferences. Lighting arranged directly above the participants generates strong shadowing. Because the contrast range of a camera is less than that of the human eye, participants see areas lying in shadow only as very dark surfaces. Light incidence from the side on the other hand achieves a better distribution of brightness. To counteract a dark and compact spatial impression, wallwashing or ceiling washlighting should be used.
