The first art print is of the Hatteras Lighthouse on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  The lighthouse is in the distance, framed by a standing deadwood bush and in the foreground is sand dunes and sea oats.  I like this art print because it is a nice, pleasant seascape.

Original art print by Dan Carmichael of sand dunes and the Hatteras Lighthouse

The second new original art print is from the area of Grandfather Mountain on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.  The art print is of Thistle Flowers.

Thistle flowers on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina near Grandfather Mountain.

Both art prints are new, previously unpublished, and are the work of fine art photographer and artist Dan Carmichael.

Prints are available in various sizes.  To order.

Main website
Newest work gallery
Original gallery
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Seeking gallery representation.

This first is of a man worshiping the setting sun on Hatteras Island Outer Banks North Carolina.

I was shooting a sunset on Hatteras when this man unexpectedly ran up from behind me, then stood atop a sand dune.  He extended his arms in a sort of worship fashion, seemed to chant Om a few times, then ran off.  I thought the scene was interesting and colorful, so I snapped a shot.

You can see by his headdress he was wearing a sweatshirt with a hoodie.  It was an ice cold winter day.

A man extends his arms in worship of the setting sun on Hatteras Island Outer Banks North Carolina

The second image was taken at the Altapass Apple Orchard on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

The orchard is a very nice place to visit during the Autumn fall colors season on the parkway.  In addition to mountain music and other activities, they offer hayrides down a single-lane dirt road that runs along the orchard.  And the jams, jellies, and other treats offered at the Altapass Orchard gift store are a wonderfully delicious treat.

Two different versions of this print were created – a traditional photography print style, and one that was stylized to look like it was hand-painted.

Visitors to the Altapass Orchard on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina enjoying a fall hayride. Traditional photography version.

Visitors to the Altapass Orchard on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina enjoying a fall hayride. Hand painted style version.

LINKS:

Picture North Carolina main website
Picture North Carolina main fine art print gallery
Picture North Carolina new work fine art print gallery
Picture North Carolina on Facebook

Gallery managers and owners: seeking representation.

The first is an old tree stump that was located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on the Pea Island Wildlife Preserve.  The stump was on the beach for quite a long time, and I shot it various times under different conditions.

This one is my favorite.  It’s a little unusual, but I like this image because of the abstract qualities and because it almost looks like a spider or some sort of beach monster.

An old stump on the beach on Pea Island Outer Banks North Carolina almost looks like a spider or beach monster

I also created a black & white version of this fine art print:

Old stump on the beach on Pea Island Outer Banks North Carolina; black & white version

One of the things I really like about this print unfortunately, cannot be seen at the small sizes posted on the web.  I especially like the exquisite detail and texture of the wood.  Below is a sample from the image that can be seen on a full-size print:

Close-up detail of the texture and detail of the old stump on Pea Island Outer Banks North Carolina

The new fine art landscape prints also added to the New Work Gallery are of the North Carolina mountains.

These images were taken at Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway during Autumn.  The fall colors on the Blue Ridge Parkway are always beautiful.  Doughton Park is one of my favorite places to go, any time of the year.

I created three versions of this image.  The first is a traditional fine art photography version.  The second was hand-brushed to create a style that looks like a painting.  The third version was enhanced to create a surreal style and effect.

Fall at Doughton Park Blue Ridge Parkway North Carolina; traditional fine art photography version

Fall at Doughton Park Blue Ridge Parkway North Carolina; painting style version

Fall at Doughton Park Blue Ridge Parkway North Carolina; traditional FX version

Prints are available in various sizes.

Main Website and Gallery:
http://picturenorthcarolina.com/

New Work Gallery:
http://picture-north-carolina.smugmug.com/

To order prints from the New Work Gallery:
http://www.picturenorthcarolina.com/smugmug.html

Gallery owners and managers, I would like to hear from you.

The picture is of fishing boats lined up at the Oregon Inlet Marina on Bodie Island, Outer Banks North Carolina.

During the warm weather fishing season, the marina can almost empty early in the morning as boats leave to go to sea.  But in the colder seasons, the marina can be found filled with boats waiting to go to sea.

I like this image because it has a clean white look that makes it pleasant to look at and easy on the eyes.

Prints are available in various sizes.

Fishing Boats moored, waiting to go to sea at the Oregon Inlet Marina on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

This print can be found in the online gallery here.

Info on how to order a print can be found here

Other links:

Picture North Carolina main website
Picture North Carolina gallery 1 and new work  gallery 2

Seeking gallery representation.

The image was taken in the area of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla, North Carolina.  It was an especially brilliant orange sunset over the Currituck Sound.  Ducks can be seen blissfully gliding by.  The tops of wooden pilings from a long-forgotten wooden boardwalk can be seen sticking the tops of their heads out of the water.

The edge of night beckons the sun
Softly calling her home
As she slips beneath the horizon she brushes the sky and the water
With the last of her golden nectar and then she is gone.

Fine art prints are available in various sizes.

Seeking gallery representation  for 2012 season.

Sunset on Currituck Sound Outer Banks North Carolina

Fall colors on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia in the Roanoke area.

The splendor of the most-spectacular show on the East coast is right around the corner – Autumn on the Blue Ridge Parkway! For those familiar with the show, well.. nothing more need be said. For those not, only one word can describe the show: stunning. Fall on the Blue Ridge Parkway should have been counted as one of the wonders of the world.

If you plan to enjoy the fall foliage show this year, now is the time to start planning. Here are a few things to consider.

Accommodations: In the mountain regions of North Carolina and Virginia, fall is the peak season for hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts. As such, they raise their rates just like hotels and motels on the coast do during summer. You should consider booking now. It is not uncommon for rooms to be filled during the fall colors season. When researching accommodations, remember to ask about package deals which can help you save money.

Timing your visit: is a bit harder. It would be convenient were the Autumn foliage show always the same – beginning on the parkway north in Virginia and progressing south as the season progressed. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. At any given location, peak colors can vary from year to year depending upon environmental conditions. In addition to that, peak colors vary depending upon elevation. Colors in two different areas of the parkway some distance apart can peak at the same time. I will be writing more about this plus hints and tips on where to go and what to expect in the near future.

Saving money: If you’re budgeting and wish to save money, consider these ideas. First, take a hike! As opposed to driving back and forth and burning expensive gasoline, find a nice place with vibrant fall colors, stop the car and take a hike. There are many trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway and no matter where you are, one is probably close by. The fresh air and exercise will do you good.

Fall foliage beauty on the Blue Ridge Parkway North Carolina just south of the Grandfather Mountain area. © Copyright Dan Carmichael, Picture North Carolina 2011.

Second, pack a lunch or grab some take-out and bring it with you to the parkway. There are many places on the Blue Ridge Parkway where breaking away to go get lunch can mean a substantial drive to find a local restaurant or store. Taking your breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner with you can save the gas. Besides, what could be better than sitting on the parkway on a cool, sunny fall day and watching the splendid show while you eat!

Plan ahead: Doing something as simple as mapping your trip ahead of time can make your entire day more enjoyable. Trying to figure out where you are or where you are going can waste gas and time, both of which can be much better spent on the parkway enjoying the brilliant show.

More articles about the Autumn foliage show on the Blue Ridge Parkway coming soon.

Fine art prints are available. Visit this gallery for the newest work, and the estore gallery.

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Main website.

The parkway is full of trails.  There are many wonderful spots to hike, so numerous it is beyond the scope of this article to list them.  But the truth is, you can pick just about any spot on the parkway at random and the odds are you will find a nice trail nearby.

In addition to areas and trails groomed by the National Park service, in North Carolina you have the added benefit of the MTS (Mountain to Sea) trails.

As mentioned, total coverage of resources is not possible here, but here are a few well-known highlights and tips.

A few of the better-known spots with many trails leading in just about any direction you wish to go would be Rocky Knob in Virginia, Doughton Park in North Carolina, and Graveyard Fields also in NC.  However, the later is better reserved for fall.  There is no way to describe the colors there.  Wear shades, you could get blinded! LOL.

The one biggest hint I would relay is to slow down!  There are many trail markers on either side of the parkway that may be slightly obscured by a bush or tree, or recessed a little so that it cannot easily be seen if you drive the posted parkway speed of 45.  On the other hand, if you do drive slowly be kind!  Pull over at the very next overlook and let people pass!

This image of a popular hiking spot is from the Moses Cone Manor area of the parkway.  The image was digitally hand-brushed to create an oil painting style of appearance.  This trail is directly across the parkway from Moses Cone Manor and is easily accessible from the Cone Manor House through a tunnel under the parkway.  How can you resist a hike in such a beautiful spot as this?!

Hiking trail at Moses Cone Manor on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Here are a few resources to help:

http://nature-talk.com/locations/blue-ridge-parkway/hiking-trails/hiking-trail-maps.html

http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/blue_ridge_parkway.htm

http://www.brptrails.com/

“Like” Picture North Carolina on Facebook and follow for the latest parkway info.
Latest Picture North Carolina fine art photography and hand-painted digital art
Picture North Carolina main website

Picture North Carolina fine art photography and digital photoart are available for sale as prints.

Enjoy your hike!  Get ready for those even more spectacular fall hikes!  And don’t forget to bring a camera!

A section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that was closed for a number of months for construction and improvements to the area was recently reopened.  This included Doughton Park which is one of the most beautiful and popular areas along the 469-mile parkway.

Doughton Park opened around July 15th (2011) and the timing could not have been better because one of the parkway’s most-spectacular flower displays was in progress.

I have traveled the parkway extensively and know just about every inch well.  But I have never noted the spectacular flower Blazing Star (Liatris Spicata) on any other section of the parkway other than a patch of ground in Doughton Park.  They bloom every year around mid-July to early August, and they are stunning.

Here’s a shot from this year’s display:

The stunning display of Blazing Star flowers can be seen every year in Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Here’s another rendition of the image that was digitally hand-brushed into an oil painting style:

Blazing Star flowers Doughton Park Blue Ridge Parkway oil painting style

Sorry, but as of this writing (August 2011) it’s a little too late to catch them this year.  But there’s always next year!

At present (August 2011) you can only access Doughton Park from Highway 18.  The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed after you travel north through the park and before you get to Highway 21.  That section is scheduled to reopen about Summer 2012.  But even though a trip to Doughton Park is currently a dead-end on the parkway, it is well worth the trip.  It’s a great place to hike with trails everywhere and a great place to bring the family for a picnic.

The title is Morning Commute.

The picture is of a sunrise on Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  There was a flock – a constant stream of birds flying north.  You can see them silhouetted against the sun.  You only see a small portion of the flock here.  When taking the picture, the flock seemed to stretch down the coast as far as my eyes could see.

Fine art prints on fine art paper are available.

An endless stream or birds flock in front of the sun during sunrise on the Outer Banks of North Carolina - Ocracoke Island

Fine art landscape photography – new work gallery

Website

Sunrise at Sunset Beach North Carolina - fine art landscape photography print

It was captured at Sunset Beach, North Carolina which is located on the coast just south of the southern end of the Outer Banks.

Depending upon the season of the year, there are times you can capture a sunrise and a sunset on the same day at Sunset Beach.

Fine art prints are available.  Visit one of the  galleries below for information.

Gallery of Newest fine art landscape work

Gallery of older fine art prints

Main website – Picture North Carolina