A method of specifying a lighting effect to be emitted by an illumination source in order to illuminate a target object. The method comprises: placing a camera at a position at which the illumination source is installed or to be installed, or elsewhere on a straight line between that position and the target object; directing the camera along this line toward the target object; with the camera so placed and directed, using the camera to capture at least one image of the target object; automatically determining one or more parameters of the target object based on the at least one captured image; automatically specifying one or more properties for the lighting effect in dependence on the one or more parameters of the target object as determined based on the at least one captured image; and instigating creation of the lighting effect to include the one or more specified properties.