Many people in the Laser Light Show industry for one reason or another are under the assumption that the New York State regulations as they relate to lasers were originally intended for only industrial lasers.  They say, "oh yeah, that certification is really only good if you want to become a carpenter and learn how to align walls straight."  Or I've even heard, "now you'll be able to certify laser-cutting machines."  This is simply not the case!  Back in 1978, about six years after the original Code Rule 50 was composed, the Department of Labor issued a document about the guidelines of Laser Light Shows for New York State.  So even back then they knew about laser light shows, and Code Rule 50 "lasers" coincides with laser light show regulations greatly.  The following is a copy of the document, "New York State Guidelines for Laser Light Shows" - revised Febuary, 1978:

( 1 )     Each laser facility and mobile laser shall be registered in
            accordance with the provisions of Code Rule 50.
( 2 )     The laser operator shall demonstrate his competency to operate
            laser safely by having taken and passed an acceptable laser
            training course such as given at several universities or
            sponsored by technical organizations or have at least one year
            experience as a laser operator and be certified as a mobile laser
            operator in accordance with provisions of Section 50.9 of Code
            Rule 50.
( 3 )     Before a laser show is permitted to open (either at a permanent
            or temporary site) the show's laser safety officer (LSO) shall
            provide principal Radiophysicist, Radiological Health Unit,
            Division of Safety and Health, with a sketch showing the beam
            path, velocity of scanned beam in occupied areas or where beam
            strikes the wall or other structure. In case of open air shows
             where the laser is projected into the sky the LSO shall provide
             the spot power and energy densities at 0.5 and 1 miles from laser
            and contact Federal Aviation Administration for air space
            approval. Include in report an analysis to show that laser beam
            exposure levels in occupied areas and where beam strikes the wall
            or other structure are as fellows:
                Less than or equal to 1 microwatt per cm2, CW mode and
                Less than or equal to 1 microjoule per cm2, pulse mode,
                in spectral range from 400to 700 nanometers.
( 4 )     The laser shall meet the following specifications:
        ( a ) Total maximum laser power output for all laser lines and
                before optics shall be less than 5 watts.
        ( b ) The spectral laser emission shall be in the range from 400 to
                700 nanometers only.
        ( c ) A conveniently accessible point near the output of the laser
                shall be available to insert a power meter to
                check the laser power level or such power measurement
                capability shall be built into equipment for direct read-out.
( 5 )     The following precautions shall be taken during alignment
            procedures:
         ( a ) Alignment of laser optics:
                ( i ) This will be done only by a qualified individual with
                       beam power turned down as far as practicable,
                ( ii ) The public shall not be present,
                ( iii ) Protective goggles shall be worn where necessary.
          ( b ) Alignment of scanning laser beam patterns:
                ( i ) This will be done by person approved in Item (2),
                ( ii ) The laser shall, be in scanning mode,
                ( iii ) In spectral range from 400 to 700 nanometers the
                        maximum permissible exposure levels of the scanning
                        laser beam shall be as follows:
                            less than or equal to 1 microwatt per cm2, CW mode and
                            less than or equal to 1 microjoule per cm2,
                            pulse mode in all occupied areas and where the beam
                            strikes the wall or other structure.
                 ( iv ) No laser radiation outside spectral range between 400
                          to 700 nanometers shall be emitted.
( 6 )        The laser system shall be rigidly fixed on a secure mounting.
( 7 )         Unless the scanning laser beam has two independent interlocks
                which shall turn the beam off: or deflect beam away from exit
                aperture, in case the beam stops scanning, the laser beam must be
                terminated by the fire retardant material.
( 8 )         On-stage an area on both sides of laser beam path shall be
                 designated a high radiation area and barriers shall limit access
                  to this area while laser is operating.
( 9 )         The laser control console shall be sited in a position such that
                the acting area, beam path and laser display can be viewed by
                operator.
( 10 )       In cases where "mirror balls" are used the maximum permissible
                exposure levels as given in (5) (b) (iii) for the spectral range
                from 400 - 700 nanometers shall be measured or calculated while
                mirror ball is in stationary mode.
( 11 )       No specularly scattering foils or metallic strips shall be
                injected into laser beam during light show.
( 12 )       The laser shall be capped or effectively enclosed while not in
                use.
( 13 )       Before each laser show the output laser beam power shall be
                checked and recorded and all safety interlocks shall be checked.
( 14 )       The laser shall be equipped with a key operated "ON-OFF" switch
                and when the authorized operator leaves the laser area he shall
                turn off the laser and remove key.
( 15 )       All safety interlocks shall be of the type that will not
                automatically restart laser when fault is removed.
( 16 )       All electrical wiring and connections shall meet requirements of
                National Electrical Code and local fire codes.

If you have any questions about these New York laser light show guidelines go to the contact page and let me and LaserJockey Inc. know.

This past Thursday, May 5th, 2011 was my last day of mobile laser operations training for use of high-intensity lasers.  The course took about 30 hours for completion, but it was well worth it.  My knowledge of lasers and their uses, characteristics, biology effects, health issues, and safety calculations has grown enormously.  We went over all of the aspects of New York's Code Rule 50 "LASERS".  This is a mandatory course for anyone wanting to operate high-intensity lasers during laser light shows as a Laser Safety Officer (LSO) in the state of New York. 
My instructor, Norman Ballard was incredibly well versed in EVERYTHING laser.  He has been a Laser Safety Officer for well over 10 years in New York.  Norman is also considered to be one of the top laser artists in the world.  Check out his latest laser art exhibit the "laser cone"... 

Click Images to Enlarge

The process of how other lighting effects impact laser lighting can be difficult to understand.  We hope by writing this blog we can make things clearer and give you a better understanding of how lasers will look in your event space.  Before a show at the Gramercy Theater in New York City, we were able to take a few snap shots of the same laser effect with different lighting going on in the background.

First, let’s determine what exactly you are looking at.  There are two 2 Watt Green (532nm) laser projectors displaying the same "finger-beam" laser effect.  One of the laser projectors is placed on the left side of the stage and the other is placed on the right side of the stage.  We positioned the laser projectors so that the effects that they produce cross in the center of the theater.  Haze (or fog) is always a must-have when putting on an aerial laser show, since the laser light needs to interact with particles in the air to become visible.

The laser effects featured in the pictures above, from left to right, look as if they are getting brighter.  In reality though, they are the exact same laser effect with the exact same power level.  So then why does it look like some lasers are brighter than others?  Simple: It's all due to the other lighting effects going on, on the stage. 

The first picture is the most difficult to see the laser effects.  On stage there are 8 white light moving heads.  In the second pictures only 4 white light moving heads are turned on, making the laser effects stand out a little bit more than the previous.  In the third picture all of the white light moving heads are turned off and only two gobo lights are turned on (images on the floor).  This makes for a darker background and a better atmosphere for the laser effects.  Finally, in the fourth picture no other lights are turned on directly behind the view of the laser effects.  Clearly you can tell the difference between this picture and the previous ones.

One of the first steps in the LaserJockey® process is to find out about the event space.  On-stage lighting effects weigh-in heavily when we decide what laser power will be sufficient for your event space.

Everyone knows what a disc jockey (DJ) does, THEY PLAY THE MUSIC. They can mix songs together and create an enjoyable vibe for the parties’ atmosphere. If the party starts to pick up and people are in need of throwing their hands up in the air; the DJ puts on an up-tempo beat. If the DJ feels the party is getting a little romantic they can throw on a slow song. Good DJ's can perform for decades if they can keep up with the times and play what people want to hear.

A LaserJockey® will bring the DJ business into the future, with the addition of laser lighting effects. A LaserJockey® is trained to listen to the music and understand what kind of atmosphere the DJ is trying to create and then translates that into the lasers movements. We consider ourselves to be artists and performers. It takes a tremendous amount of talent to do what we do.

We have the same standards as any other legitimate ILDA-member laser light show company.  We have high-powered laser projectors that can create hundreds of thousands of different laser effects using software programs, such as Phoenix Showcontroller. We are also comparative to ILDA-member laser light show companies in the fact that our laser projectors are completely legal and we, like them, would never do anything to intentionally harm a crowd member. But where we outshine all other laser light show companies is our ability to LaserJockey® in a live atmosphere. Yes, they may set-up a pre-set show completely choreographed with the music, but much more is expected of a LaserJockey® (we will accommodate pre-set shows upon request). A LaserJockey® finds it more effective going with the flow. Most parties do not have pre-set song lists and even when they do the DJ will throw in his or her personal touch to the program, making the songs completely different from the originals.

Working with professional lighting designers in some of New York City’s top nightclubs, LaserJockey Inc.'s LaserJockey®'s have honed their skills to perfection, to truly capture the essence of the party. To us it is not about having the lasers on full blast at all points of the night, just so the crowd knows lasers are there. No, we would rather pick and choose when the best times are to WOW the crowd. We want the lasers to appear as if they were dancing to the music throughout the night, rather than switching from one pattern to another in a mundane, characterless manner.

After taking the time to read this, I'm sure you've noticed the little ® next to LaserJockey. We have trademarked the name because we care so much about what the word means, and the fact that LaserJockey® can only be used once you are certified by LaserJockey Inc.

Hello and welcome to LaserJockey Inc.'s BLOG. We are a young entrepreneurial start-up company interested in putting on laser shows in the New York City and the tri-state area for nightclubs and social occasions. Our other focuses include selling our laser projectors and software to the entire United States.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself and LaserJockey Inc.'s beginnings. The reasons for this companies inception goes back a few years ago...

In the summer of 2007 I was finishing up my Sophomore year of college at Binghamton University. At the time I was studying Electrical Engineering and was, to put it lightly, bored with it. Most of my classmates were getting internships at local engineering firms that focused on missile design or were military related; that was not for me. I grew up 20 minutes north of New York City my entire life and love the area. I was looking for a local internship doing something that I could thoroughly enjoy (without worrying that the work would potentially harm others). In order to fulfill my need to do something exciting during the summer I applied to a few laser light show companies in the tri-state area.

One of the first companies that I came across was owned by Daniel Cohn. His company seemed legit on the web, so I decided to e-mail him my cover letter and resume. I didn't know exactly what a laser light show company would be looking for in an intern, but I figured that having some knowledge of computer programming and electrical design, I may be a good fit. I was in luck! A few days later I heard back from Daniel and he offered me a summer internship. He said that it was a laid-back environment and that I could come in shorts if I wanted to. At first I thought that this extreme informality could mean that the company was not legit, but oh was I wrong. That summer was a constant learning-fest for me. Daniel was on the technical committee of ILDA, which is the association for laser light shows throughout the world, so he was knowledgeable to say the least. I went into that summer internship knowing nothing about lasers or laser light shows besides the YouTube videos and pictures that I saw online. At the end of that summer I was fueled with a passion for the industry.

Jumping forward a couple of years, I graduated with a BS in Economic Analysis and a minor in Engineering. I went to work for Daniel full-time and loved every second of it. He allowed me to travel the whole US putting on laser shows for parties and events. It was a fun, exciting experience. Not your average 9-5 job that can be boring and repetitive. Daniel was a creative genius and always came up with new ideas of products that dealt with lasers. It was amazing working with him which is why it was a devastating blow when he passed away due to a brain tumor last August.

During his health decline I wanted to do everything I could to keep the business going. So I took everything that he taught me and ran his company for him. It was an educational time and taught me a tremendous amount of business skills. When he sadly passed about 3 months after his initial health decline I bought most of the assets from his wife and formed LaserJockey Inc.

I hope to keep his legacy alive by honoring him with putting on amazing laser light shows for the masses. Within LaserJockey Inc. I hope to instill all of the characteristics that he possessed. In example, passion, excitement, freshness, safety, and overall just having a good time. He once said, “to me it's not how much money I make, although it would be nice to make a lot, but rather it is about the journey.”