In the Dark About Light – The Contemporary Worship Center
Author’s Note: This is a reprint of an article originally written for “Church Production” magazine, which was published in the
June/July 2000 issue. The magazine and the article are aimed at church leaders and church technical personnel and therefore
speaks to them. It has been edited for content and size in this reprint. You can find the original article on their website at
www.churchproduction.com.
By Paul Luntsford, ASTC
Sometimes a little bit of knowledge can go a long way. We often hear horror stories from churches that have just
completed a building program, or renovated their existing facility, and end up with something significantly wrong.
So many of these problems could have been avoided. Now, I am not here to grind an axe, but as an assembly space
consultant and a Lighting Certified Professional—and more importantly, a church member myself—it frustrates me
to hear these things. So, let’s look at what needs to be known, at least in the area of lighting, that can help prevent
the cry of "Oh no! We never thought of that!"
Image Projection Just Fades Away
Foonman First Church in Snarfblatt, California (fictional, you think?) just put in two huge 16:9 format front
projection screens, two Blaster 3000 video projectors, an amazing computer, switcher, line doubler, scan converter,
three broadcast cameras and a partridge in a pear tree. It is Sunday morning at 7AM, and soon, the congregation will
be able to experience giant dynamic worship lyrics and the see the mole on Pastor’s cheek from the back of the
balcony. Right before people arrive, the techie fires up the projectors, puts up a chorus, goes out into the
auditorium….and….and….and…HE CAN’T READ THE WORDS!!!!! What happened?
The company that sold the system to the church never bothered to consider that the screens are highly susceptible to
ambient light. What is ambient light? It is the stuff that most churches think makes "A bright room". It is the light
that bounces around inside the room. After enough bounces, it is going everywhere, especially in the horizontal.
Light that travels horizontally is the enemy of image projection. Ambient light includes the stage lighting that
bounces up from the cream-colored carpet and right into the screens. When combined with the existing downlighting
right in front of the screen, the projected image is completely washed out. Unfortunately, this church cannot dim the
lights in front of the screen because they are on the same circuit as half of the room lights. So, why not dim all of the
room lights and close all the window shades? Have you ever tried to take notes or read a fine-print Bible in the dark?
So much for the sermon notes!
Those classic chandeliers that Sister Jones paid for in 1947, you know, the tall white plastic cylinders four feet tall
and two feet wide with big fluorescent lamps in them. Did you know they put out 90% of their light out sideways,
and about 10% down where the people are. Guess what? They gotta go or you will never see the screens. So,
Foonman First Church should have been told that the $200,000 image projection system needed about another
$150,000 in lighting renovations in order to work properly.
The Thermonuclear Pastor
Pastor Goodguy wants to start a video ministry for shut-ins. So, he asks the church council to fund a video setup so
that tapes of sermons and the choir can be delivered to those who cannot attend. Unfortunately, the last time Pastor
was exposed to television equipment, the cameras needed enough light to roast a turkey, just to get a decent picture.
So, Pastor Goodguy gets a modern set of industrial-grade cameras and has a volunteer suggest the lighting design.
Pastor makes is very clear that he does not want a dark, grainy picture on the video. The volunteer suggests an array
of 1,000-watt PAR lights in various places, all aimed at the stage. The first Sunday after installation, the lights are
turned on and WHAM !!! FLASH !!! Pastor Goodguy instantly vaporizes as a mushroom cloud forms above the
lectern. No one in the room can see for about five minutes, so they just sit in their seats and don’t move until their
eyes can adjust. What happened?
The words are "Required Illuminance" and "Contrast Ratio". Modern, high-quality cameras only need about 1/3 to
1/4 the amount of light as their ancestors once did. So, Illuminance levels of 45 to 60 foot-candles, properly
presented, can create an excellent picture. This is critical to remember, particularly in renovation scenarios.
It is important to note that the human eye tends to develop strain and fatigue when simultaneously exposed to
lighting where there is adjacent contrast in excess of 5 to 1. Good emphasis and visual focus without eyestrain
happens in the range of 2.25 to 1, up to 3 to 1. So, before adding the new video lighting, it is wise to measure your
general lighting at the pews. If you need 60 foot-candles on the platform for video, then you had better make sure
that your general lighting is not less than 20 foot-candles at the darkest seat and not more than 27 foot-candles at the
brightest spot. This will allow visual emphasis for the eye (without strain), provide sufficient lighting for video and
prevent Pastor Goodguy from having a thermonuclear experience.
Who Ordered Donuts?
Ever since the church council had those big projection screens installed, and removed the old chandeliers, Sister
James has felt like she needed to bring a flashlight to the mid-morning service. Brother Maplewood, sitting only
eight feet away from Sister James, was convinced that what little hair he had left on his head was surely going to
burn off from the new lights. Both were equally uncomfortable for opposite reasons. Why?
In this situation, the problem is a lighting design that is not uniform. Visual strain and discomfort can be caused not
only by an excessive lighting ratio between the seating area and the platform, but also by excessive ratios within the
seating area itself. Inadequate light in one area creates strain from trying to visually discriminate small print. It also
causes further strain when looking at nearby areas that are excessively bright. As the eye moves from dark to light
and back again, the repeated changing of the iris eventually takes their toll.
What causes uniformity problems and how can they be avoided? Most uniformity problems in general lighting come
from improper spacing of lighting. All lighting fixtures have a published maximum Spacing-to-Mounting Height
Ratio. If this ratio is exceeded, non-uniform lighting will most usually result.
Another common error involves using an incorrect type of lamp. For example, if a clear compact quartz lamp is
placed in an ellipsoidal downlight that is specifically designed for a frosted lamp, the lighting below the fixture will
be anything but uniform. Depending on the lamp socket setting and type of reflector in the fixtures, the pattern on
the floor can range from a very small and very bright spot with dark edges, to a very dark center and a bright outer
donut. Always confirm the lamp type for each fixture.
The Bottom-Line
If you are building or renovating, take the time to study how things are done in other facilities. Ask a whole lot of
questions. Visit other churches whose worship style is like yours. And ask the techies what they like and don’t like
about their facility. Don’t just ask the Senior Pastor. When was the last time he had to design, setup and run lighting
for a service? Don’t assume that famous churches have perfect technical systems. Some of them don’t like their
building either. Talk to a professional consultant about your concerns. Some of them will freely give you a smidgen
of their time on the phone, just to be nice. And, if all of this is still not enough, then hire one of us to help you learn.
And, I do mean learn. Do not accept the type of consultant or contractor who says, "Now, just stay in your office and
we will design the whole thing, and when we are finished, we will let you know". Phooey! This is your facility and
your ministry and you need to know what is going on. Lighting systems are a part of your toolbox for creatively
preaching the gospel. You’ve got to know what the tool does and how to use it. If your lighting consultant or
theatrical systems designer isn’t willing to share the knowledge, then get one who will.
OK….enough of the soapbox. Just remember that your auditorium, or multi-purpose room, or sanctuary is first and
foremost a communication space. If the carpet is red or blue won’t mean much if people can’t see or can’t stand the
eyestrain and fatigue. Get the lighting and sound and acoustics and image projection right, throw in a dynamic
ministry or three and you will be bursting at the seams with people. Build a gloomy, glaring dungeon and you better
plan on a whole lot of street preaching. Of course I am being extreme here, but the point is made. Take the time. Do
the homework. Don’t be in the dark about light.
Paul Luntsford is an Assembly Space Consultant and Lighting Certified Professional and president of PLA Designs
in Aloha, Oregon. He can be reached at paul@pladesigns.com.