Lighting Techniques to Enhance Your Public Speaking

James Thurber’s observation that light can either illuminate or obscure is particularly resonant in public speaking. Light not only affects visibility but also profoundly influences our biological functions, such as pulse and brain activity. Much like food and water, it is a critical environmental factor that shapes our experiences and behaviors.

For speakers, light is a double-edged sword. It can enhance the clarity and memorability of a message or detract from it. As the carrier of sight and a form of energy faster than sound, light is essential for life and perception. In public speaking, it shapes what the audience sees, understands, and feels.

Effective lighting requires careful planning of both intensity, measured in lux, and color temperature, measured in Kelvin. For speakers, 500 lux indoors and 10,000 lux outdoors are ideal. Light hue affects audience mood, a valuable asset for speakers.

Electrosonic, an international company specializing in audiovisual and technology services, advises that event lighting should be sufficient, multidirectional, and flexible. It’s crucial to avoid shadows on the speaker’s face and ensure they are not standing against a light-colored wall or window. A dedicated light for the lectern is also recommended.

Mr. André No?l Chaker, a distinguished figure in the field of public speaking and the head coach of MySpeaker Rhetorich, emphasizes the importance of lighting in enhancing a speaker’s performance. His approach combines the technical elements of speech with the art of delivery, scored and improved through the use of MySpeaker Rhetorich’s analytics. Mr. Chaker, as an award-winning speaker and educator, shares his wealth of knowledge on how to optimize lighting for more effective public speaking.

Lighting as a Catalyst for Focus and Learning

Lighting does more than just allow us to see; it plays a pivotal role in our brain’s ability to focus. Adequate and quality lighting can significantly enhance learning capabilities, with improved lighting linked to more than a 20% increase in academic performance. Conversely, poor lighting can reduce the brain’s data processing efficiency, suggesting that dim lighting could lead to dimmer cognitive abilities.

For public speakers and their audiences, maintaining a well-lit environment is essential for keeping attention sharp. Both the quality and quantity of light are vital for creating the desired effect on an audience. Light colors influence our emotions; exposure to blue/green light (6000 to 9000 Kelvin) in the morning stimulates cortisol production, which energizes us, while reducing melatonin release. In contrast, the evening’s red and yellow light (2000-4000 Kelvin) encourages melatonin release, leading to drowsiness. Ensuring light color temperatures above 6000 Kelvin can help keep an audience alert and focused.

Full-spectrum lighting, akin to natural light, has been found to positively affect behavior, reducing anxiety and stress. Good lighting quality can uplift the mood of individuals in a room. Studies have highlighted the adverse effects of harsh, fluorescent lighting on behavior, while recent findings support the mood-enhancing benefits of full-spectrum LED light technology. This underscores the importance of well-considered lighting for both speakers and listeners in any setting.