Photos and Images of the Sun and the Moon

Shinn Park in Fremont California is one of my favorite places to visit. So much so that I call it "my secret place". Besides being my favorite local place to unwind, it is also one of my favorite places to take photos. I am a newborn baby photographer by profession but also enjoy taking photos of anything that catches my interest. One day as the sun went down (my favorite part of the day) I took a stunning photo of the sky in Shinn Park and caught both the sun setting and the moon rising. There was also a flock of blackbirds sitting high in the trees, creating even more interest.

Being a graphic artist and sign designer for over 30 years, I also like to edit photos when I see potential in them. Picasa by Google is one of my favorite photo storage sites that I not only store my photos at but also like to add captions and special effects to.

Above is the original photo that I took with no corrections or edits made. Below are 9 more photos that I ran through the Picasa special effects program called Piknik (you access Piknik through Picasa where you can use the free editing tools) There is also a small monthly fee if you want added photo editing options called the "premium membership". I don't use the premium service because I use the basic effects program which can also be used to add text, borders and seasonal effects.

Any of these photos could be used as a pretty photo on your wall or on a website, poster or story. I have opted to make postage stamps out of this series because the size is right and any of these would be gorgeous stamps to send out on a letter or postcard. I don't always use my photos for a product but this photo captured my attention with it's fabulous colors and layout. The fact that I captured both the sun and the moon together in one photo is also very unusual.

To order stamps with any of these designs you can access my Zazzle store here. All stamps are guaranteed to be accepted by the US Post Office and come with pre-paste backs so you don't have to lick them. All designs are approved by the postal service and are copyrighted by the owner of these images.

To sign up for Zazzle and make your own stamps you can visit here. It's fun and personal to add your own special effects to your own photography and images.

To sign up for Picasa you can go online through your Google account and add Picasa either to your computer or as a stand alone web storage site. I prefer the web albums because it's safer and secure to store my photos there. If you add Picasa on your own computer make sure you back up your photos so you don't lose them if your computer crashes.

(Dorsi Diaz is a freelance writer/publisher, artist and photographer. She writes on a variety of subjects including design, photography and everyday life)