Thank You 2015!

     As the year 2015 comes to end and I write my last blog post for the year.  I have to say a few things to my readers.  I have felt like my blog has become more and more about my life and photography.  I have been telling you about running a business, having a part-time job and having free time.  Now, I have come up with something new to talk to you about which is for all those creative people out there reading my blog.  My mom is discussing down sizing her house.  That is awesome for her.  I am thinking umm... hello do you actually know how much stuff I have at your house???  I have been thinking in between Christmas wrapping, editing photographs, and finishing commissions of how I can begin to clean out all my things I have kept over the years.  Now, I would not describe myself as a hoarder.  I would just say I am sentimental about a few things.  I have decided my first move is going to be to get some help with getting someone to make a quilt out of all my sweatshirts.  I have probably close to 20 sweatshirts.
     Now, that I have one idea down another thing I am trying to think about is the year 2016.  The goals I need to set for my business.  It is more that I need to always work on getting people involved with my work and the social media parts of my business.  I need to keep the word of mouth going.  I have this neighbor who has been helping a lot and who tells everyone about my work she can!  This helps me a lot.  I try to tell people at my part-time job, the people I work out with and whenever I see someone posting about it on Facebook.  For 2016 I want you all to know that I appreciate each and everyone's business in 2015.  I can not do what I am doing today without you all.  Have a Happy New Year's!

This is a recent commission I did over Christmas.

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Busy Season!

     It is Christmas time again when most all photographers are busy editing, working on commissions, and starting to prepare for a new year of business.  We begin with renewing our business licenses and making sure everyone has paid their bill.  We also need to make sure we are not rushed in any way possible so that everything goes to our clients looking fabulous.

     Last night I was working on commissions for a client praying they turned out well after they printed.  After doing that I emailed another client photos we had been discussing to be printed which she responded in the morning.  Finishing tasks that are either small or big has allowed me to prepare for more commissions and more time to plan for extra photo shoots.

     Now, I do not know how you enjoy editing your work, but sometimes listening to music or watching a funny TV show helps me.  This also allows me to judge how long I have been working so I able to take small short breaks.  I would not suggest anyone to get consumed with your work.  Breaks can help us all refocus our energy and we can see something that might need to be fixed with fresh eyes.  So remember it is the holiday season wear a tacky Christmas sweater and have fun with taking photographs.  Enjoy the holiday season photographers!

Enjoy some recent photographs and work I have done.

A piece I did for a family that I met in Highlands, NC

Family Reunion Thanksgiving 2015

A proud great-grandfather with his youngest great-grandson

As always follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Have a great holiday season and stayed tuned for more photography news!

Never Give Up!

     Have you ever had a very busy season during your job?  I feel like that is what happened to me this fall.  I love fall.  I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for my new clients that I acquired in Highlands at the end of the summer and the ones who are starting to use me in my own hometown.  I have been making slideshows, books, making my unique images and much more.  I know I sound like most photographers who say I am super busy.  It is not just me being busy, but I am also working around my clients schedules and the weather.  We want to take photos outside and it is cloudy.  I am not one of those people who will say no, you have to do it today, because this is when we planned it.  I want my clients to hopefully remember me as working with them, making them happy, and overall be satisfied that they suggest my name to other people.  I think that is what many photographers want, but I think even overall even if I might not be one of the top in my city at the moment I will not give up.  I enjoy reading the inspirational books by Brene Brown and the quotes on Twitter that the Shark Tank group puts up every day.  These things give me hope.  They make me realize I might be a young woman with her own business, but I should never give up on my dreams.

Here is a quote I enjoyed from Twitter:

"Don't take things personally in business, do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal. Don't let hardships or difficult personalities stop you."  ~ Lori Greiner

Honestly, I do not think I could ever give up on my dream and I am so in love with my photography.  I have this gut feeling this is how I am supposed to show everyone how I view the world.

Thank you so much for reading and I will post photos soon.  Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

Busy Busy!

     Hello again my fabulous blog readers.  I know it has been a while since I have written a blog post, but after the Highlands Art Show I became busy since I received two commissions.  Which was very exciting since I saw people react very well to my artwork.  Another thing that has happened lately was so fun was that I ran into a fellow artist this week and we began talking about art.  It was also very interested to learn she also had another job along with her art career as I did.  This was great for me to hear as a young artist especially since some days I feel like it is hard and right now I am so happy with all the thing I have going on for me.  Just this past month I have been working on two commissions, I was asked to photograph at sip and see, I am working on a rehearsal dinner video, and I have been photographing my newborn nephew.
     But wait that is not all I have events lined up in November and something lined up next year that I will tell you about in another blog.  For now I will leave you with a few photographs I have edited this week.

Thank you for reading and do not forget to follow my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more news!

My Happy Place

     Do you have one place that always brings you a happy memory?  You always find several great photographs from that one place?  You have several people in that one area that support you?
     That is what I have in place called Highlands.  I am going up there soon for the Highlands Country Club Member Art Sow and as I am getting ready my thoughts are ranging from last minute things I need to remember to do around my apartment before I leave in less than a week and the things I need to do to have all my artwork ready.  They range from are my pieces ready to hang to I really should have already bought my new nephew's baby present (but it is on my to-do list).  This week is going by way faster than I thought it was and how I am already on Season 3 of Friends while editing photographs that I planned to be finished with at the end of July (it is now the middle of August!!).  All of this is going through my head and more while the art show fast approaches.
     The part I am so excited about it is I am going to my happy place.  My happy place is where just were I am able to relax, people golf, play croquet, play bridge, and my favorite part it is quiet by 10 p.m.  All you can hear is nature.  Whenever I go to Highlands I feel like I have just given all my worries away and I lost all my stress lines.  There is something about the mountains that calls my name.  My sister and I are pretty young are already asking when can we retire to Highlands.
     This small town in North Carolina lets me see the beauty in nature while I photograph.  The members of the country club ask me questions about my art work, which always brings a smile to my face.  Every time I drive up the winding roads something new and exciting always comes with the trip which is why I will always return to my Happy Place.  

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Back-Up, Back-Up, Back-Up

     Throughout the last couple of weeks I have been using all my free time to edit photographs that I have taken in my free time.  Another thing I was able to accomplish was putting all of my sister's wedding photographs onto another USB drive.  Why would I do this?  One reason I did this is because my mom wants a copy and my sister does.  Another reason is because a professor one time suggested more than once that you should always back-up, back-up, back-up.  He said he kept one copy in a safety deposit box and then in two other places for safe keeping.  I have of course thought of doing this several times, but you know we do not always do what we think or do what our teachers say we should do.
     I have been thinking about what to write in this blog for awhile now and yes, I did want to stay stuff about backing-up your files.  The other thing I definitely want to get across is that even though I have been editing, beginning to work on a slideshow, and getting ready for an art that is at the end of this month it all takes time management.  There are days when I want to tell you how in Lightroom (a great tool for keeping track of photos and editing them) how many photos I edited throughout the week, but see that is the parts of photography you did not come to read about.  So I am here to give you advice that you may never hear.  I am hear to tell you stop and look around every once awhile.  Drive a different route to work and you will notice something that you really want to photograph and remember.  I take way too many photographs and I have a probably with deleting them from my phone and laptop once I know they are on my hard-drive.  I am a photographer and I take way too many photographs which is takes up a lot of space.
     My favorite hard drive at the moment is the Lacie Rugged hard drive.  It has two different types of ways you can plug it into your laptop.  I would also suggest when setting up a hard drive that you use folders to separate your different projects.  Good Luck backing-up and Thanks for reading.

As always do not forget to follow Allie Ray Photography on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Courage to Be Yourself

     On Tuesday, I was so excited to find out that the morning receptionist at my part-time job could cover for me while I take a vacation to Highlands, NC where I will be doing the Highlands Country Club Member Art Show for the 4th year.  Tuesday when I woke up I had to do those I like to put off until the last minute, but I decided this was really the only time I would be able to get my oil changed in my car and my tires rotated since we had an extra car for a few days.  Let me just admit there are many other things that are on my to-do list that I am in still need of accomplishing.
     The thing though is that I am really good about doing the things I want to do like editing my photographs, making my art work, and all that.  One thing though that has been keeping me from being my best is the people who seem to want to judge me for doing some of the things I do.  Well, for that I can not express how sad that makes me.  Yes, I do Irontribe.  Irontribe is like crossfire for those of you have not heard of it.  I understand some people think I am crazy for doing it, but let me say Irontribe has helped me in some ways and my coaches, who are amazing, let me modify my workouts to help me.  The other thing is that yes I might not confront people about things, but I always ask someone older and wiser for help when dealing with situations.  Let me just say this has helped me with my business.  Without my family, I might have written some poor descriptions on explaining the process of my work.  So, yes I will admit at 25 with my own business, a part-time job, and other things I do to help out I do need the occasional help.
     I support so many artists out there from fashion designers to graphic designers to bloggers to musicians to painters.  Everyone has their own unique style that it takes COURAGE to put yourself out there in this scary world.  It takes courage to be yourself  and that is what I try to everyday.  So to everyone reading this blog today and over the next few days please share it, because yes I am 25 and doing everything I can to tell you about my unique photography.  I make digital skins that I put on top of wood blocks that I cover with silver or gold leaf.  I make custom prints.

Just messing with shapes and colors today! Express Yourself!

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