Landscape Up-Lighting

Outdoor lighting is a good way to make your home stand out at night. There many different types of landscape lighting techniques, but perhaps the most popular is up-lighting. Up-lighting is a technique in which the light source is placed beneath the object in order to illuminate it from below. Illuminating an object from below affects how the object appears and also creates dramatic visual interest.

There are two types of fixtures that are commonly used for up-lighting:

Spotlights: These are fixtures that project narrow, intense beams of light. Their intensity illuminates objects by casting shadows around them so that the object remains in focus.

Well lights: These are in-ground light fixtures that illuminate objects by focusing a bright, narrow beam of light in their direction.

There are three main up-lighting techniques, each of which has a different effect on the object that you are trying to illuminate. These varying techniques also promote different types of ambiance and can be used to create different moods.

The three most common techniques are listed below.

Front Up-lighting: In this technique, the fixture is placed in front of the object to be illuminated. This results in the object being illuminated by intense lighting without creating any shadows. This method is perfect for illuminating trees, walls, fences, and even shrubs.

Back Up-lighting: This technique uses low intensity lights to create depth in the object that is being illuminated while creating very few shadows. A number of lighting fixtures are used to create this effect, and as the name suggests, the object is lit from behind. Back up-lighting is often used on trees.

Cross up-lighting: This technique uses moderate lights that are more intense than those used for back up-lighting, but less intense than those used in front up-lighting. In this method, the fixtures are used to cast shadows around the object that is being illuminated. A number of fixtures are used to project beams of high mast light which are layered over one another to create the desired effect. To avoid creating hot spots on your object, the fixtures are tilted back slightly. This technique is perfect for lighting fountains, boulders, and the canopies of large trees.

Up-lighting is a tried and true lighting technique that can greatly improve the visual appeal of your landscape. A lighting professional can help you decide on which lighting techniques will work better for the various features of your home and yard.