Making improvements to your lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bills. An average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Using new lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in your home by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used.
Indoor Lighting
Use tube fluorescent and energy efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in fixtures throughout your home to provide high-quality and high-efficiency lighting. Fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent (standard) bulbs and last about 4 to 10 times longer.
Today’s CFLs offer brightness and color rendition that is comparable to incandescent lights. Although fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps cost a bit more than incandescent bulbs, they pay for themselves by saving energy over their lifetime. Now available are dimmable fluorescent light bulbs, which operate much like incandescent fixtures.
Indoor Lighting Tips
* Look for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing these products.
* Turn off the lights in any room you’re not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
* Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus […]
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There are many good reasons to light your property at night, not the least of which is safety. Beyond safety, though, there are other considerations. Outdoor lighting can completely transform the look of your home after dark. Outdoor lighting has a reputation for being expensive to install and maintain, but it does not have to be. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your budget to install outdoor lighting that makes a statement and turns your home into a nighttime showpiece in your neighborhood.
-Evaluate your resources and power sources. If you keep your lighting close to the house, you can save on installing new power outlets and additional wiring. If you do need to install wiring and outlets, there are do-it-yourself kits that you can install on your own. If you opt to install your own and you’re not a licensed, experienced electrician, though, do have your work inspected by one before using it.
-On the same note, check with your local code authorities before adding any outdoor power sources to be sure that you adhere to regulations. Nothing turns a cheap job into a huge expense faster than fines for violating local ordinances.
-Consider solar powered […]
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When it comes to commercial product photography, people often ask, “Why do professional photographs look better than non-professional?” The answer is complex and the process requires a great deal of skill and practical experience, but it is a skill that can be learned. If you’ve got products to photograph, investing the time and resources into learning how to correctly shoot commercial product photography - or hiring a professional product photographer is a choice that can drastically increase your return on investment.
The Importance of Lighting
In commercial product photography, professionals use special lighting techniques to bring dramatic effects and crystal clarity to the images. By using lighting correctly, you can bring a three-dimensional feel to a two-dimensional product image; making it seem more tangible to the viewer - as if they could pick it up in their hand and actually feel it.
Typical lighting used in commercial product photography includes powerful strobe lights to gain depth of field, special soft lighting boxes, reflectors, and macro lenses for close-up work.
Creating a Mood
Anyone can throw a product on a white background, but a professional creates a mood in commercial product photography instead of simply documenting a product. Creating an atmosphere that makes the customer […]
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