A lighting system uses a multi-pixel lighting matrix, for example, having an n by m pixel matrix of light emitters, to provide illumination from a ceiling or wall. Instead of using an actual image or video, which may be distracting, the examples in this case manipulate a frequency domain representation, for example, in Fourier transform space. The representation is transformed to real time image space, to drive the matrix of the lighting device. Manipulation in the frequency domain can maintain image characteristics suitable to an intended illumination application yet produce an output illumination image on the matrix that is less obviously an image of an object and less likely to draw unnecessary attention from an occupant of the illuminated space.