Archives for 2016

sea blues

01/21/2016 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Have you guys been keeping your new year’s resolutions in mind? I wrote down very detailed list of resolutions a while before the new year, driven by the desire to continue creating the healthy, happy life I want to live. I felt like I was slipping away from that, becoming so ruled by things that didn’t matter in the long run. More importantly, I was being controlled by things that didn’t even matter to me.

I think this is so important to realize. You don’t get many opportunities to take a good look at your life when you’re busy everyday, stressed, or rushed. Our society has trained us to think that everything has to happen immediately. Everything has to be on time. Everyone needs to be working their entire week with 2 very short days of freedom. I’ve pretty much disagreed with this since I was a child. It felt wrong. I felt like the world was trying to control who I could be and keep me from taking the time to explore myself, and what I wanted. Luckily I’m very headstrong and I usually just push forward for what I feel like I’m meant to do. I strongly believe that your PASSION is your CALLING. Do what you love, and you’ll never “work” a day in your life.

If we all did the jobs we felt called to, wouldn’t everyone be in their right place in the world? Isn’t that how humanity is supposed to function? Aren’t we gifted with talents and passions to do something that is engrained on our hearts? I believe that is for the a reason, for a healthy functioning society.

So what does it take to make the first step? Maybe changing the entire way the world functions is near impossible…

But YOU can be happy!

First step? Learn to take time.

This lesson is so important. I’m trying to learn it better every day, amidst the madness of life. From rushing around, traveling non-stop, working for myself, working with sometimes 30 brands at once, planning ahead, editing, maintaining the blog… the list goes on and on. I have to just take time for myself and breathe. Because does all this madness really matter in the end? Does it change lives for the better or worse? Or just yours?

You may feel guilty for it. You may feel like you’re not using your time wisely. You may feel pressured to stop “being selfish” and do something else. I’m learning and pushing myself to change how I view my “selfish” time. I don’t need to feel guilty. It is so healthy, to allow the brain and the heart to reconnect and re-sync. To breathe and let the world slip away. This first step is the only way to get to the second, and to find out what kind of life you want to create for yourself.

“The ones who gave up are the ones employed by the 3% who didn’t.”

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10 Tips for a Better Instagram

01/12/2016 By Sarah 7 Comments

I get so many comments and emails with questions about my Instagram feed. From how I have so many followers, to how I keep my feed professional looking. There are some simple key points to keep in mind when trying to create a better Instagram account, and I cover the most important ones below in 10 Tips for a Better Instagram!

You’ll learn firsthand what I do now, and what I’ve learned throughout my Instagram experience, with information most big Instagrammers don’t want to share with people.

And whether you’re a fashion blogger, photographer, or business, these tips should help you know what steps to take right now to improve your Instagram’s appearance and stats.

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Bohemi

01/11/2016 By Sarah 1 Comment

I finally had a day to bring you a blog post with the whole campaign we shot for Bohemi jewelry. I just love these photos. We were wandering around the Redwoods and Crescent City area when we found this little meadow that turned amber with the light of the setting sun. I knew it was the perfect place to shoot this series, so we came back the next 2 days to capture some magic as the sun went down.

Golden hour is my favorite hour, I wish it would last longer! Sometimes when we want that perfect lighting, it takes multiple days to shoot because the time to capture everything is so short. We will wait through the harsh light of the day for that sweet glow, and then rush like mad when it’s time to shoot. Autumn’s amber light is richer and thicker feeling than in summer. But its sweetness is even shorter lived than the long drawn out days of summer that I love so much!

Bohemi Jewelry sent amazing jewels to be photographed for our Fall Campaign. Her designs really pair well with nature, and inspired me to explore these different boho looks, from flowy and sheer, to more native american, boho chic, retro hippie, and full on gypsy. See all the outfits and details below!

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smoke and rain

01/10/2016 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Another large campaign we shot for Bloody Mary Metal Jewelry, amidst the giant Redwood trees and along the Jedediah Smith River. It was the first time in a long time I’ve been in something other than desert or beach. The forest was dark and mysterious, and though it rained every day and slowed us down a bit, it didn’t stop us from creating some magic for this campaign. I felt the dark, rich colors needed to be complemented with folk patterns and bohemian attire, so I styled patterns on patterns for a Folk Boho style.

At the time we were shooting the second outfit, we hiked across the huge rocks that made up the riverbeds, heading upstream until we found the perfect spot. I knew I wanted to sit on one of the huge moss covered boulders and frame the view of the river behind me. It started raining as soon as we set up the shot, so we had to quickly climb to another big boulder to hide underneath while waiting for the rain to slow. When it finally did, we continued shooting, only getting a little damp amidst the light raindrops. But the moment I lit the sage smudge stick, the scent combined with the fresh rainy air cleansed my mind and put me in a peaceful zen while modeling. I realized just how great my surroundings were. They were ancient trees, the cleanest river in America with emerald waters, and we alone in the great expanse of nature. It’s moments like these I crave, the feelings I had when I was young and found magic under every rock and in every tree nook. It reminded me how I used to crave the mysterious seclusion of the forest back when we lived on the east coast surrounded by lush green. It was rejuvenating in a way I hadn’t experienced in a while, and I highly recommend bringing your own sage to your next rainy outing into nature. Get lost and leave the world behind for a bit. Emerge your senses fully into your surroundings for a full body and soul cleanse.

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put your records on

01/09/2016 By Sarah 2 Comments

Some days I just have to take a day off, put on the record player, and allow my mind to relax. It’s crucial as an artist to have time to tune out, and allow rest and rejuvenation to happen, so that new creative thoughts can be born. We forget in this day and age that not everything needs to happen instantly. Not everything needs to be perfect. Not everything needs to be hard work. Life only happens once, and the days will slip out of your hands if you rush through your week!

Take a moment each day for yourself. I can’t tell you how important this is. I just started a new routine for the new year. I call it my selfish time, even though it’s not selfish at all. It’s necessary. But I call it that to remind myself to spoil myself a little bit each day, to not worry about what needs my attention next, to maintain inner peace and find happiness in the simple things.

I’ll wake up, work out to upbeat music while drinking a green smoothie, shower with a candle lit, apply inspiring scented oils to my hair and skin, and take time to get inspired either from Pinterest or other travel/fashion sources. Put on an outfit, wether comfy or chic, to make me feel confident and comfortable. Sometimes I do my nails, sometimes I work on my “tan” (Bali Body self tanner, of course), or other girly rituals to make me feel like I have a fresh start.

It may sound shallow to work on your outer appearance. I subconsciously thought the same thing for a while. But I realized I was slowly falling out of love with myself. We have to keep a healthy relationship with ourselves. It sounds funny, right? But if we don’t show ourselves some love and care, we can become almost bitter. And how can we care about others if we don’t even care about ourselves? If you want to see the happy healthy version of you that you wish would show her face more often, LOVE her! She will love you right back. And you’ll feel so refreshed and ready to take on the day, after taking that 30 minutes first thing in the morning for yourself.

So put your records on, light your favorite candle, treat all your senses, and think “ohm” thoughts.

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