some of you may be wondering why I keep numbering my posts like I do {33}.  when I began writing on my new blog, I decided to challenge myself to blog for 100 days straight.  daunting task, i know.  but i'm already 1/3 of the way through!

also when i started, i asked my blog readers to tell me what they would like me to blog about.  here is part 1 of their questions:

"As far as what I’d like you to blog about…well I think it would be neat to hear about when you first decided to pick up a camera and a little bit behind the brain of your creativity. Like with maternity…how did you think of all those shots? Were they formal training or more from what you’ve seen or just thought up in your own head? I also think it would be cool to see some cool and fun local spots where you live (don’t you live in Boone/or Blowing Rock?)..could be coffee/food/park/historic. Etc. It’s always fun to see that in pics!" - Natalie

i first picked up a camera and really became fascinated with photography when i was in 6th grade.  no joke!  i was young, but i remember taking a picture from the bottom of a tree up into the canopy.  i thought i was sooo creative. i loved seeing old black and white photos - the classics like 'kissing the war goodbye' and any audrey hepburn photos. from there, my love for it just grew.  i would say my creativity grows from experience, as well as inspiration.  looking at the work of other photographers makes me challenge myself to try new things. and the more i shoot, the more comfortable i get being creative in new places.  as far as the maternity photos go, i make all of them up as i go (unless a mom has a special request).  i literally think of the photos as i walk around in whatever environment i'm in!  it keeps me on my toes :).  and i'll post photos of local spots soon! (yes, i live in boone. but i looove blowing rock!)

"Well I think in the future u should blog about what happens after ur photo sessions are done. Like what is editing, what all entails and all the work u do before the final product. As for my favorite post, I don’t have one in particular. What I love is how before u post a session u tell us all about the people in the pictures we are about to see. It makes it feel so much more personal, like we know these people. I love knowing about everyone and their personalities!" - Meghan

i love the work i do after a photo session or wedding!  it is so much fun to see the images for the first time. it also can be pretty time consuming, but once you get comfortable with your workflow, it can happen pretty quickly.  i have been using Lightroom 2.0 & Photoshop CS3. here is the step by step process of what usually happens:  1. download files & back them up on my external hard drives 2. choose the best photos 3. edit.  this usually means correcting any problems regarding exposure, white balance, & skin tone.  this is also when i choose which photos i want in black and white, and i edit the exposure, blacks & contrast. 4. save as jpegs (i shoot in raw) 5. back up final jpegs  6. post to online gallery 7. create high-res dvd (if chosen) 8. design wedding album 9. make sure everyone is happy with their photos!

"What do you enjoy photographing most?…weddings? families? ... New web page/blog looks amazing! Will your blog allow subscribers?" - Natalie

for a while, my favorite thing to photograph was weddings.  i think i loved them so much because i recently got married, and i could relate to all the excitement involved with wedding photos.  it is also a world of it's own when it comes to photography - everything has to be perfect, and you only have a certain amount of time to nail it in one wedding day.  i love that!  many people hate that pressure, but i thrive on it.  while i still LOVE wedding photography, family sessions have really taken a special place in my heart lately.  i think that is due to my sister & brother having families.  i have such a love for my nieces and nephews that i absolutely treasure any photos of them i can take.  it has given me a whole new perspective on family photography and how important family photos are! and yes, my blog does allow subscribers.  the RSS web address is: feed://nancyrayblog.com/?feed=rss2