When the Company was descending the stairway from the Chamber of Mazarbul Gandalf remained at the top of the stairs, so Glamdring's light or illumination from his staff were not available.
Also at Parth Galen Aragorn asked Frodo to draw Sting to see if orcs were nearby, and although at that moment Sting was faint it did show that orcs didn't have to be in close proximity for a light to be generated.
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