I mean, this is crazy, right?! You can almost FEEL the presence of these weird light dudes as they approach you at a murderously slow pace. Are they astronauts on our own planet? Is this our planet? I was unable to locate a larger version of this photograph, but I still put it at the top because it is incredibly evocative. And that’s not even the real kicker. If you’ve read my other posts on light painting, you know that incredibly long exposure times are necessary for shots like this. So homegirl or homeboy was out in the snow, in the dark, making this thing. And she/he had the wherewithal, tromping through the icy powder, to render these human forms so very well, even making one look like he’s trudging knee-deep. So weirdly inhuman. So weirdly human. I love this photo.

2. Give Up the Ghost

I would never give you a photo of old shoes to look at unless there were something special going on in the picture. In this one, there’s a simple, appropriate message. Ready for it? LIGHT ENHANCES THINGS. Duh, right? This photo is aesthetically interesting, but more valuable to me is the way it shows the essential point of light painting: To have fun! To breathe some excitement into your photography. If your only subject is an old pair of Tims, don’t complain. Turn off the lights and bust out a “paintbrush.”

7. There Are ALMOST No Words for This

Isn’t this great? What I love most is how nonchalant and, well, normal the guy looks in this photo. See? It’s all about juxtaposition. Angel wings mixed with a loud sense of everydayness (he COULD be wearing white robes) make you take notice of the unspoken contradiction. You ask, Why this? And you are led to wonder if maybe this is saying something about how sometimes the people who are the most inconspicuous are the most angelic. See what I did there? That’s why I have chosen these photos from among the hundreds that are out there. They invite wonder and have the power to lead to new insights. I am a dork.

9. Do Not Anger Him/Her/It

* Note: I found these photos on Pinterest and was unable to confirm all of their original sources. So, if you have any information about the original sources for any of these photos, please let us know in the comments sections. We want to give credit for these fantastic light painting photos where it is very much due! Thanks!

If you have a lot of appliances running at once,  you can actually increase your chance of having a surge. When high-powered electrical devices such as AC units and refrigerators are working at peak capacity, it takes a lot of energy to keep their motors and compressors going. This high demand can upset the steady voltage flow through your electrical system.

You should also unplug your important appliances during a power outage. There is often a surge when the electricity comes back on.

Additionally, consider a surge protection device which goes in the electric panel where the circuit breakers or fuses are located. The suppressor will channel the extra electricity during the power surge and prevent it from getting into your main system. If you live in an area that experiences a lot of storms, a lightning rod might be a good idea to mitigate the damage of a direct strike. Finally, make sure your homeowner's policy insures you in case a surge does knock out your devices, despite your best efforts to protect them.

Your local Mister Sparky® electrician can help protect your electronics and appliances with whole-home surge protection. Give us a call and we'll explain the options and help you make the right choice for you.

Every year, we see dozens of do-it-yourself jobs go horribly wrong. While our trained and certified electricians can fix the issue, the property owner who tried (and failed) to do the job in the first place probably made it worse. Even if that supposedly simple job sounds easy and you find yourself reasonably handy, you should never attempt to do it yourself. Here are three reasons why you should always hire a professional.

The first and perhaps most serious risk associated with DIY work is injury. Electricity is no joking matter—it’s a powerful force with the ability to change your life in a sheer instant. The current that’s flowing through your walls has the ability to seriously injure you in a split second, and could even kill you in serious situations. You should never take working with electricity lightly, and you shouldn’t even attempt to work with it unless you’ve had extensive training and know how to do so properly.

We hear of too many people who are injured while trying to work with electricity and they fail to notice a hazard or are unaware of a potential problem. Our technicians have all been trained through years of education, practical application, and apprenticeship in order to become a certified electrician. We know how to properly handle electricity and can do so with minimal injury risk.

Are you trying to install a new appliance you just purchased? What about something larger, such as installing a ceiling fan or changing over to recessed lighting? These are all things you should trust to a professional. Not only can a professional do so quickly and cleanly to avoid the mess often caused by a lack of experience, but you can avoid potentially damaging your new purchase as well.

Lack of experience frequently can melt the wires or overload circuits through improper installation, which can ruin your brand new device, and may even void the warranty on it in some situations. If you want your new home appliance installed correctly, trust a professional to do it right the first time.

Hundreds of fires are started by faults in electrical systems every year, such as shoddy connections, low-gauge wire choice, or even loose wires left dangling. These are not only against code, but extremely dangerous and could spark at any moment. Sparks cause fire, which will damage your home considerably. A professional Marietta electrician is well-versed in the ever-changing electrical code rulebook and can do the job you need while adhering to these rules and minimizing your fire risk.