The Bluemoonistic Journey

Photo Poet - the right path for me!

2012-03-14T15:17:00.001-04:00

Photograph– Path to Paradise by Dale R. Carlson Poem– The Right Path by Becky B. Carlson

Being part of the Bluemoonistic Images team has led my poetic endeavors down a new path. Working together has changed our creative perspectives in many ways since we opened the Bluemoonistic Galleries (on the web) in 2008. Being part of one another’s artistic projects has come naturally for us and it is always a work in progress. I have loved creating E-moonicards and adding my quirky thoughts to greetings. Adding my poems to Dale’s photos is a natural evolution. It’s the “Right Path” for us! Stay tuned for announcements about our upcoming book.

THE BLUEMOONISTIC TEAM MAKES A LUCKY STRIKE!

2012-03-05T15:01:00.000-05:00

We set out on a Sunday morning to explore in our own backyard. Our Bluemoonistic mantra is that life is too short not to find new things to photograph daily. In this case we were seeking a familiar spot to try a photographic technique that would give us a whole new look. Downtown Durham, North Carolina, offers some great landmarks and we often find ourselves drawn to the American Tobacco Historic District.

Dale set up his camera and the magic began. Indeed we made a “Lucky Strike”! Using HDR or High Dynamic Range imaging which is a technique that allows a greater range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image, he was able to create photographs that send reality into fantasy. Those who say that photography should only represent reality live in a very boring world. We believe in seeking out new dimensions… “Where no photographer has gone before”!

Well, a bit of an exaggeration perhaps since HDR has been around for some time, but since Dale is a Trekkie it seemed like just the right thing to say! Enjoy our Bluemoonistic Galaxy!

Photographs by Dale R. Carlson - Bluemoonistic Images

TO SPRING OR NOT TO SPRING - A PHOTOGRAPHER'S DREAM

2012-02-22T17:05:00.001-05:00

Whether it is Falling Snow on Sunday…

Or Fallen Cherry Blossoms on Wednesday…

Mother Nature’s fickle mood swings are an Environmental Photographer’s opportunity to be outside clicking away! The Bluemoonistic Team does not discriminate – we love all types of weather thrown our way! Thus, we were in the woods catching big snowflakes one minute and watching the spring winds strip the Cherry trees the next! After all this is February – the month of crazy love! So go take a walk and be sure to take your camera with you. Mother Nature is waiting to surprise you!

CRAZY LOVE

2012-02-14T10:03:00.000-05:00

There should be more than just one day to offer up “crazy love” to the world, your life, or the ones you care about. When I think of all the feelings I have I think in terms of “crazy”! No ordinary, everyday passion works for me. The phrase “be passionate about what you do” is definitely being over used these days. Even if you embrace this idea, it has become so “politically correct” that no one really gives it any credence anymore. So on this Valentine’s Day we want to offer up a more radical idea! Go out and get CRAZY!

Think Van Morrison’s type Crazy Love! …give me crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy love… makes me mellow down in my soul… (Try listening to the duet by van Morrison and Ray Charles to get the juices flowing!)

Think Waylon Jennings Crazy! …I’ve always been crazy but it kept me from going insane…

Think your own words or just sit quietly and let go of all that pent up craziness we all possess. Use it for something that will make you and others feel good to the core. It is that simple!

Think CRAZY LOVE! …your way! We will do ours the Bluemoonistic way! The important thing is to share that crazy love every chance you get! Whether we are in the mountains or by the sea or anywhere in between we feel like the world gives us crazy, crazy, crazy love!!!

Crazy Love to all!

WINE AND ROMANCE

2012-01-27T09:08:00.001-05:00

"Winelightened" taken at Grandfather Vineyard

I am always looking for the next holiday to celebrate and in case you are still in that January slump I have good news! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! This year it falls on a Tuesday so we are all going to have to work extra hard to make it special! I have the perfect solution! Visit a NC Winery the weekend before and buy yourself a bottle of “romance”!

We have visited many NC Wineries and have found that our state definitely has become one of the "go to" places for good wines! Dale loves taking photos of the grapes in the field. Check out our “Grape Imaginations” Gallery for some great photos like the one above taken at Grandfather Vineyards and Winery in Banner Elk, NC – Watagua County’s first winery! There is nothing like having one of these hanging in your home to remind you of the good times too!

There are too many NC Wineries to mention them all here and we haven’t had the opportunity to visit them all yet. We are definitely working on it though and hope that we can make all 100+ in the future! We would like to make a Valentine Toast to all the Romantics out there! And also - Thank you New River Winery for the great glasses and the wine we enjoy often in Ashe County at our mountain cabin!

Here’s Wine and Romance to all Lovers!

New River Winery - Lansing NC

A CENTURY FARM

2012-01-17T10:41:00.000-05:00

The Bluemoonistic Images team began 2012 with a project that took us back in time! Many states in the U.S. have Century Farm programs which recognize farms that have been continuously owned by a single family for 100 years or more. When we were in Missouri last spring we visited a farm owned by L.C. Eldredge in Holden, Missouri. He was a friend of both my parents and recently celebrated his 96^th birthday. Dale graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Agriculture and loves photographing farms so we were excited about visiting his farm. When we recently learned that his farm had been designated as a Missouri Century Farm our Bluemoonistic Century Farm Project was launched.

There is something very nostalgic about a family farm. Family farms have been part of our history since our country began. Many states have the Century Farm programs and we want to say a special thanks to all those family who have received this honor. We processed the photos in a way to create the spirit of the “passage of time” on this beloved piece of land. Our photographs only represent one family farm but we think Dale’s lens captured the labor of love surrounding every family farm across our great nation!

The Century Farm

by Becky Carlson

The old well stands alone

Where a house use to be

The beginnings of a heritage home

Where a family toiled together

Some of them are gone now

But others remain to carry on

What all began more than a

Century ago

Where the old well stands

HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT MEMORIES

2011-11-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

As the holiday season begins we all start dragging out our decorations and making our homes festive. Whether we have snow or sunshine, we love finding creative ways to decorate our lives during these long, dark days of winter. The Bluemoonistic Image above is one such decoration that we have proudly displayed in our home since 1979. I love telling the story about our sentimental plastic “Alpine Village” and this year is no exception - so here goes…

On a cold, snowy December night in 1979 Dale made this impulse buy at a local drug store in Minneapolis, MN. It was the first Christmas after we were married and he was working on his Ph.D at the University of Minnesota. We were alone without family for the first time and could not afford to go home for the holidays. We were determined, however, to make it a special holiday for our new family. It isn’t glitzy nor does it sparkle or play a tune but it represented our dreams. We placed it below our fake fireplace and thought it was the sweetest thing ever! It still resides in its own little box that indeed says “Alpine Village” with the price tag on the bottom. It is a precious memory and you cannot put a price tag on that! It reminds us that no matter how our lives or the world around us may change – “memories are precious gifts”! Thus we unpack it every year and give it a place of honor!

Taking a photograph and telling the story every year will also preserve the memory for future generations. If you have such a memory – preserve it! Or perhaps you will be making a new one without even knowing it. That’s the beauty of a good memory – you never know when you are creating one!

Happy Holiday Memories!

Online AND Local

2011-11-17T08:08:00.000-05:00

There are lots of community campaigns for “Buying Local”! We all know how beneficial it is to investment in our hometowns and local business owners. We believe, however, there is a segment of the local business owners that have gone unnoticed in this campaign. When you think of buying online, do you consider if any of these businesses are also right in your own communities?

In the present economic atmosphere many business owners, Bluemoonistic Images among them, cannot afford to have a brick and mortar location. Selling online has become a booming industry for many who still want to be able to sell their products or services. We have been able to sell our photographs around the world through our website! This is very gratifying but we also want and need the support of our local communities. Through local networking groups like Inside 919 we have the opportunity to meet other local business owners here in Triangle area and with the support of the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce we have been able to do the same in our beloved Blue Ridge Mountains. We are fortunate to have a footprint in both of these NC communities and value the support we have gotten from both!

We are not alone in our local but online community of business owners. We have also met some wonderful business owners through Facebook Business pages and other social media outlets! Check out Live View Studios (Fuquay-Varina NC), GriffCo Jewelry Creations (Zebulon NC), Katie Bug Bows (Apex), Mary Elizabeth B’Ling (Durham NC) or 314 Industries (Apex NC) – who support a variety of independent artists (Bluemoonistic Images coming soon!). More food for thought on other types of online businesses that are also local - take LuLu Publishing for example – yes they are headquartered in Raleigh NC but they only sell online! This is a completely different type of online business but I, for one, was surprised to find out they were right here in our own backyard!!

We offer only a few examples here but there are many other businesses in North Carolina who also only sell their products and services online – this is happening all around the world. Here is an opportunity for those of you who do so to step forward and be recognized! Or if you know of anyone LOCALLY that sells or offers their services only ONLINE please give them a shout out as well!!! Even though we are part of that big universe known as Cyber Space we also contribute to our local communities!

Hopefully you will take part in local campaigns like Small Business Saturday and remember on Cyber Monday that you can also buy online from your neighbor!!

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE TODAY?

2011-11-04T10:37:00.002-04:00

Thought I’d start this discussion off by telling you where I wish I was! This is Fox Creek in Ashe County NC. We stumbled across this spot while we were in search of fall photos in the NC High Country. We saw a place to pull off the road to park our truck so we could take a photo and to our surprise we found a path that led down to this creek which wasn’t visible from the road. It was a magical spot to sit and enjoy the splendor!

It was obvious that we had come across a special place. Someone had created a wonderful camp ground area with a fire pit, firewood stacked and chairs lined up that looked to be used often. We smiled when we realized how much work someone had done to create a place they could come back to time and time again. Our motto of “images that impress time and time again” suddenly had more meaning. There were even a few toys next to the chairs so we knew a family brought their children here to play. We could hear voices saying, “Let’s go down to the creek and chill for a while”. The laughter of children playing in the water and sounds of adults talking by the fire drifted through the air. Our imaginations were filled with such pleasantries that this spot has now become one of our favorite spots to go to in our minds when we need to get away from the craziness that can pile up in our day to day lives.

That’s one of the beauties of photography! Photos can draw you in and make you feel like you are right there. It is a wonderful way to escape. I made this photo our screen saver so I could see it whenever I walk into our office! It never fails to make me sit down and feel better!

So where would you like to be today? Think of some place that has always made you feel peace and serenity. That’s the wonderful thing about this old Earth – it is filled with such places! They may be tucked away or in plain sight but they are there. The Bluemoonistic Team goes in search these spots and we have found many jewels of the land. If this sounds too romantic to be true please go to our Galleries and see if there isn’t one that calms your soul. With the holidays coming up you will need a place to escape to when the stress gets to you! Let us know which places speak to you and where you would like to be today!

COME SIT BY THE CAMPFIRE WITH US

2011-10-20T10:45:00.001-04:00

It’s Fall in North Carolina - time to sit around the campfire and tell stories. The Bluemoonistic Team believes photography tells stories. However, everyone looks at a photograph with different memories that produce a different reflection. The image is far more than just what our eyes really see. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” isn’t just an important phrase because of its literal meaning but because it is now considered a universal concept.

So let us tell you a story – the Bluemoonistic way…

Dale calls this one “Happy Motoring”! We were driving the back roads of Ashe County North Carolina this past weekend and as soon as he saw this old Esso station he wanted to photograph it. What did he see? Folks stopping here for a FULL SERVICE fill up? Those same folks, who were driving these back roads at a slower pace than us, thought about the “experience” of driving rather than just getting somewhere – thus Esso meant “Happy Motoring”. Well that was my thought anyway - Dale was seeing the past experiences captured in that old building…. like finding a real time machine. This building tells of history preserved and he wanted to save that memory for all times! That’s what photography does best and one of the reasons he loves it so! When we got back home I looked up old Esso commercials on YouTube . You got to love YouTube for saving the memories too!

Because we were enjoying the back roads and the fall leaves, nostalgia naturally colored our interpretation of “beauty”. The important thing is that we will always remember the beauty of the day and all the fun we had when we look at these photographs. Our Smoky Mountain High Gallery is filled with many other photographs that were taken that day. We’d love to hear about the stories they tell you!

OCTOBER SNOW...OH NO!!

2011-10-05T07:34:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday morning, October 1, 2011, we weregoing about our usual routine of drinking coffee in bed at our cabin andworking on the computer. It is a lovelyweekend ritual and since our bed is right in front of the sliding glass doorswe can watch the morning unfold over the Blue Ridge Mountains at the sametime. Suddenly big snowflakes appearedand Dale jumped out of bed so quick I didn’t even have time to say, “It’ssnowing”!! He threw on his yellowslicker, grabbed his camera, headed downstairs in a flash and was out on thelawn clicking away as quickly as Santa flies up the chimney! The whole “what to my wondering eyes didappear” thing was playing out right in front of me! I continued to sip my coffee and watch my “yellowsnapper” moving around the yard capturing what I knew would be a collection ofgreat “first snow” photos!

My thought was – this is ONLY OCTOBER 1!! The leaves on the trees are still green andwe haven’t even had fall yet! How canthis be??? Oh No! However, the magic of the first snowflakestook over my psyche and vanquished any negative thoughts from head.

So why was “Oh No!” my first reaction? Why are we always looking for the negativeaspects of any event? Why are we alwayscraving normalcy? What is so great aboutbeing normal? What does that actuallymean anyway? If you check out thevarious meanings – “being within certain limits”, “a state of being that isaverage”, “a state of being that is typical” – then I for one certainly do NOTwant to crave being normal, average or typical! Do you?

Some friends of ours have a little boy whose first phrasewas “Oh No!” He would say it no matterwhat the situation and we all laughed as it became his mantra. He was just repeating what sounded cool tohim, but I’m sure he realized the more he said it the more responses hegot. Do we do the same as adults? Do we repeat phrases or negative thoughtsjust to invoke a response? Does it work? If it works, do we continue doingit? And thus…the big “OH NO” attitude isborn!

Personally, I can see and feel this “Oh No” attitude allaround me these days and it does not make me happy! Why can’t we just enjoy the magic of thefirst snowflakes without looking for negative consequences, i.e. “Winter iscoming earlier every year”, “Get prepared for cold weather”, “Old Man Winter isright around the corner”, “No Fall this year”…phrases that I did indeed hear onthe news later that very day!

Thank goodness Dale recorded the beauty of the momentwith his camera and we have it to share with you. Let’s call it the magic of EnvironmentalPhotography!! Just enjoy and forget allof the above! Of course, unless you’dlike to remember that good things happen every day and we should make the mostof the small things! Especially a fewearly snowflakes…OH YES!

VOLUNTEERS - The Unsung Heroes!

2011-09-22T09:16:00.000-04:00

We all know folks who “volunteer”. We admire those who serve various causes andour communities by giving of themselves without pay. However, do we really give much thought tohow MUCH they really do for all of us? This past weekend Dale & I traveled back to Missouri to attend abanquet to see my brother, C.W. Manford, receive the Universityof Missouri Alumni 2011 Volunteer Leadership Legacy Award forover 40 years of volunteer service!

We felt like we came away with a whole new perspective onthis very issue and wanted to share some of those thoughts. I have always known that C.W. had a truepassion for Mizzou that we sometimes thought bordered on fanatical. The entire family has received an assortmentof Mizzou attire and paraphernalia that he has given us over the years. We all laugh but wait expectantly to see whatnew “Tiger” item will appear in our Christmas box! It is totally astonishing how creative hecontinues to be! But when I read theannouncement online about the amount of money he raised for the Kansas CityAlumni Chapter and the many fundraisers and committees he has chaired I wastruly humbled. I realized that I hadlaughed at his enthusiasm without truly understanding what he had accomplished.

Unsung Heroes are just that! They never sing their own praises and manytimes those of us closest to them aren’t much of a choir either. C.W. is not alone in his volunteer effortsand this experience has made us take a closer look at family, friends andcolleagues we know who give unselfishly to organizations and causes. I think it is a good time for all us to takea good look at ourselves and ask how much we “give back”.

When I told my brother how proud of him I was he wisely commented, “whenyou don’t have money – you give time”! Thisis sage advice for sure. We can use ourtime and talents in many ways that can benefit the world around us. His contributions have helped keep educationalive and well at one university that he loves. Just one university among thousands across the country but it impactedso many lives. It certainly has made theBluemoonistic Team search our hearts for more ways we can give. I just want to leave everyone with thisthought - Lead with your heart and 40 years from now you might be surprised theimpact your passion might make!

WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY MEANS TO US

2011-09-02T08:02:00.000-04:00

The Bluemoonistic Team is taking on a new mission - Environmental Photography! Our goal is to capture the visual beauty that exists in the harmony between man and nature. We believe that is not an oxymoron. There can and must be "harmony between man and nature"! The environment is our surroundings - our homes, our gardens, our towns, our shops, the mountains, the rivers, the oceans, the air we breathe! In other words - it is everything that surrounds us. It is where we live!

Environmental Photography has evolved right along with the Ecology movement. Ecological awareness means many different things, however, and covers a broad spectrum. Everything from saving the planet to promoting tourism and jobs is associated with this movement. Many times it can pit man against nature. We cannot halt progress, but we can learn better ways to co-exist in the same environment and as it goes in fairy tales -- live happily ever after!

We consider Ansel Adams one of the first Environmental Photographers. He used images successfully to persuade the US Congress back in the 1930s to create wilderness sanctuaries in the America West. Many photographers photograph the "unpeopled landscapes" of the world and show us the unspoiled places on earth. There is great merit to this for many of us will never have the opportunity to see such places. Other photographers focus on the ugliness in the world and sadly that is easier to find than any of us want to admit. Whether it is the human impact on nature, or Mother Nature's influence on civilization (i.e., hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes), both sides of the story can be told through photography!

So what is our mission - photographs that tell the story of how visual beauty CAN exist when there is "harmony" between man and nature. Ecology is a sub-disciple of biology - the study of life! Dale's background involves years of study in biology and agriculture. His love of photography has evolved from this perspective. These photos of the Wind Turbines show that man and nature can co-exist with one another for the benefit of both. "Free" wind energy for man and less oil, gas and coal taken from the earth! Now that is a win-win! From this photo you see that they add a majestic beauty to the mountains and valleys of Idaho - especially when you know how they offer a mutual betterment for all.

This quilt patchwork of beauty taken from the air while flying over Minnesota also shows how Wind Turbines and farm land co-exist side by side to make our country and the world a better place to live.

We hope this will plant some seeds (every pun intended) and give others new ideas that can promote harmony between man and nature! We will continue to capture this visual beauty through Bluemoonistic Images.

DOC WATSON AND FRIENDS JAM IN TODD AND HELP PRESERVE OUR COMMUNITY

2011-08-25T09:19:00.000-04:00

Doc Watson - Milk Cow Blues

The Bluemoonistic Images Team proudly calls Todd, NC, home. This past weekend we had the honor of attending a benefit concert put on by the Todd Community Preservation Organization. This was the ninth annual Doc Watson benefit concert. The proceeds from the concert go toward Todd community projects. Doc is a living legend known around the world and yet he takes the time to perform in Todd every year to help out his neighbors.

This concert takes place in Cook Park which is the heart of Todd. Folks bring their lawn chairs and camp out for this event rain or shine. This year we had a bit of both but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowd. Doc came down with a bug last week and he announced immediately that his voice wasn’t up to par but he didn’t want to disappoint his friends in Todd! He is 88 years old and he is still giving to his community and his fans. All of us there appreciate him so much and that he has never forgotten us.

I want to mention also the two other groups who came to grace our stage mostly because it is an honor to be on the same stage as Doc Watson, but to also to help another mountain community. The first group to open before Doc was The Tillers (Mike Oberst, Sean Geil, Aaron Geil).

The Tillers - Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound

They are one of the best Old Time Bluegrass groups we have ever seen!

Then Laura Boosinger and Josh Goforth performed! Their love of mountain music rang through our little valley and filled it with wonderful sounds!

Laura Boosinger & Josh Goforth - Ain't No Sunshine When He's Gone

Special thanks also goes to two members of the Kruger Brother Band, Jens Kruger and Joel Landsberg who joined Doc on stage, and his grandson, Richard Watson, as well as long time friend, Charles Welch! Their musical talents certainly enriched our experience even further. We felt like we were sitting on Doc’s front porch watching him jam with his friends and it doesn’t get any better than that! Click on the title under the photos and hear a little for yourself.

The fact that our mountain town brought such talent together for the good of the community makes us proud! When you hear comments today about “grass roots” – well this is the real thing! We want to offer a special thanks to EVERYONE who made this event possible and for all they do to keep Todd a wonderful place to live!

Becky

CRAZY COSMIC UNIVERSE

2011-08-17T10:33:00.002-04:00

There is nothing more magical than being part of this crazy cosmic universe when all the good things in life line up with the stars and you get to partake!! This past weekend was one such cosmic event. Full moon (check), cooler weather (check), two bluegrass festivals in the Blue Ridge Mountains close to home (check), and finding a great new VA winery by accident (check)! Sometimes you get to enjoy the best of the best and come away feeling like a better person for it! What a wonderful place earth is!!

We want to let you experience life through photographs. So here you go on another Bluemoonistic Journey – the photos tell their own story and you get to be the Interpreter!

Blue Ridge Night Light

Bluegrass music inspires my very own Banjo Man!

West Wind Farm Vineyard & Winery - Max Meadows, Virginia

Thank you David Manley for some wonderful wines and your hospitality!

Becky

BLUEMOONISTIC PHOTOBLOG

2011-08-04T15:22:00.002-04:00

One Eyed Dodge - "Smoky Mountain High" Gallery

Photographs capture memories of our lives, culture and surroundings that might otherwise be forgotten. This old truck sits along Hwy 221 between West Jefferson and Sparta, NC, relegated now as a piece of yard art in someone’s front lawn. It is easy to miss, but hopefully this photograph brings it back to life! Perhaps many of us have memories of just such a favorite car or truck and this will help bring those back as well.

The Backroads of the Blue Ridge Mountains have so much to offer. My mission is to capture as many memories as possible for future generations!

... Dale

CREATE YOUR OWN WORLD

2011-07-29T08:55:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it seems as if the world around us has gone crazy! Global warming appears to have all of us in various stages of heat and drought that are making those “Dog Days of Summer” last all summer long. Add in how things have heated up in Washington D.C. and we may all find ourselves coming down with a bad case of summer blues!

So I decided to go in search of ways to inject some positive energy into my life. I started by asking myself “what really does make me feel good”. Sure things like a trip to Tahiti or winning the lottery immediately pop in my mind, but since neither of those things are a real possibility, I realized I had to go about creating that positive energy right here in my own home.

Of course, I’m lucky to live with a fantastic photographer and have thousands of photos that I scan through regularly for inspiration. But there is nothing like printing out a photograph either on canvas or framing a large print and hanging it in a place that I walk by often to make me really feel good. In other words, I can create my own world filled with beautiful things that make me happy.

We all have different things that make us feel good. Maybe you love the ocean, the mountains, or the flowers in your own backyard. Whatever makes you smile and gives you that “awe” factor when you look at it – that can become your positive energy! If there is one thing I’ve learned by being part of Bluemoonistic Images -- photography tells stories! Find your “happy story” and hang it on the wall where you will see if every day!

I even decided to go one step further - since I’m in my office today and do not have the opportunity to be in my mountain garden, I created a video to give myself the feeling of being there. Come join me…

NOW THAT’S A BEAUTIFUL WORLD!

Thank you, Dale, for capturing it for me!! It’s better than lassoing the moon J!

SHOW SOMEONE YOU LOVE HOW MUCH YOU CARE

2011-06-06T08:54:00.000-04:00

This past weekend the Bluemoonistic Team had the honor to attend a Retirement Party for some we love dearly! Without Deborah G.Hining Bluemoonistic Images would not exist! She has been our Financial Advisor for 19 years! She taught us to dream big and how it was possible to make them come true!

Deborah is reinventing herself again and is moving on to her next career as a writer. I have no problem shamelessly plugging her most recent book “Money is No Object”! The amazing thing about Deborah is that it was never about our money – it was about helping us to live the kind of life we wanted to live! I know her book will help even more people realize the importance of this!!

As a special gift we gave her a Bluemoonistic photograph with a large white matt six inches on all sides. This gave everyone at the party enough room to write their thoughts and messages to her! When this is framed she will have a special memory that will last forever as she sails on to her next adventure!

Signature Mats are a wonderful idea for any occasion or event. They are becoming very popular and frame shops are more than willing to help you make the right mat selection. Find the appropriate photo and you are on your way to making a lasting memory for someone you love!

ONCE UPON A GRADUATE

2011-05-24T07:38:00.000-04:00

We have all experienced being a “graduate” at some point in our lives. Graduations measure important milestones in our life. Whether it is from kindergarten or college, it signifies that we are moving on to the next step. Perhaps like the Bluemoonistic Team, you have been attending some of these ceremonies this spring. We feel pride in seeing friends and family achieve their goals, but it is always the thoughts of that next step for graduates that we find most fascinating. One quote that I heard has stuck in my mind (naturally it is about the moon because Bluemoonistic is all about “moonables” you know) – “Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars!” In my opinion that’s a worthy goal that is definitely a win-win!

I woke up Saturday morning to hear Scott Simon of NPR give one of the best quotes about graduations yet – “Don’t have a rich, full life only to wind up at 40 with the same convictions you had when you were 20. Let life in.” That statement really made me stop and think.

So here’s the question – Do you have the same convictions or beliefs today as you had 20 years ago? I know I certainly do NOT! As Mr. Simon advised – I’ve let life change me! If you continue to learn and grow as a human being, life is bound to change you. However, the great “fear of change” often keeps us from recognizing this truth, or believing that it is a good thing.

So I would like to reiterate this message – go forth and let life change you! But I want to add a Bluemoonistic caveat – Don’t forget your camera! Document those changes! Your photo albums will tell “your story” and what great memories you will have to share! As Dr. Seuss says “Oh, The places you’ll go!” But please keep a photographic record of your journey! You may be lonely or scared at times or perhaps Mother Nature will throw a tornado or two in your path but you will have your camera to certify your adventures! “Your Mountain is waiting. So…get on your way.” Aim at the moon and you will definitely wind up with stars in your photo! Life isn’t a fairy tale… but perhaps ‘Once Upon A Graduate’ will have a happy ending! Remember there is always another graduation around the bend! Keep twinkling!

SAVING AMERICANA!

2011-04-28T17:06:00.000-04:00

While the Dale & I were visiting Yadkin Valley Wine Country a few weeks ago we came across a community that captured our photographic hearts – Rockford, NC! It was obvious to us that this was a true piece of Americana! The town sits directly on the Yadkin River and the former Southern Railroad went right along the edge of town. At one time this had been a thriving center of commerce. Many of the old buildings were still standing in various stages of restoration and a large sign indicated that a local Rockford Preservation Society “Remember Rockford” had been formed to make sure their history was not lost!

The Village of Rockford was founded in 1790 to be the county seat for Surry Country. When the portion of Surry County south of the Yadkin River was used to create Yadkin County in 1851, the government was moved to Dobson. Many American villages share this same history. They were established along our rivers and railroads but were abandoned as progress changed the way goods and people were moved across our country.

It is heartening to see this community work to save its heritage! We spent the evening at the Historic Rockford Bed & Breakfast (ca. 1848) and discovered its owners, Doug and Hannah Holyfield, have played a big part in this preservation. In fact, Hannah is President of the Rockford Preservation Society. The history is fascinating and Hannah & Doug tell of their heritage with an enthusiasm that makes you feel like you are experiencing it with them! That’s the kind of charm that we thought had been lost in our American history. We sincerely thank them for renewing our faith in the American story! Hopefully, our Bluemoonistic Images will reflect this – from the General Store to the local fresco at the Methodist Church this town is truly a piece of Americana and worth saving! Not to mention a wonderful place to visit if you want to take a step back in time!

Rockford General Store (ca. 1890)

Rockford General Store Window Reflections

"Come Unto Me" Fresco by Artist Tony Griffin

Rockford Bed & Breakfast

CAN OUR IMAGES MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?

2011-04-07T10:29:00.000-04:00

This is a question that has been running around in our minds for some time now. One of our goals when creating Bluemoonistic Images was to find ways to make a difference with our images. The power of photography has influenced all our lives in many ways over the years. Photographs can literally change public opinion! However, we have no desire to travel around the world and document wars, hunger or political strife. But we do want to use our talents to help others.

We have had many opportunities to donate to charity auctions in order to help our local communities. We also found a wonderful organization called the Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals started by a fellow Photographer, Elaine Poggi. This is a wonderful non-profit organization that brightens lives of patients and their families - one colorful, soothing photograph at a time! Dale is very proud to be a contributing Photographer to this project.

We create photo stories that allow you to identify emotionally. We all want to be surrounded by things that make us feel good about life. Our society today constantly bombards us with negative headlines and stressful situations, so it is more important than ever that we find ways to motivate each other. We want others to see all the beauty in this amazing place we have the opportunity to live in. That’s our mission!

Our images may not change the world, but perhaps they will give someone a better quality of life. We are going to continue creating photographic art for our community, our families, our friends, the environment, and the planet!

YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SPRING!

2011-03-30T09:45:00.000-04:00

With about two-thirds of the United States being in a cold snap this last week in March, we are beginning to wonder if spring is ever coming this year! We all know that March is that fickle month when anything can happen and usually does! At our cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains we had snow the first week in March and again this last week in March. Naturally, we are saying “enough already”!! This year the old saying about March coming in or going out as a lamb vs lion made it “in like a lion AND out like a lion”!!!

We aren’t the only ones though as we have seen pixs on Facebook from across the country of spring flowers and flowering trees covered in snow! So others too are seeing the photographic opportunities that abound when Mother Nature surprises us! For you see, the Bluemoonistic Team always looks at the world in terms of “photographic opportunities”! Here’s one of my favorites that Ashley Owens took of my daffodils at our cabin in the North Carolina Mountains while spending Spring Break with our nephew, Danny Keating.

Our first inclination is to say “poor daffodils” but I see strength and hopefulness in this shot. Spring flowers are some of the heartiest flowers and even though snow clings to them they endure! Now that takes strength and lots of heart! That’s why I thought of that famous editorial – “Yes, Viriginia, there is a Santa Claus” when I saw it. I think the last line applies here to our thoughts and photos of March 2011 – here’s my variation –

“Spring lives! A thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, it will continue to make glad the heart of mankind.”

So keep those warm thoughts, gardening tools and, of course, your camera handy – Spring will come!!!

BLUEMOONISTIC SUPER MOON

2011-03-23T16:22:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, March 19, 2011 to be exact, we all experienced a Perigee Moon sometimes called a Super Moon. A lunar perigee describes when it is closest to the earth. The closest to earth it had been since 1992 or will be again until 2029! Thus, it was talked about by Astronomers and Astrologers around the world. For the Bluemoonistic Team it was important to capture this lunar beauty in the sky. Sitting by a campfire at Bluemoon Ridge we felt like we could reach right out and touch it! What you see above is one of Dale’s actual photos with a few creative accents.

Moons have always played an important role in our lives including the naming of our cabin in the NC mountains and our photographic art business. This super moon is 14% wider and 30% brighter than an apogee moon (when it is farthest away from earth). It drifted by our campfire and made us feel small, but also reminded us what a special relationship we have with this celestial body.

Actually every month of the year us earthlings have a common name for our full moon. Here are a few of them --

January – Old Moon

February – Snow Moon

March – Sap Moon

April – Grass Moon

May – Flower Moon

June – Rose Moon

July – Thunder Moon

August – Corn Moon

September – Harvest Moon

October – Hunter’s Moon

November – Frost Moon

December – Long Night Moon

Guess you could call us moon enthusiasts! The photographic opportunities the variety of full moons offer definitely have captured us. We plan to share many more with the world. This helps fuels our passion for Bluemoonistic Images!!

Where were you watching the super moon this year?

PHOTOGRAPHIC GLIMPSE INTO HISTORY

2011-03-16T11:02:00.000-04:00

Landscape Photography is so much more than just views of all the beautiful places in our world. It can also be a window into our past that captures history for future generations. As the Bluemoonistic team drives through rural areas of this magnificent country we see so many scenes that tell their own stories. We do not presume to know all the facts but this is one of our photographic/poetic interpretations told through our own memories and past experiences. Perhaps this will bring back a few memories of your own. What are your stories about old gas stations and that long gone era of full service?

Fill Her Up Joe

Gas pumps gone

Yet the old station stands

Waiting for a ghost car to drive up

And ask that age old question

From the Glory Days of Full Service

Select One Photo Story to Tell At a Time

2011-02-01T18:00:00.000-05:00

This is a video we did using Animoto of our nephew, Danny Keating, cutting down a tree at our cabin in the NC Blue Ridge Mountains. This is what we refer to as our “Daniel Boone” moment in time! He was amazing to watch and we wanted to be sure it was captured for posterity! Telling your entire life’s story through photos can sound like an overwhelming task and many folks never get started for that very reason. So to get started we recommend that you select just one special occasion, vacation or holiday to begin the process. You need a starting point!

Decide if you want to put together a photo album, a scrapbook, a video or a photo book. There are more possibilities available now than ever! Like the video above there are many ways to make your presentation FUN! This should be a definite goal that is too often forgotten! Boxes full of photos or even photo albums can make folks yawn when you bring them out so being a bit more creative can make saving memories a whole new experience. You will be surprised how much you might enjoy the process and the end product is bound to please everyone.

If you feel like you don’t have the skill or time to do this yourself then we suggest you take your photos to someone like Peter and Sharon Galluzzo at Home Video Studios. They can help you transfer your videos, photos or slides to DVD. I have always loved their slogan – “Don’t take a Risk – Put it on Disk!” Good advice to be sure.

One last tip – back up your photo stories! Beverly Mahone commented last week that she had lost all of her photos due to a fire! A devastating experience for sure --don’t let this happen to you! Store your photos in more than one location and keep several copies!! REMEMBER - Your photo story is important!

Our Photo Stories Should Include Favorite Places

2011-01-26T17:44:00.000-05:00

In this day and age our “life stories” must surely include photographs. We are a visual age! So when we start documenting our lives with photos it is important to think of not only the people in your lives but also the places! What’s your favorite place to sit and read, to use your computer, to take a hike, to have a cup of coffee, to visit when you need inspiration – or perhaps you have a workshop, a football stadium, a craft room, a music room, or a flower garden that is a big part of your life. These places also define who we are!

Dale and I both love to garden and we know if someone is going understand us that our story needs to include photos that capture our creations. This endeavor allows Dale to use his photographic talents to showcase both loves. His photographs of our gardens and the many flowers we have grown are filled with memories that I am so grateful we will have forever. I have an iris in my garden that came from my Grandmother’s garden and I have always wished that I had a picture of it in her garden. A photographic memory of that would be as important as a picture of her face.

The same is true of having pictures of Dale while he is taking photos of our flowers. To know him best, it is important to see an image of him with his camera to his face in the middle of our gardens to get a close up or a butterfly. I want everyone to see how he creates the magic that becomes Bluemoonistic Images.

We have also taken pictures of our cabin in the NC Mountains in every season and landscape development. The cabin represents our dreams and how we made them come true, so it definitely has to be included in our story. Make sure that when you tell your photographic story that you think of more than just the people around you! Photographs of those favorite things and places in your life are equally as important in making your story come to life!

Will Someone Be Looking At A Photo Of Your House 1000 Years From Now?

2011-01-18T09:48:00.000-05:00

Last summer we visited Mesa Verde National Park. This is a photograph that Dale took of one of the ancestral Pueblo dwellings known as “Cliff Palace”, built sometime between AD 550 to1300. Note the size of the structure using the perspective of the group of people standing around the “kiva”. No doubt, Cliff Palace presents a magnificent photographic subject, but the true wonder is that it still exists so we can take a photograph of it today!

A lot of factors go into why this structure still exists and I’m not advocating that we all go build our homes in the side of cliffs! But since our business is selling photographs of landscapes and the nature around us, we realize the importance of preserving architectural structures. Our homes and the homes of our ancestors are important to us but one may never know the importance of them to history! I’m sure the Pueblo people gave no thought to how important their structures would be to our society today in learning about their history.

So regardless of what your house is made of or whether you are a techie and prefer electronics to nature, the question still stands “How can we preserve our way of life for future generations?”. We happen to think the answer is through photography!

Our neighborhoods, small towns and urbanscapes are constantly changing. We are definitely a fast paced society which makes it even more important to photograph the many changes over time. We urge you to record your own homes, lifestyles and surroundings so future generations will know what your life was all about.

I recently saw a video on Inside919 by Nino Walker, a local business owner of QubicSoftware, called “The Stuff in My Home”. The Historian software allows you to take an inventory of all your possessions and keep them safe online. Nino has such a fantastic idea and this is a great place to begin. However, it got me to thinking about ways we could capture more than just our stuff.

Our Bluemoonistic Images Galleries have photos that we have taken on Journeys, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, or in Nature. People can purchase these photographs in order to surround themselves with the art that they love. But even if you are not a professional photographer you can still make a photographic history of your life much in the way we are capturing our 21^st Century surroundings.

In the next few weeks I want to discuss ways that can help you on your photographic journey! From preservation of our photos to the quality of the photos – there are some steps that will help make the journey easier and more productive!!

So from our gallery to yours… stop by next week for more helpful hints…

ARE YOU OVERLOOKING WHAT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU?

2010-08-04T16:22:00.002-04:00

Lots of us are taking vacation trips or going to visit family this summer. Naturally you take your camera along to capture all those precious moments and important landmarks. We all want to come home with those postcard perfect photographs, right? So you seek out the items that are the most popular – the ones you have actually seen on the postcards. But what if we told you that there is a better way to get photographs that everyone will be impressed with? The truth is that the postcard you bought of the Grand Canyon was taken from an aerial view and a high powered camera that you will probably never be able to afford. What you really want are photos that tell “your” story once you get home!

Instead of trying to imitate other photographers use your intuition and capture something that really appeals to you. Think about what captures you about a certain landscape and then take a photo that reflects your own personality. If you are someone who sees the quirky side of life then look for something that will help identify you as the photographer. If you are sentimental then capture something that will bring that memory back every time you look at that photo. Take a picture of the single plant growing out of a rock, a grove of trees that looked like a family standing together, or the sun turning the sand a coral color in the evening. The options are endless if we take the time to look for them. Make your vacation photos as memorable as your trip and a true reflection of the journey! --Becky

Wedding Reflections

For example, this photo was taken at our niece’s wedding reception in St. Louis, Missouri – (Lindsay and Ted Zeiter). By simply walking up to the window on the 18^th Floor terrace of the Hyatt where the reception was held and taking a photo of the Gateway Arch at night I was able to capture both the details in front and behind me at the same time. If I were using film, you would say that the photo looks like it was double-exposed, but that is not the case here, as I was using digital format. What resulted is a very personal view of the event that captured the essence of the entire evening by bringing everything into one photo! For that reason this will always be a treasured photo for me personally. --Dale

FAMILY TRADITIONS

2010-06-08T11:07:00.001-04:00

I am sure that many of you have family traditions that have been passed down generation to generation. I feel like that in my family we actually pass down our own family members through iris in our gardens! This immortality in its purest form. As I look out on my garden I see "Clara Belle" that came from Grandma Sisk's garden, and Jane Phillips, my Mother's neighbor - plus Black Mischief, Aladdin's Wish, Pink Confetti and Real Delight from my Mom's Iris Garden. My sister, Landa, has sent me over 50 Iris so the ones that shout her name are too numerous to mention. Every time we have moved we have continued to take them with us and if I lost any along the way my sister was always there to replace them for us. She has carried them in suitcases and sent them through the U.S. mail - who cares if this is legal or not because her dedication to carrying on the tradition is above and beyond in my book. I intend to make sure any grandchildren, nieces or nephews and beyond to the greats and great-greats who show even a glimmer of the love of gardening that we have, receive these gifts too! Naturally, some of my Iris will carry on my voice too.

This is a way of passing along a piece of each one of us. As I lean over and smell the heavenly fragrance I feel them right there beside me! Dale takes gorgeous photos of these treasures for us and we send them through cyber space to make sure we all have the same ones and remember their names. Photography helps us preserve even more of the memories and the journey continues. We can hang them on our walls and have family gardens in our living rooms all year round. Now that's what I call a "Family Tradition"!!!!!

Don't Forget the View!!

2010-05-26T13:02:00.004-04:00

Last week our MYSTERY PHOTO on our Facebook Fan Page was the spire at the top of the Empire State Building. After the photo had been identified one of our fans, Christine Franek, made this comment -- “A life, long native of Manhattan, you think I would have figured this one out. Of course like all good New Yorkers, I've never been to the top of the Empire State Building! We just think it will always be there and we'll get around to it.” This really got me to thinking about how all of us take the things around us for granted. After 9-11 you would think that we would all know better but our memories are short and everyday life can suck away our time.

However, I think we should all take this opportunity to stop and look around us for some of the great things every community has to offer. We tend to ignore the things we drive by every day, or never take the time to visit local landmarks. Have you walked your children through your home town and pointed out the historical landmarks, or explained the history that has made your town what it is today? For example, did you know that the we live in “Apex” NC , and the name referred to the fact that the town was the highest point on the Chatham Railroad which ran from Virginia to Florida. Or that the view we look at from our cabin in the Ashe County, NC, looks into the Blue Ridge Parkway – the most visited unit of the National Park Service system!! It is 469 miles of the most beautiful country you’ll ever see and they are celebrating their 75^th Anniversary this year!

We document these sights by taking photographs of them! Whether it is Duke Chapel or Grandfather’s Mountain – all are worthy in their own way of being captured for everyone to enjoy and remember! That’s our Bluemoonistic Journey – one through photography and it has taught us how important capturing the beauty around us truly is. You may not be a professional photographer like Dale, but that picture of your child in front of the Statue of Liberty or Cape Lookout Lighthouse is a priceless memory. So “Don’t Forget the View” – it may not always be there !!!!!

PHOTOGRAPHS TAKE YOU AROUND THE WORLD

2010-04-15T17:07:00.000-04:00

Through this wonderful new world of social media the Bluemoonistic Team has been able to connect with other photographers from around the world in ways that were never possible before. Not only do we have the opportunity to see their work but also to get to know them personally. The ability to build relationships has taught us two important lessons.

First, the opportunity to see another part of the world through someone else’s eyes is a real gift. Yes, a photograph can transport you to a specific place. That’s the magic of photography! But beyond that once you get to know the photographer you begin to see "why" they love the places, people and wild life they photograph. It adds such depth to the whole experience!

Let me give you a few examples of photographers who have touched our lives. Take Rainbow Farm Photography. Coralie Plozza lives in Brusselton, Australia. Her rainbows, sunsets and photographs of the wilder side of Australia captivated us. Through conversations on her Facebook Fan Page the mystic of a country we have never visited comes alive. By getting to know her we now feel like we have actually been there.

Another young photographer, Nikki Pearson, is someone we also met online through our Facebook Fan page. She loves our Friday Mystery Photo Contest and is an avid guesser! I cannot wait until she gets one right and I can ship her a free Bluemoonistic photo. She is from the opposite coast of Australia than Coralie in Tamworth, New South Wales. Naturally, I had to look this up as my knowledge of Australian geography was certainly not up to snuff. I wish Dale and I could hop on a plane tomorrow and have her do our 30^th Wedding Anniversary photo because she truly has a way of capturing “love”! That is her unique talent!

Then there is an actual family member, Dale’s cousin Bjorn Rudner, who does freelance services as producer, director and cameraman in Cape Town, South Africa. We are just blown away by the documentaries he has produced and the many countries he has visited. But without the power of social media this is someone we would never have known. It would have been a true tragedy not to have had the opportunity to see Africa through his eyes even if we never physically meet.

The second lesson we have learned is about ourselves. The love we have for North Carolina and especially the Blue Ridge Mountains comes through in Dale’s photographs. We may not be able to travel outside our area as often as we like, but it is vital to share what you love to do and the places you love because it is important to others. That allows all of us the opportunity to travel the globe in a remarkable way. That’s a special gift we give each other. We want to give our thanks to all the photographers we have come to know and all the ones we have yet to meet. Keep snapping…the world is watching! We’ll be here in North Carolina doing the same!

MOTHER NATURE DID NOT KNOW WE WERE IN A RECESSION!

2010-04-07T17:07:00.000-04:00

There are lots of signs all around us that our economy is recovering from our recent Recession. It may seem slow but I think we are finally seeing the end of the downward spiral. At Bluemoonistic Images we recently took a look at our business of taking photographs of Mother Nature and the beautiful landscapes offered up by Planet Earth and it has become apparent to us that nothing changed in our world. The value of a sunrise did not go down, the flowers did not close up shop and refuse to bloom, nor were any bail outs required for the Blue Ridge Mountains to remain blue.

Amazing when you think about it actually, Dale was able to continue clicking away with an endless source of beauty right in his view finder! Our volume of sales was down but the ability to continually capture wonderful photos that we can share for years to come did not! What a wonderful feeling that is! This has turned out to be an opportunity for us to tap into more creative ways to print and display our images and make them affordable for everyone!

I think that all of us have learned many important lessons in the last two years in all aspects of our lives and businesses. The Bluemoonistic Team is very grateful for the chance to use these lessons in a positive way. The mouse pad by my computer gives me a view of the Southwest, our coasters in the living room show us how beautiful the Smokey Mountains are, the canvas on our wall of summer lilies bring me flowers daily, the poster size print in the hall shows me sunrise at Hilton Head Beach every morning and on and on and on! I’m so glad that Mother Nature never knew there was a recession!

THE MANY OFFERINGS OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ART

2010-03-25T09:22:00.000-04:00

After my last blog - “Is it still Art if it is on a Coffee Mug?” – we realized from the comments we received that many clients and fans had no idea that Bluemoonistic Images offers our photos on coffee mugs! This means we haven’t done our job of getting that message out. This is an important lesson to learn along our journey. Selling Photographic Art with an Online Gallery has presented many of these lessons and we are eager to learn from our own failings, correct them and pass along what we’ve learned to other artists!

Therefore, let me take this opportunity to talk about what went into getting where we are today – offering a wide variety of photographic merchandise! The journey to find a way to offer a great variety of quality products that are both economical and artistically exciting has been a challenge. First, one has to find a company that can offer your photographs in a quality manner! An artist can’t have bad images floating out there that will destroy ones reputation. Second, this company has to offer good service to your clients. It takes a good working relationship because your reputation is on the line. We have taken many different paths along the way. Initially, we tried printing our own products, and although the quality was good, it was too labor intensive and expensive for us and our clients. Then we tried using a variety of small companies at the same time and found this to be a joggling nightmare. Our search for a reputable company was a long and arduous one and resulted in many disappointments along the way! There are many “printing” companies out there but finding one that truly understands the needs of professional artists is difficult. I do want to stress that there are many wonderful companies that work for the average person who wants to have their family photos printed, but most of those have not mastered the ability to work with professional artists as well! Our search finally led us to SmugMug Pro! This experience I am happy to report has been the best decision we have ever made.

Through SmugMug we can offer an amazing variety of print sizes and styles that include merchandise and even downloads of our photographs to your computer. Everything is right there in one location and ordering is simple and quick. There are buttons at the top of each Gallery for “Prints” “Merchandise” and “Downloads” – click on the category you want and you are ready to order. We will soon have “Downloads” available for all our photographs for both personal and commercial use. At the moment you can download from the Ecard Gallery for use right on your own computer! The quality of our photographs from canvas to mounted and framed prints is superb! It is everything we want and need for our Bluemoonistic clients!! Check it all out at www.bluemoonistic.com!

This is “Evening Palms” from our Black & White Gallery done in lustre finish and mounted on light weight black gater board ready-to-hang. This is a wonderful, inexpensive way to hang gorgeous art on your walls!

This offers us great peace of mind to know our photographic art is being presented in a way that makes us proud of our work. Now we can concentrate on what we love to do most! If anyone has further questions about our journey please do not hesitate to contact us.

IS IT STILL ART IF IT IS ON A COFFEE MUG?

2010-03-11T09:08:00.000-05:00

What is Art? Now there’s a question that has been asked and answered in more ways than I can count through more decades than I have lived. Wikipedia defines “Art” as the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. Webster gives an even simpler definition for art - “ the human ability to make things”. I’ve always favored that one as it is so basic that no one can philosophize too much. Which has been done so often that art has its own branch of philosophy called “Aesthetics” that specifically deals with the nature of beauty, art and taste. There lies another can of worms I do not wish to open for we all know that there is no accounting for some folks “taste”!

The one thing I know for sure is that “Art is always changing.” Just as the Internet and Social Media has changed all our lives and the way we do business, it has also changed the art world. Bluemoonistic Images, for example, is an online gallery and allows us to share our art with you right there in your own living room. Beyond that modern technology allows us to print on a variety of mediums from canvas to coffee cups! This broad range allows us to share our “art” in a wide variety of price ranges. In other words, it is affordable for almost everyone!

The key word here is “share”! That’s how social media has impacted all our lives so much. When one of our photos is on our Facebook Fan page it immediately goes out to all our fans plus all their friends, and their friends, etc. etc. That’s the power of social media and it is happening for us too! Recognition is what an artist dreams of! I have a Van Gogh mug that I bought years ago in the Art Museum in Chicago. I still smile when I look at it while I’m drinking my green tea. So, whether the painting or photo is on a large canvas in the Metropolitan Art Museum or on your own coffee cup…. It is still art, as it still “affects your senses and emotion” in the same vein. Now picture yourself drinking coffee or tea out of your very own coffee mug with a great Bluemoonstic Image on it. The photo that you pick will lift your spirits as much as the caffeine in the cup!

What Can You Do To Stay Warm?

2010-02-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

As the end of February rolls around we are all getting tired of winter. This one has been especially brutal and as I look out my window this morning it is snowing again. I tend to want to burrow back under the covers and hibernate until spring. But this morning these thoughts made me feel like reflecting on what actually makes me feel warm during these long winter days. There is my usual favorite – a glass of red wine in front of a roaring fire! However, when I want to get work done that is not so helpful. I realize that I have it easier than most as I have access right here on my desktop to thousands of gorgeous photos that truly have the ability to warm my memories, my senses, and my creative juices. I’m so lucky to live and work with a fantastic photographer who captures the essence of the world around me in a way that warms my soul.

Photography can have that effect on our lives. Think of how you feel when you gaze at a picture of the ocean. The waves feel like they are washing right over you! A view of a mountain top can bring back the memory of how you felt when you reached that summit. Or a simple picture of a snow man can remind you of one you built with your children and suddenly their love warms you.

So if it isn’t possible to hop a plane to a tropical island we offer you this alternative - a journey through the Bluemoonistic Images galleries. Dale & I would love to know which photographs light your fire! Is there a special one that warms you from the inside out? Is there one that makes you feel like you can Dream Big? Is there one that gives you that “Bluemoonistic” attitude? Let’s share the warmth!!

TAKE PHOTOS OF WHAT YOU LOVE!

2010-02-17T17:56:00.000-05:00

What is the best photographic tip that we can offer -- take pictures of things you love. Your enthusiasm and joy for taking photos and viewing them later will increase ten fold if you concentrate on something you love to look at. You hear the phrase "find your passion" everywhere these days and this can also be applied to the photos you take!

If you love flowers figure out the best ways to capture their beauty forever. In this case get a camera with a macro lens option. If you love long range views then find a place you love whether it be in your own backyard or some place you have always wanted to see. For these photos get yourself the best zoom your budget can afford - try for at least a 4X Optical Zoom. If family photos are your passion then buy yourself a camera with a self-timer and get a tripod to be sure you always capture the whole gang - including yourself!

I am sure you can tell by going to our galleries that we love nature and beautiful landscapes! We love traveling to new places but we also love capturing photos on hikes right here in North Carolina just as much. I grow flowers and Dale takes photos of them that remind me of their beauty year round. The wonder around us never ceases to amaze! We love sharing Bluemoonistic Images - that's our passion!

This was taken this past weekend in the NC Mountains close to Grandfather's Mountain! Magical moments are all around you. Enjoy them!

EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

2010-02-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

Everyone sees a photograph differently based on their own perspective. Their own inter-relationship with things around them determines what they see. Our Mystery Photo last week on our Facebook Fan Page is a classic example. It took over 48 hours and lots of guesses to get to the answer we were seeking. However, it could have been all the things that everyone mentioned. Everything from frozen puddles, to granite, to a Geode, to old water from a carwash, to ice crystallized in bands, to a couple of my favorites – hole in space time continuum and section of the fabric from last year’s Christmas dress (the person that guessed that knows me well)! The old adage “it all depends on how you look at it” is true after all!

The answer to what was actually taken in this photograph is pine pollen floating on a creek in Raleigh, NC. But is that really important? Well yes, to win a free photo it was very important. However, if you were just staring at this photo hanging in an Art Gallery would it truly matter? Not so much, as everyone loves to see things through their own eyes and their own perspective. Dale’s perspective did not see old pine pollen on a muddy creek, but an artistic pattern formed using nature’s palette on a virgin canvas.

I think Dale has such vision and a keen eye for finding a unique shot through the lens of his camera! He sees things in ways that I never imagined. He sometimes takes photographs of things that I think are so ordinary and then when I see them printed out - I’m amazed at how he made it look so extraordinary! Capturing all the beauty around us is definitely a challenge, but as we have discovered, so worth the effort!

Check out our Bluemoonistic galleries and see what you can see! It is an adventure that can only be seen through your eyes!

What I learned On My Christmas Vacation???

2010-01-15T10:54:00.000-05:00

Having been a teacher I read many a paper on this very subject. So I thought this year I would put down my own thoughts about what our experiences taught us in our travels back to the Midwest for the holidays. First of all, we learned that change does not come easy to some folks. No revelation perhaps, but I think we saw it on a much larger scale than we thought existed. We encountered lots of resistance to any of the new innovations that we find a daily part of our lives, i.e., Facebook and Twitter. We heard some of the following comments -- it is a waste of time, only for teens, something only rich people do (that was my personal favorite), a way to get money from folks, why would I want to know everything my friends do, and computers are ruining the world. The most amazing reactions, however, were when we started to talk about using Social Media for our business. Then we were speaking in tongues!

What did we come away thinking from these experiences? That we need to do a better job of educating the general public! It is great for all of us small business owners to get together and tell each other what a great tool social media is for our business. BUT we are not getting the word out to those thousands of clients who do not have a clue how it can work for them. We haven’t been able to show them the “benefits” it can have in their daily lives!

When we see how many reports on the devastating earthquake in Haiti came from Facebook and Twitter I can immediately see the benefits of social media. But that’s my perspective! The challenge is to help others who have just started to embrace technology to understand what great benefits the social media world offers. I learned it is a BIG challenge! I’m ready for it and plan to meet it head on with fortitude, intellect and all the personal charm a silver tongued poet can muster!! Dale & I have always faced the challenge of helping people understand why photography and poetry are art and why having beauty in our lives adds enrichment. This is just the next step along this journey. Are you ready to take it with us?

Create A New Holiday Tradition

2009-12-10T11:02:00.000-05:00

Christmas will come whether you are ready or not! Naturally, that evokes a panic response in everyone, but it does not have to be that way. Remember you are in charge of the situation – yes you are! Bob Burg has been pointing this out in his latest blog series – Responding vs Reacting- and that is how I want to live! The Bluemoonistic Elves have been suggesting that Ecards with beautiful photos and santamental sayings can help you out. However, the common response we get is “Ecards are so impersonal”. But let me ask you this – how do you feel when you get a snail mail card that came from the store with just a signature (and sometimes a printed one at that)? No one has time to address cards AND write a personal note anymore. When we get these I wonder “Why did they bother?” There is nothing personal about that kind of greeting anymore.

Change scares some people, but like it or not the world is changing! But we can make the changes good ones – our choice! The same is true of your holiday greetings. With an Ecard you can send it in a variety of ways – Email, Facebook, Twitter – your choice because you own the jpg file! Well with Bluemoonistic Image Ecards you do! There are lots of Ecard companies online but most send them for you and you never see them again. Our Ecards are yours to keep forever! You have it at your finger tips and can personalize it quickly using 140 characters for those who love the tweet medium or a longer personal attachment via email for those you respond with less frequently. It is the best of both possible ideas! Once your friends and family receive it – they can download it also and they have something more than a card they throw in the trash at the end of the season. It is the gift that keeps on giving! You can customize your greetings and make the person receiving it feel special. I am sure that is what you intended in the first place.

Our goal is to keep Christmas personal! I love homemade Christmas presents but who says things created digitally are not personal. We have so many wonderful small business owners who also create that kind of holiday spirit. Helping out those folks is as important for the economy as purchasing something at a big box store. We love the thought of our Ecards traveling all over the World Wide Web for years to come – another part of the Bluemoonistic Journey!

Favorite Holiday Decoration!

2009-12-03T10:00:00.002-05:00

No, this is not a Bluemoonistic Image that you can purchase! This is a “memory” that we hold near and dear! It is a plastic “Alpine Village” that Dale purchased at a drugstore in December 1979 on a cold, snowy night to brighten our apartment! It was the first Christmas after we were married and we were living in Minneapolis, MN, while he was working on his Ph.D. We were alone and without family for the first time and could not afford to go home for the holidays. Back then Minnesota seemed like a million miles from MO. That shows how far we have come in 30 years! So does this 1970s vintage ornament! It still resides in its own little box that indeed says “Alpine Village” and includes the original price tag($4.99). It is not glitzy nor does it sparkle or play a tune, but it represents our dreams! That makes it a special treasure that we carefully pack away every year and bring out to be displayed as though it cost a million bucks! It does not matter where we live or what other decorations we have collected over the years – Alpine Village is still displayed with pride! So I asked Dale to take a picture of it as we brought it out again in 2009. I wanted to share a part of our dreams that has helped brighten our path on our Bluemoonistic Journey!

Give Thanks to One Another!

2009-11-19T14:23:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is one week from today. As we go about this week thinking of gatherings with family and friends, I hope you will give some thought to the difference between "being thankful" and "giving thanks".

When Dale & I sat out on our Bluemoonistic Journey we realized that it wasn't enough just to be thankful for the talents we possess unless we put those talents to good use. We wanted to share with the world the beauty that we see in a way that would make folks appreciate how lucky we are to live in such a world. There is a lot of "ugly" out there, but we want to highlight the other side that can so easily be forgotten in our fast paced, throw away existence.

This picture is a simple example -- A sunrise! Dale is an early riser and when we are at our cabin in the NC mountains, he lays out his clothes and camera so he can hop out of bed at first light and capture the sun rising in all its glory. I, on the other hand, am not a morning person who is inclined to pop out of bed ready for action. But later in the morning (with coffee in hand) as I look at my computer and see the wonderful gift that he captured for me - and all of you - I realize that it is a gift to have such a man in my life.

So I "give thanks" to him by passing along this photo and sharing all his powerful impressions of the world! He gives of his talents and I use my words to pass along the stories behind what he offers. We make a good team and "give thanks" to each other in this way. So while you are being thankful for all the gifts in your life this season do not forget to "give thanks" as well. Pass it on...We all have so much to give to one another!

Enjoy our gift of a beautiful Sunrise over the North Carolina mountains as our way of giving thanks to you for sharing in our journey.

Bad Weather...Not a Photo Op??

2009-11-12T14:16:00.000-05:00

Here on the East Coast we are experiencing the remnants of Hurricane Ida dumping rain and wind on us. As I sit here at my desk I am reminded of all the foggy, wet days that Dale & I have had this fall while at our mountain retreat. We have heard so many folks say that this fall has been horrible for picture taking. We disagree! Every type of weather has its own beauty! Capturing it is more of a challenge but certainly not impossible.

The photo above is called "Fog Warning". We love to take walks in this type of weather and Dale has learned how to adjust his lens so that he can capture the beauty of the mists that surround a forest path on a foggy day. I do not know all the technical jargon but I do know that he has captured the "magic" that makes this photo so intriguing. The dark path where leaves are barely visible that lead the eye up to the sky that brightens as you look up! That's exactly what we saw that day as we were hiking on the old logging road behind our cabin. Our goal is always to give you an image that will stay on your mind. In fact, we have adopted that slogun -- "images that impress time and time again" as our motto and mantra for Bluemoonistic Images.

So you see -- there is beauty all around us no matter the weather or time of year. So take a moment to see the beauty outside your window or in your path as you walk along. It IS there waiting to be captured.

Glad to have landed here!!!

2009-11-04T16:06:00.001-05:00

One year ago Bluemoonistic Images was created! My husband, Dale, and I have had many twists and turns along the way -- and boy have we learned a lot and then some! We have branched out in many new directions because of what we have learned. At this point in time I'd like to begin telling you about our journey. Traveling with a Photographer has many perks. I want to share with everyone how much fun, love and talent goes into our creations! This blog will give me the opportunity to do just that and I'm excited to begin! Above is one of Dale's photographs he took this fall. The man can just walk along the street and find something fantastic to photograph. I use to ask "what do you see" but I've learned it is a lot more fun just to wait and be surprised when it pops up on our computer screen! This photo was taken as we were walking along the street in Boone, NC. We had just had a fabulous breakfast but were disappointed that it was still rainy and foggy. All of a sudden he just stopped, pulled out his camera and started taking photos of leaves scattered on the ground. It was amazing to just see him lean over and start clicking as if those leaves were high fashion models. People stopped to watch and after a few minutes he had a crowd watching him at work!

This is just one of many stories that I want to pass along. It will give you an idea of what it takes to come up with a great photo and how uncomplicated the process can be when you have an "artistic eye"!! However, there are many challenges also - climbing to get to in that special position or the times I'm asked to hold things (to be described later)! I think it will help you appreciate his photographs even more. He is a true artist with his camera and I'm so proud to be part of the journey!!