On 31 Mar 2004 07:29:28 -0800, (Jeridiah) wrote:
Human beings evolved to see best in sunlight. Direct sun is about
10,000 foot candles. Open shade, blue sky, is about 500 foot candles.
It may be too much cost or too much heat load to light your entire
shop to that level. But don't go below about 250 foot candles if you
want to enjoy working in there. Shoot for 500 to 1,000 foot candles
in the places where you really have to see.

You must own some stock in sunglasses.

No, but I've spent a lot of time in TV studios. We used to light at
1,000 foot candles, but cameras got more sensitive and we dropped
the levels to 500 foot candles. That was nice, like being outdoors
under a friendly shade tree. Then cameras got too sensitive, and
management got tight fisted about electric bills and air conditioning
loads, and we dropped the lighting to 125 foot candles. Man that's
dark. You feel like you need a flashlight just to read a script.

Gary