This is one of the most common types of lighting. Ambient light is a soft glow that blankets your space just enough for you to function without causing a harsh glare. In photography and cinematography, ambient light is considered the "natural light" within a room. In décor, ambient light is very similar, except you create the ambient light by making the room's lighting as natural and flat as possible. While ambient light is meant to get you safely from point A-to-B, it is not ideal for working closely with things or to highlight things around your space. When used correctly, ambient light creates a fantastic environment to relax from an overly stressful day or to have a warm conversation with an old friend. Ambient lighting is often referred to as mood lighting, because this light captures the soft curves of your face and allows your pupils to dilate slightly (a physical sign of affection). Some yoga studios have even begun using the softer ambient lighting in their classes to help draw stress from the body. This is a smaller more concentrated light. You want task lighting around when you’re working. In fact, some people call it office lighting. Task lighting is meant to help you see when you’re doing projects in which you need a finer light, such as, reading, cooking, writing, sewing and many other things. Task lighting only works well when it is used as a contrasting light. For example, if you have a low lit room with a swing arm lamp turned on over your desk, the light over the desk surface will be more effective with less glare or shadow-effect than if the entire room was lit with a brighter light. Task lighting helps naturally stimulate your brain. The contrasting light allows you to be more alert and concentrated. This will help you see more details as you work, creating higher quality results. This is why many businesses choose to use task lighting in their offices.
