Beyond the basic level of creating uniform lighting schemes from one location to the next, Burks' lighting style was highly intertwined with the thematics and mood of the film. He frequently utilized the lighting scheme in The Wrong Man to create a cross hatched shadow that "invoked the dominant theme of imprisonment and... of crucifixion".
Burks' approach to lighting went beyond just making sure each location had consistent lighting. Instead, he used it to enhance the film's themes and mood. In "The Wrong Man," he employed a cross-hatched shadow technique that mirrored the film's central theme of imprisonment and... crucifixion.