Regardless of the type of event you are planning, whether for an auditorium, conference room or gymnasium, lighting will be a huge part of your planning and preparation. While it may seem like a small detail, lighting actually plays a large role in any successful event. It can also be a source of many headaches if not planned for accordingly.

These are types of lighting options along with details about when they are best used and what to know.

Intelligent lighting – Intelligent lights are all the rage for events right now and are a type of lights that are remotely controlled by a computer or control system and can be set to move anywhere around a room or stage in different patterns. This is great for large events or events where you want to use lighting to build up the crowd. It can be expensive, but it decreases the amount of engineers you need and increases your options – you are not roped into one lighting option for the entire event.

Spotlights – Spotlights are perfect for when you need concentrated light on a product, person, or area. Spotlights can add intrigue to an event and when used appropriately, can be a way to non-verbally highlight specific sections, products, or people throughout. Spotlights produce a narrow, tightly focused beam that’s perfect for podiums or signage

Follow spotlight – A follow spotlight is similar to regular spotlights, but they are a bit more versatile. Though you need a technician to operate them, a follow spotlight can be used to follow a performer or presenter on a stage or to light up different parts of the stage or area at different times during the event.

Fresnel – Fresnel lights are actually a lens that produces a “stepped” look with soft edges that create soft shadows rather than a flat look with sharp edges. Most often used for backlight or sidelight. This is a great lens to use when trying to provide high drama lighting for a performer or area of your stage. It gives depth and texture to your event with a simple lens.

Par Can – Par cans are essentially a floodlight that produces a wash of flat light evenly over a wide area. This is great for lighting up an entire stage at once or a dancefloor. These can also be used when doing product demos or other small offshoot events during a main event..

LED Lights – LED lights are a type of lighting device that uses less power, produces less heat and is more resistant to shock and vibration than brittle glass tubes or bulbs. Allows color mixtures of red, green and blue to create almost any color. These are perfect for when you want to change things up through the course of an event or want to add some flair to a main event stage.

Trees, poles, trusses – These are types of lighting structures that are used to support lights for special angles or flooding the stage. These are secondary lighting materials, but can play an important role in ensuring that your lighting is on-point.

_{Via ATX Event Systems}