I have a great deal of interest in digital photography, but my life is as crazy as anyone else’s. My son, family, and work keep me busy from dawn to midnight every day. I’ve never had time to cultivate any photography skills, even though I’ve always been very interested, sitting on the edge of my seat, if you will, for a chance to take some digital photos in order to learn a little about how capturing light can create astonishing works of art.

My interview with Matthew Danser had given me my long sought “excuse” to try out some photography techniques. But it also required that I put in an honest effort. The thought in the back of my head: These photos are going to suck. Probably a lot. And they will most likely be seen by the thousands of people who visit this blog monthly. Second gulp.

But I’m the kind of person so riddled with ADHD that even my paranoia about being judged on a mass scale can only last about three minutes before the audacity to try anything resurfaces and action is taken. So here’s what happens when a total amateur who has no idea what he is doing tries to “Paint with Light.”

A one-dollar flashlight from – you guessed it – the Dollar General. One dollar. Even. Gotta love it. Especially since it’s all I could afford, seeing as how I’m still paying off the aforementioned Nikon that I bought to take photos of our baby son. (True, a million pictures have been taken of him during his first year-and-a-half on Earth. However, 999,999 of those photos were taken with an iPhone. Go figya.)

THE PLAN, STAN:

The plan was to wait until it was dark in the apartment and do some light painting. I knew that I could use the Shutter mode on my camera to set it to take exposures of up to thirty seconds. I saw that my camera also had an option for bulb release, so, invoking Danser, who recalls how his girlfriend had to hold down the button on his camera for a full thirteen minutes, I determined that if I asked really nicely, I might be able to persuade my wife to hold down the trigger to get exposures longer than thirty seconds. Otherwise, thirty seconds was my window of time to do all the light painting I could.

I started off pretty timidly. I had seen photos online in which people used long exposures to create squiggly lines. The most popular examples are pictures of traffic at night, headlights and tail lights streaming, giving you a sense of the fluid motion of busy intersections. You’ve also seen those nature pics in which streams and rivers and clouds and stars become gauzy with movement because of long exposures.

But what I really like about Danser’s work is the use of color. The effect of running inside the hut and popping off red-gelled flashes shown at the beginning of this blog post (Matthew Danser! And happy lightpainting, everyone!

Many backup power systems rely simply on a single source of energy for emergency power.  Whether it’s a backup power generator, a backup battery system, or solar backup power, the system is usually flawed because all of your emergency power is resting on a single source.  If we’ve learned anything from Murphy’s Law, it is that a single backup plan has the potential to easily fail in your time of need.

In order to have a truly reliable backup power system, it must have several options for recharging in the event that one or more of your power sources fail.  Here are some of the recharging options available to easily integrate into your Indoor GeneratorTM backup power system:

Clearly, having recharging options at your disposal for backup power systems will be essential to their success.  Among these options, solar backup power is perhaps the most reliable, convenient, and clean.  However, the other options are certainly viable as well to ensure your backup power system is able to maintain power indefinitely.

If you have yet to install a backup solar panel to recharge the backup power system in your home or business, contact a reputable Dallas electrician to take care of the job correctly.

One of the most affordable and effective components of any home security system is motion detecting outdoor lighting. Installed by a professional electrician, these lights can give you years of reliable service and peace of mind.

But like any part of your household electrical system, problems can arise from time to time. If your outdoor security lights are staying on all the time, not coming on at all or otherwise performing poorly, you can try these simple DIY fixes before calling an electrician.

Most motion detecting light fixtures allow the motion detector to be aimed at a specific area. If your lights are coming on too often, it could be that the sensor is aimed at a nearby street or an area where wildlife roam around at night. If the lights aren't coming on at all, the sensor might be aimed directly at the ground or into the side of the house. Experiment with different sensor positions after dark and walk around in the areas you want to secure to fine-tune your aim.

Motion detectors also typically come equipped with sensitivity settings. Too sensitive, and something as small as a fly could set it off. Not sensitive enough, and a prowler could come within a few feet of the fixture before it lights up. Locate this setting and fine-tune it to your liking.

Another common setting for motion detector lights is a light duration time. This can be as long as 30 minutes, and if your lights are unwittingly set this way, it could give the impression that they stay on all night. A good duration for most security light applications is one to two minutes.

A dirty sensor can’t detect movement properly. If dirt and dust have accumulated on your motion detector, use a wet rag to wipe it clean, then re-test your lights.

Security lights can get off-kilter if there are interruptions in the electrical supply, such as power outages, power surges and accidentally flipping light switches or breakers. Sometimes this can result in lights that stay on or off all the time. To reset most motion detecting lights, shut off the power supply at the switch for at least 30 seconds, making sure there’s no motion in front of the sensor during this time. Then turn the light back on and test it to ensure proper function. If there was motion in front of the sensor while the power was off, this may need to be repeated.

Not all motion detector problems can be fixed this easily. If you have persistent problems, storm damage or faulty installation, it’s important to call in your local licensed electricians for a professional evaluation and repair.

Prolong the Vacation with Fanimation!

Fun Fact: Founder and CEO of Fanimation, Tom Frampton, began his career with three ceiling fan designs constructed in his garage in Pasadena, California.  Currently with over 31 innovative fan configurations, including palm leaf blades and a retractable housing, Tom’s designs are featured around the world.

Have a Blast with Versatility and Unique Configurations from fanimation….

50 Blades of Gray and an Astounding List of Controls….

Depending on the aptitude, knowledge, and experience of the homeowner, some electrical work can be conducted as a do it yourself project. It’s important to make sure you don’t get in over your head as an improper electric job can be a nuisance at best or a safety issue at worse, and it nearly always costs more to fix a botched job than to hire a professional to conduct it properly in the first place. Another mistake people make is to have a carpenter or painter who is already working at the house conduct electric work. You would be right to think they probably know how to do light electric work, but because it isn’t legal you have no protection against any damage they cause and your insurance may not recognize a claim made based on unlicensed work.

Repairs and Replacements