One of the most unique light paintings I’ve seen, this image has a fluidity that causes the brain to confuse light for matter. It is neato. What makes it neato? Well, I think it’s mostly neato because the way the lines are painted makes the light seem like it has taken form and is alive.

3. Sphere of the Open Water

I do not understand how some light painters are able to create such perfect perforated light beams. But I like it. Light painting is able to create such perplexing images. How is one to feel about the image of a lonely self-circling disc of multi colored light? It’s a little sad. But also a lot of fun. That’s weird. And maybe that’s the particular weirdness of light paintings.

5. Or, Then Again, Maybe This Is the Particular Weirdness of Light Paintings

At least, that’s what my two-year-old would call this photo. What a great idea to take a long exposure of a car and to keep it underexposed, knowing that the brightness of the light “paintbrush” would balance out the composition. I chose this example because it emblematizes the way light painting adds imagination to reality.

7. The Whole Light Paint Bucket

First of all, if you don’t get the title’s reference, then don’t worry about it. It’s a video game thing. Second of all, if you have any kind of interest in photography but spend a lot of time working indoors, you’ve probably tried taking pictures of inanimate things around your office. (OK, so I’m talking about myself.) Chances are, you haven’t had much luck. The pics were probably more fun to take than to examine, and they have probably been long since lost in the black matter of erased data. In other words, the photos weren’t good. But this one happens to be really awesome. It’s fun and very cool looking. Hadukin! Hadukin to bad office still lifes! Hadukin to darkness! Ha. Du. Kin.

Have you ever gone on a long vacation, or even just gone away for a night and left a minor child or a pet behind? Were you able to enjoy your trip without concerning yourself about what was going on at home? Or were you constantly distracted by thoughts of “what if?”

Chances are that even if you trust that nothing will happen, there’s always that nagging feeling that something could go wrong. The good news is, there’s an easy way to gain back the peace of mind that you deserve: a robust home security system.

Home security cameras have become increasingly popular in recent years. Also, through home automation technology, they can be fully monitored and controlled from your phone, so you can rest easy knowing that your home and family is safe. Home automation is another innovation that’s become more popular recently—not only is it used to control security but also HVAC systems, audio, and lighting.

The installation of a home security automation system in complex and labor intensive—not a task you want to take on yourself or trust to just any average handyman off of the street. It’s wise to ensure that you hire the best professional company you can find for service.

The technology behind these systems is always changing and undergoing new developments. A security system is not much good if you cannot depend on it when you need it. The same goes if you need repairs done on your home security system. Even the simplest of systems (a standard alarm) can experience malfunctions and failures over the years. Fortunately, we have the tools and knowledge to resolve your home security issues.

It is not news that LED is becoming the new standard in saving money on your lighting bill. But with every new technology, the options are endless and plentiful, and sometimes clever marketing hides what really is important. If you understand the technology, its easy. If your new to the technology, you have to try and determine what is or isn’t important. Which makes the purchase decision even harder for those trying to navigate this maze of product availability and specifications. And to confuse the consumer even more, there is a lot of data being presented that is not created based on any agreed to standard. Read 10 different product brochures on what the marketers believe is the proper solution to replace 1000W Metal Halide and you will read everything from a low as 26,000 lumens to 70,000 lumens. Or what one manufacturer calls day white is total different than what another manufacturer thinks day white is. The best advice we can give the consumer is walk through the same process we do when we select our products to sell. We look for quality, performance, efficiency and great engineering. Let’s break that down to what that means.

Are the LED Lights UL or ETL Listed. This is the safety test. No one wants an unsafe product. The product must be able to perform without any chance of hazard. Are the lights DLC or Energy Star Rated? DLC (DesignLights Consortium) is a performance standard that makes sure the lights are efficient and perform at a high standard. It typically applies only to LED lights, but lately the standard has been broadened to include lighting controls. Energy Star is a consumer standard that applies to many products including small LED screw in bulbs. Up until recently, DLC did not have a provision for screw in bulbs, but has recently changed to allow some screw in LED bulbs.

Are the factories ISO Qualified? A lot aren’t, a lot say they are but aren’t. Some will say they abide by the ISO standards. What does that mean? Some will come up with their own marketing buzz words that sound great on paper and are very clever, but aren’t ISO certified.  To us, ISO certification gives us the peace of mind that the products we supply our customers are built and tested in an exacting and consistent manner with the least amount of risk of failure.

You have probably turned on your furnace already this year or pulled out the space heaters to help warm up your room. It won’t be long before you start to see your electric bill rise with the cost of heating your home. There are some things you can do to help keep your electric bill down and more money in your pocket. Your neighborhood electrician has some best practices to help you reduce the amount of electricity you use on a daily basis. For more information, call The Electric Connection.

1-Turn the thermostat down a couple of degrees. You can wear a warm sweater or some thick socks while you are at home. At night, turn the thermostat down a couple more degrees since you will be sleeping with blankets.

2-Unplug your cell phone charger as well as tablet and laptop chargers when you are not using them. It may seem small, but every charger pulls a little electricity even when nothing is plugged in.

3-Switch out your old incandescent bulbs with CFL or LEDs. You may need to change out your light fixture, which your electrician can do for you. The investment in a new fixture will pay for itself when you save money on your monthly lighting bill.

4-Turn down the temperature on your water heater a few degrees. It is unlikely you would use water that is 125 to 140 degrees anyways. If you can’t use water that hot, it doesn’t make sense to waste the electricity heating it to that point.

5-Make it a rule you only wash full loads of dishes in the dishwasher and only full loads in the washer. Try washing clothes with cold water when possible.

6-Invest in heavy curtains to block the chilly air coming in through the glass in the winter and block the heat of the sun in the summer. This will keep your home more comfortable and save you money on your electric bill.

If you have any more questions for your electrician about energy savings, give The Electric Connection a call today to see what else you can do to save some cash.

— Electric Connection (@LAElectricianCA) December 15, 2015

Confused or overwhelmed about the benefits and drawbacks of making your home a little more green? Your friendly neighborhood Mr. Electric® professionals are here, helping you understand the bigger picture in your quest for a greener life.

Energy consumption has more to do with having a green home than age. Newer homes with added square footage, vaulted ceilings and an array of high-tech electronics often consume a great deal of energy. Rather than upgrading, consider the size home that adequately fits your needs. With the help of an energy audit, air sealing and insulation, and efficient appliances, you’ll be well on your way to a green home, regardless of age.  

Simply plugging gaps, holes and other air leaks in your home and beneath insulation in your attic can reduce your demand for nonrenewable energy by up to 40 percent. Thinking about investing in a little new insulation? Don’t sweat it if the top-of-the-line insulation is out of your price range – all insulation is green. Go with what’s in your price range today and get those heating and cooling bills down tomorrow. There’s nothing greener than reducing energy consumption.

Don’t become brainwashed by greenwashing companies who put more thought into labeling their products to gain your purchase than into sustainability practices. Avoid deceitful marketing tactics by getting to know which labels are truly green in your local hardware store:

Replacing those old incandescents with CFLs or LEDs pays for itself over the lifespan of the bulbs, which not only use a fraction of the energy, but last far longer as well. Aren’t you tired of repeatedly replacing burnt out bulbs?

Huh? You heard right. Incandescents and halogens should ALWAYS be turned off when you leave the room. Why? They are less efficient. CFLs, however, are a bit more complicated. They cost 75 percent less to operate than an incandescent. However, turning them on and off reduces their operating life, which can cost you more in bulb replacements. The Department of Energy’s advice: If you’ll be out of the room for 15 minutes or less, leave it on.

Items with a power adapter, indicator light, standby function, or clock can suck up energy even when they’re turned off, draining you to the tune of 5 percent or more of your power bill. The typical cable box alone uses half the electricity of an Energy Star fridge. Multiply that times the number of these items in your house (TVs, computers, microwaves, cell phone chargers). To take a big bite out of your electric bill, plug these items into a power strip so they can be turned off when not in use. In addition, have wiring inspected to ensure poor connections and undersized wiring aren’t contributing to additional energy loss and higher bills.

Adjusting your thermostat 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours a day can save you 5-15 percent per year on heating and cooling costs – 1 percent for each degree it’s set back. Make the savings hassle-free with the installation of an inexpensive programmable or Wi-Fi home thermostat.