From a distance, the fixtures will look like an attractive string of pearls. But a single jelly jar with a 50-watt HPS lamp will undoubtedly introduce glare and veil. With this type of fixture, the darker the ambient environment, the lower the lumen output must be. Any fixture mounted near the ground has the potential to cause uncomfortable glare and veiling luminance. The accompanying diagram shows how to predict these effects easily by using candlepower diagrams for the fixtures.
Older persons are more sensitive to off-axis brightness.
Pay special attention to stairs, and be sure to use shielded sources that light the stair rather than the inside of the eyeball. The range of color options for outdoor light sources includes most modern electric lamps. All too often, though, lamps are chosen for reasons of life and efficacy, and color is a secondary consideration. Among the usable and efficient outdoor sources, designers may wish to consider the full range of HID options. Colors may appear dirty if HPS is not balanced with other sources, such as incandescent.