How to Avoid Excessive Shadowing at the Task
Light sources with small surface area create “harsh” lighting, which is primarily the result of sharp shadows cast by objects in the task area. For details, see Reference Note 51. This factor is especially important in task lighting because the fixtures tend to be smaller and less widely distributed.
To avoid excessive shadowing, you need fixtures that have a large surface area. This is perhaps the most radical innovation that is needed to make task lighting suitable for general use. Specific methods of achieving this are given below.