The pleasing sight of landscape Light color at night

The pleasing sight of landscape Light color at night

By Mike Gambino

The human eye is one of the most intricate, complex organs of the human body.  As light enters the iris, it is projected through the lens, onto the retina, which is at the back of the eye.  Unlike other living species, this thin strip of cells which we call the retina has the capability to see a wide range of color.  We have special photoreceptor cells called cones, which specialize in helping us see in color.  Without these different, specialized cells to code what we see and send electrical impulses to our brain, we would not be able to see in all of the vibrant colors that we do.

Saturated Color is a source for enjoyment.  We would not be feeling fulfilled if we saw everything in bland tones or grayscale. How boring would life be if we could not see all the beautiful colors that are available to us. Think about it, what is more enjoyable, viewing our favorite television program in high quality, high definition picture and in vivid color. Or viewing in black and white like the old days before television was available in color. The answer is obvious however color viewed during the day is something we tend to take for granted. This is so because the color of what we see during daylight hours is determined by the sun. Mother nature’s sun does an excellent job of making sure we see true color as its intended to be seen. However at night when the sun goes down this is a totally different story. The color we see after sun down is determined by artificial light sources which if less than high quality will tinge or degrade the color correctness that we see.

The same is true of landscape lighting. Not all light sources especially LED are capable of color correctness. The virtue of quality landscape lighting is when viewing a subject, whatever it might be, a tree, a special statue, architectural walls whatever that they are seen in true color rendition when an accent light is focused upon it.

Cheap, or incorrect for the application light sources, have poor color rendition. But there are so many to choose from, many of which are not appropriate for the outdoor environment, how will you know which one to choose? Choosing the optimum light source (light bulb or LED) to show the subject in its best light (pardon the pun) is one of the virtues and values of an experienced landscape lighting designer. Matching light sources to light subject is critical if you want a fantastic end result.

Our eyes crave variety, which explains why we spend money picking particular clothes, cars, jewelry, flowers, and everything in between.  Why, then, would it make sense to have a landscape lighting system that produces results that are dull, drab, boring and unattractive?  Color is a feast for your eyes.  Feed your eyes with quality landscape lighting – it’s good for you!

This landscape lighting blog is published by Mike Gambino of Gambino landscape lighting inc. all rights reserved. Mike is a professional landscape lighting system designer/ builder and has been designing, installing and maintaining landscape lighting systems for more than 20 years. Mike resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife and 2 sons. To visit his website go to www.gambinolighting.com . To inquire about hiring Mike please click here .

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