lighting

Illuminating the Extraordinary: The Magic of Event Lighting

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When it comes to creating a truly memorable event, lighting plays a vital role in setting the mood, enhancing ambiance, and captivating attendees. The artistry of event lighting can transform any space into a breathtaking spectacle, leaving a lasting impression on guests. In this blog post, we will explore the world of event lighting and discover some of the most amazing techniques and trends that make events shine like never before.

  1. Dynamic Lighting Designs: One of the most exciting aspects of event lighting is its ability to create dynamic and ever-changing environments. With advanced lighting technology, such as intelligent lighting fixtures and programmable systems, event designers can manipulate color, intensity, and movement to match the energy and theme of the occasion. From vibrant hues and mesmerizing patterns to synchronized lighting effects that dance to the beat of the music, the possibilities are endless.
  2. Transformative Projection Mapping: Projection mapping has revolutionized event lighting by turning ordinary surfaces into canvases for immersive storytelling. This technique allows light and images to be projected onto complex structures, such as buildings, stages, or even furniture, creating a mind-bending visual experience. Projection mapping can transport guests to different worlds, depict stunning illusions, or showcase brand visuals in an unforgettable way, making it a popular choice for corporate events, weddings, and concerts.
  3. Ethereal Fairy Lights and String Lighting: For a touch of enchantment, nothing compares to the delicate glow of fairy lights and string lighting. These twinkling wonders bring a whimsical and romantic atmosphere to any event, whether it’s an outdoor garden wedding or an intimate cocktail party. From cascading canopies of lights to sparkling backdrops and elegantly draped installations, fairy lights add a magical touch that captivates the imagination and creates a dreamlike ambiance.
  4. Dramatic Uplighting and Washes: Uplighting and washes are powerful techniques that can transform event spaces dramatically. By strategically placing lighting fixtures around the room, event designers can illuminate walls, pillars, or architectural features, emphasizing their beauty and adding depth to the space. Uplighting can be tailored to match event colors or themes, creating a cohesive and immersive experience that enhances the overall aesthetic.
  5. Creative Customizations: Event lighting allows for endless creativity and customization. From personalized monograms projected onto dance floors to dynamic light shows synchronized with live performances, event lighting professionals can bring unique ideas to life. Customized lighting can incorporate logos, images, or intricate patterns, ensuring that the event leaves a lasting impression on guests and creates a truly unforgettable experience.

The art of event lighting is a captivating blend of technology, creativity, and meticulous attention to detail. From the dazzling displays of color and movement to the subtle interplay of light and shadow, event lighting has the power to transform any occasion into a mesmerizing spectacle. Whether it’s an intimate gathering or a grand-scale celebration, the most amazing event lighting can elevate the atmosphere, evoke emotions, and leave a lasting impression on attendees. So, let your imagination soar and let event lighting illuminate your extraordinary moments like never before.

Dim All the Lamps – Because romance is better by candlelight.

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Bentley Meeker, a Manhattan designer, has been in business for 30 years, creating lighting for events as diverse as weddings (he did Chelsea Clinton’s) and concerts (Kanye West, Aerosmith and Elton John are all clients).

Mr. Meeker, whose first book, “Light x Design”, calls light “the most powerful tool we have to create any feeling.”

When it comes to romance, he recommends candlelight. It offers “an uncontrolled sense of light” he said, but it “definitely creates a vibe.”

So on a recent frigid day, Mr. Meeker went in search of candleholders to set the mood for Valentine’s Day.

At Coolhouse, an antiques shop in Chelsea, he found a pair of adjustable candelabra from Denmark.

“These slide up to almost six feet tall,” he said. “How cool is that? I also like that you can move the individual arms wherever you want, and the satiny brass finish is naturally aged. It’s really beautiful.”

But he noted that such large candelabra would require an appropriately scaled setting.

“The more candles you use, the more intense the light will be,” he said. “People are always surprised by that.”

Two designs caught his eye at the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Store: the Ghost candelabrum by Jon Russell, which he praised for its “modern lines of Lucite” that mimic “a very classically shaped” candelabrum, and Martin Blum’s Loop, “because it’s chaos underneath but somehow becomes smooth and elegant with the four taper candles all pointing regally and perfectly in the same direction.”

At Christofle, he liked the Arborescence articulated candelabrum. “All the arms are the same height,” Mr. Meeker said, “and it won’t give off too much light. It’s also begging for a unique candle – a honeycomb would be great.”

And down the block at Baccarat, he picked out Marcel Wanders’s Forest of Dreams.

“The monochromatic nature of the design will pick up the candlelight and glisten very nicely,” Mr. Meeker said.

“I love that each component is removable,” he added. “You can put tea lights in three of them, and do shots with the other two.”

 

(ref. The New York Times, Rima Suqi)

Everything Is Illuminated For Celebrity Lighting Guru

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By Wendy Straker – New York Post

At 14, Bentley Meeker dropped out of high school, moved to New York and took his first job, as a photographer’s assistant. Fifteen years later, he started his own lighting company. Today, as CEO of Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging, he lights more than 1,000 A-list events every year, including private parties for Robert De Niro, galas for the Whitney Museum and the New York Philharmonic, and weddings for celebrities such as Billy Joel and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

You got your first lighting job at age 14; how did that come about?

I came to New York to live with my dad. He needed to find someplace for me to be during the day, so he introduced me to the guy who lived across the hall who was a photographer. My father told him our situation, and just like that he said, “I’ll take him during the day. I’ll pay him $15 an hour.” I was responsible for setting up the umbrellas and the lights and the strobes for his photo shoots. I would also scout locations for shoots. I didn’t really think about it as a career. I was just happy to have a job. And I was happy not to be going to school.

At what point did you discover your passion for lighting?

It wasn’t until I took film classes at Hunter College that I started to really play around with light. That’s when I got a job loading trucks for a company that provided lighting for rock concerts. That exposure to the business helped me learn how things worked. Eventually, I started getting lighting jobs on my own.

Did you seek out any mentors along the way?

I called everybody. I was a persistent little bastard. I called people who were so established that they probably never received cold calls. I annoyed so many people, but Ian the end it worked. Preston Bailey was one of me earliest clients, and a mentor. I’ll never forget when he gave me a shot. He hired me to light a red rosary with red lights. He really took a chance on me.

How has your job changed now that you own on of New York’s top lighting companies?

We do about 1,000 jobs a year, which is a lot. But if you have the right infrastructure and the right apparatus and the right people and design concepts, it works very well. I’m giving much less direction on-site than I ever was two years ago, when we had half as many jobs, and that’s probably one of the most gratifying things for me. Now my job is much more about coming up with design concepts for the company and deciding on the direction of the company. It’s still artistic and emotional, but it’s also strategic and technical, and I like to straddle that line.

Do you have a favorite event that sticks out in your mind?

I’ve lit some pretty amazing events. Celebrity weddings with limitless budgets, the Grammys, fashion shows, you name it. I did a bat mitzvah at the Rainbow Room where Aerosmith, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and Don Henley performed. It was unbelievable. There was one moment when Steven Tyler was playing the drums, and he got tired and wanted to take a break. He was looking for some relief, but I chickened out. Then this 16-year-old kid got up there and just rocked the house.

How do you measure your success?

I used to measure it by the number of events I had in a given weekend within the four corners that hold the Plaza, the Pierre, the Metropolitan Club, the Harmony Club and the St. Regis. Then someone gave me some advice, and it stayed with me. He said, “Your not going to look back on your life and think about how much money you made or how many great jobs you got. You’re going to think to yourself, did I spend enough time with my sone?” I always make time for my son. When I have my son, I have my son, and the world just stops.

The Art of Lighting

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Art can use light to convey emotion, conceptual thought, or make a statement; it transcends language.

Artists have always used light to emphasize certain aspects of their works of art. How light bathes a basket of fruit, for example, or shines on a pearl earring, can accentuate an art work’s attributes. The contrast of darkness with lightness can be alluring. Chiaroscuro, for example, is a technique using a stark contrast between light and dark to create dramatic compositions, most famously used by artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Goya. In modern and contemporary art, only the medium has changed.

Light can be used to light works of art. Some artists use light itself as art. Light art, as it’s come to be known, can take multiple media forms, including sculpture, installation, and performance. Artists can use colors, angles and shadows to create their work. You may have seen more of what’s called light art than you realize; neon signs, holographic images projected on a building, abstract light fixtures or light sculptures. Light art dominates museums as well as commercial and residential spaces, making it a prominent and accessible art form.