Photography - Capturing White Things

Capturing white can be challenging. Here’s what I’ve learned — set the exposure low. It’s much easier to increase exposure in editing then it is to decrease exposure while maintaining details of the photograph. So err on the underexposure side.

Set the exposure so it under exposes the white thing you want to focus on in the photo. In the first two photos I wanted to focus on the white dress. The second two photos I wanted to focus on the room itself.

Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten
Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten
Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten
Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten
Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten
Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten
Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten
Photography tips - Sarah Kirsten

You Are Doing Enough

You Are Doing Enough - Sarah Kirsten

Do you ever feel pressure to turn your sewing into something other than just a joyful hobby? A lot of us fall into that trap.

Here is an excerpt from an article in a series I am writing on The Thread, a blog by the Fabrics-store.com.

If you love sewing, I want to encourage you to not fall into the pressure of thinking it has to have some purpose other than that it brings you joy, and it brings you clothes you love. Using your talent and enjoying it is perhaps all you need to do to fulfill your purpose and bring joy to that which created you.

You have permission to just sew because you love it and it’s fun.

Click here to read the full article.

"I only sold one copy"

Blog - Sarah Kirsten

This summer I discovered a new-to-me music artist that I’ve been enjoying a lot. His name is Jonathan Ogden.

In an interview, he shared that when he came out with his second album he only sold one copy.

He said he wasn’t doing it to make money but because he loved producing music.

Now he makes his living through his music.

It’s amazing to hear stories of where people start.

If you’re starting a new project, don’t be discouraged. Everything starts small. Champions don’t start by being successful. Success is the end result, not the first step.

Blog - Sarah Kirsten
Blog - Sarah Kirsten
Blog - Sarah Kirsten
Blog - Sarah Kirsten

Wearing my memade swimsuit and swimming in this soft linen before I cut it into a dress.

Blog Series on The Thread - Embrace Your Measurements

Embrace Your Measurements - Sarah Kirsten

There is something beautiful about stripping back layers and taking a look at something in its rawness. In this article on my series on the power of sewing on The Thread Blog, I tell the story about disobeying my parents and trying to grow dreadlocks while they were on vacation, and then shaving my head 10 years later.

This article is all about when we are willing to look at things in the rawness and to get to know them, our appreciation and love grows. That’s the power of getting to know our own bodies, the power of sewing for them.

Here’s an excerpt:

You get to fall in love with yourself. You scrape off old paint (clothes that don’t fit you perfectly) to discover the unmatched beauty of the natural wood underneath. That’s who you are – you are unmatched beauty.

Click here to read the rest of the article.