Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 10:25 AM
The fabulous folks over at the Vagabond Blog invited us to do a guest interview focusing on our travels. We were so excited when our friend Kristy (wreckless girl) asked us to be a part of it. There is such a great group of people over at the Vagabond Blog. 

So run over and check out the fabulous little interview that they put together about us: 

And while you are there check out the other fabulous contributors to the blog. I always leave their blog inspired.

Happy Wednesday!


Thoughts
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Cookie and Kate says: Wednesday, February 2, 2011, 06:10 PM

That orange-tipped dog just kills me. I think I subscribed to your blog after I saw that photo for the first time. I'm glad I did. :)

Christine says: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 05:54 PM

awesome. love the rhoadsies! and these shots are killer, as per always. can't wait to see you in a few weeks. :) xoxo

AnneMarie says: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 01:27 PM

Great article on the Vagabond blog and totally stunning photos!!!

Kristen Drufke Minneapolis Photographer says: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 01:08 PM

That shot from the plan is amazing! Whenever we go on trip my husband always gets the window seat so I'm stuck in the middle. What a perfect flight that must have been.

Stacey says: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 05:06 PM

MUST know that yellow knit hat pattern! Adore that photo :-)

jen k. says: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 04:05 PM

love!

i grew up going to canon beach every year and it was so special to our family! i think i need to take matt....

Annie says: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 03:18 PM

Such an inspiring interview! Loved reading it and seeing all the photos. I saved it to look at whenever I need encouragement to dream :) And that last photo there always makes me laugh! :)

A. says: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 02:57 PM

Amazing photos ( :

alej keigan says: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 11:01 AM

i don't think i've ever seen a photo from a plane that i would put on my wall. gorgeous!

Monday, January 24, 2011, 11:41 AM
I have been reading a brilliant book by Steven Pressfield called "The War of Art." It has had so many challenging and comforting insights into the creative process. One of the things I read this weekend that really stuck with me was this.... 

"Of any activity you do, ask yourself: If I were the last person on earth, would I still do it?"

I mean, if zombies came and attacked and I literally was the last person standing on the planet... would I still be taking pictures, showing up to the studio, wrapping my hands around the camera; or for a writer, would you still be writing that book or for a painter would you still be working on that art piece? 

It is such a pointed and evocative question that points to our true purpose and motivation for doing the things that we do. If we had no one to show our work to, no one to praise us... would we still do it? If we are only doing it for fame/notoriety, I would argue that we haven't truly found that thing that makes us tick. I have a friend, Sarah Dawn, who absolutely LOVES shoes... I have no doubt that if she was the last woman standing she would be risking her life to break into abandoned shops to get her hands on a pair of Manolo Blanhiks for no one other than herself. Because she absolutley loves the way shoes make her feel, the way they look on her feet. They aren't for anyone else but her.

For me the answer to that question is an undeniable YES. I would be wrapping my hands around that camera if I were the last person standing. And I feel grateful to be able to say that, when so many are still searching to find that thing that makes them tick. I recognize I am merely a vessel for the things I create. But we must keep our motivation in check as artists, making sure that we are doing things not for the sake of others, but because we truly LOVE what we are doing.

So what about you, if you were the last person on the planet would you still be doing exactly what you are doing?

*The photo in this post was a collaboration with my good friend Tiffany Lowry who did the hair/makeup & styling :)

Thoughts
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Carl Reid says: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 11:48 PM

I would go down with my camera in my hand. But that also brings up another question..."Should you ever take a break from your camera?"

Regards,
Carl from T.O.

sarahrhoads says: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 03:37 PM

@AnneMarie It's not about checking e mail, news, phone calls... those are tedious for all of us, not to mention, if it were the end of the world, who would be emailing you and who would be reporting the news? ;) The question is really pointed at the bigger picture...are you doing something that you really love.

AnneMarie says: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 02:59 PM

Someone has to say no so it might as well be me. If I were the last person on earth, I would not worry about checking e-mails, reading the news or caring about much money is in my account. It's the little things that are soo time consuming and lead no where really.

The photo is really great!

kathleen says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 08:12 PM

I definitely wouldn't be spending my days the same way I currently do... I'm one of those still searching. I appreciate the food for thought, though, and the inspiring perspective that comes through in your photos and blog posts. I'll have to check out this book!

ryan says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 07:56 PM

Hey Sarah, I absolutely love The War of Art (and most of the other books you read) and I try to make myself read that book at least once a quarter.

However... on this one, not so sure. Isn't a huge factor in the creation of art the giving of a gift to another person? Isn't art about sending a message of beauty to another person? Maybe even the biggest factor? The most motivating?

Of course maybe the zombies would love your photos but not as much as the humans that are around to see them now. : )

adam says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 05:50 PM

Those would be some pretty awesomely sick photographs if it were truly a zombie apocalypse. Great point, I truly would never leave without it. I'm sure it would become my safety net... a bit of comfort in an uncomfortable world.

Annie says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 03:57 PM

Yes! I would take more photos because there would be no one around to tell me I was trespassing! :)

Blair says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 01:57 PM

Love this!
Yes yes yes!

jarrod renaud says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 01:53 PM

yeah! awesome question. We all need to save our polaroid film for the apocalypse! ya know, just in case we dont have power to run our computers or places to develop film:) haha. Thats what im doing

Jenn Stark says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 12:11 PM

Just wow. Inspiring words, thanks so much for sharing.

tif says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 12:09 PM

I'm wearing that scarf today:) I also think I'd try to show the Zombies how to use lipgloss and style their hair ;)
T..xoxo

emily says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 12:02 PM

YES! I would still be shooting. But I still think I have a lot to discover in that truth, and I still need to check my motives at times. Good questions.

ShariLee says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 12:00 PM

well put sarah. a great reminder to check the motivation behind what we are doing....and the answer to your question is a big yes!

Kevin Wrenn Photography says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 11:51 AM

I'd still be shooting, however I'd set the mode to "Shoot without Card" and I'd take the card out and shoot like nobody's business ;-)

There's a wonderful exhilaration during the capturing process that keeps me from even needing to ever see the final image. I think I'd just hang out in that space if there was no one to see the images.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 09:30 AM
I had the honor of meeting these two lovely souls when they were visiting family in Seattle a couple of weeks ago visiting family and getting their engagement photos taken by moi! Jen & Tomi used to live in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. They recently re-located to Wisconsin to be close to Jen's sister who was terminally ill. Her sister got to spend the last season of her life surrounded by lots of love from Jen & Tomi... to me this is a perfect picture of family. To pick up your life and move half way across the country for anyone, to care for someone when it isn't easy....this is love in it's purest form. These two have lots and lots of love to give. 

Tomi is the jokester of the relationship and Jen is one of those tender, caring, thoughtful types. Tomi made me laugh though this whole session. I'm sure Jen will spend the rest of her life with Tomi in a sort of euphoria... he just makes every situation funny. Jen even sent me a link of Tomi dancing on the Ellen Show last year! I was rolling. We got poured on during their session but the rain didn't stop us from having a blast running around in their old stomping grounds of Fremont. I was pretty pumped we got to run in the middle of the street for photos when the Fremont bridge went up :)


Thoughts
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Miah Klein says: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 10:13 AM

hugs not drugs

johnakaesco says: Friday, February 4, 2011, 07:05 PM

so much emotion can be felt just by looking at the pics, love radiates intensely through them. thank you both for sharing, badboys whachagonado

Rensche Mari says: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 02:56 AM

So beautiful, just love the way they hold each other.

Katelyn James says: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 07:46 PM

Love this!! Your constant creativity amazes me!

Alec Vanderboom says: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 12:50 PM

Great emotion and story going on within these photos. Way to be.

mandiimae says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 07:48 PM

your images make my heart...sigh. :) thank you.

Karen Kimmell says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 12:18 PM

Simply beautiful

Tami says: Monday, January 24, 2011, 07:15 AM

Awww... Love is in the air! You guys are picture perfect.

Aunt Renee' says: Sunday, January 23, 2011, 04:13 PM

Two hearts joining together - priceless!

Carrie says: Saturday, January 22, 2011, 07:43 AM

There is such emotion in these pictures. Absolutely beautiful!

Andrea says: Friday, January 21, 2011, 10:43 AM

So beautiful is os many ways. I adore that last image!

Rich Park says: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 08:51 AM

great job bringing out the warmth in this couple! their hugging makes me feel happy!

Christina Moodie says: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 06:43 AM

I am really lovin' this shoot. You can see the love they have for each other in each photo

fer juaristi says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 10:26 PM

soul on this pics. magic!

Eunice Brownlee says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 05:24 PM

I can't think of a more amazing place to shoot an e-session than Fremont. The bridge shot is def my fave.

AnneMarie says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 04:33 PM

You can really feel how much love they have for one another. This is a beautiful set of photos!

Christina says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 01:02 PM

Aw! how sweet ;) My favorite is the one of them holding hands.

Tim G says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 12:20 PM

Beautiful!! I love how much emotion you both always capture in your images. Thanks for sharing these!!!

jen howell says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 11:59 AM

Beautiful set of images. Very soulful.

Marissa Rodriguez says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 10:17 AM

I agree with everything Marissa said! :) I love all of these so much! That last one, with him closing his eyes!? completely melts my heart!

Marissa says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 09:54 AM

image no. 1 is gasp for breath ah-maaaze-balls! the pop of red behind the couple, the bridge up leading into skies the limit for their love journey, i can't go on...swoooon!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 01:20 PM
Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone had a fantastic MLK day! If you are like me, it looked a lot like a regular work day ;) but either way, I like an excuse to celebrate a good thing. 

So today I have A few random ramblings/announcements etc. etc... 

#1) We are happy to announce the winner of the Kelly Moore Bag Giveaway from last week goes to Beth T!!! Congrats Beth!! And thank you to all of you who participated via twitters and comments! It is such a killer bag, I wish I could send one to each of you. But since I can't, feel free to put one on your wish list.

#2) Since we get a lot of emails about our photo processing and I just don't have time to answer all the questions individually we figured we would try something new today and give you guys a taste of how we process with Jesh de Rox Colorshift Actions & Boutwell's Totally Rad ActionsThese action sets are a major part of our photo enhancement process. I would encourage you to pick up either one of these fabulous action sets. They are on "Sarah's list of favorite things." They are huge time savors and are just well made actions.

Image #1 (Black & White) is processed using Jesh de Rox Colorshift Actions using one of my very favorite black & white actions Evening Obscura run at 100% with the darks pulled up a bit. Then I always like to toss on a little grain to give the image some texture, we love using Boutwell's Totally Rad Actions Grainstorm on 20% opacity.

Image #2 (Color Image) is processed by first running Totally Rad Actions B&W Red Channel action on 9%. Then we ran one of the Colorshift Actions, A Winter Sun on 34% and Voila! 

Hope that helps some of you out! Those are a few of our very favorite actions and we use both action sets in combination for most everything!


Thoughts
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Trevor says: Wednesday, January 4, 2012, 12:33 PM

I know this is an older post, but I was hoping to revisit the post/color processing on these two images. You mention the actions you used to achieve the "look", but what about even before the actions? What kind of white balance, color correction (not grading ;-), contrast, clarity, etc (if any) do you do to your photos as a foundation before you grade them? Thanks in advance! Love your work.

Stacey says: Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 06:55 PM

Awe yeah, those are my two fav, most often used sets too! I love how every photographer comes up with beautiful and unique recipes even if we're using similar tools. Thanks for sharing!

Justin says: Thursday, January 20, 2011, 08:55 AM

Very cool post, any help with post processing is definitely helpful and appreciated!

Dan B says: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 11:36 AM

You just made my day! :)

Thank you!

johnna brynn says: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 06:46 PM

thank you!

Tiffany Lowry says: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 04:10 PM

Aww what a sweet surprise:)

Nathan says: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 03:53 PM

Thanks for the insight on your workflow. The pics are pretty hot. Hopefully one day soon I'll be able to make it to one of your workshops. Now that would be a fun time!

Annie says: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 03:05 PM

LOVE these! :)

carlie says: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 01:49 PM

Love the way your images always inspire...I just have one annoying technical question...just wondering how you keep your images so beautifully consist. Do you create droplets, batch process or take each image into photoshop separately?

AnneMarie says: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 01:40 PM

Love hearing about your secrets because your photos always look great!!!

Sarah Vasquez says: Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 01:37 PM

I always love seeing how other Photographers process their photos. Thanks for sharing!