GIRL CRUSH . SARAH SHREVES
I was introduced to Sarah Shreves online through my sister and have always admired her
photography. I had the privilege of finally meeting her on our trip to LA and instantly loved her spirit and grace. That essence she portrays in her photography, the authenticity and rawness that is expressed through her work shined brightly in her presence. This is a girl that has endless talent and a true passion for life. We had so much fun during our lookbook shoot that it really felt like a bunch of old friends just hanging out together while Sarah was capturing those real moments; a glimpse into our real lives all while wearing some amazing pieces from bicyclette. Sarah's art and life blend beautifully together and we feel so grateful to have been able to step into her magical world for a day. She also has the coolest LA loft we have ever seen, and for all of those reasons (and so many more), she is this week's Girl Crush.
I love your photos because they definitely capture a person's spirit. How do you capture those special, candid moments?
Thank you!!! II honestly don't know : ) So many of the photos I've taken are captures of serendipitous moments. I think after years of learning the technical side of photography I'm able to focus on creating a space of safety for whoever I'm photographing. When the person forgets they're being photographed and they trust me, their truest self emerges and I'm just there to photograph it.
I'm able to turn a part of my brain off and allow it to create from a space of rest, to create from the soul not the mind.
You are definitely a multitalented woman with styling and now an online vintage store, Dear Future. Is fashion something you always wanted to be a part of or just the natural evolution of being a creative?
You're so sweet! I've always thought of myself more like "jack of all trades, master of none", but yes, fashion helps me define the world around me. Playing dress up with my sisters growing up, sewing clothes for my barbies and drawing my own outfits for my paper dolls turned into fashion photo shoots with friends and taking fashion illustration classes. That lead to me realizing that fashion is powerful. Its a statement. Its a moving language. I'm excited about local designers that have humanity and sustainability embedded into their design processes. I love working with artists that want to leave this beautiful earth more full than they left it and create with ecology and biomimery in mind. (if you don't know what those are, look them up!)
What is your favourite place in LA to shoot? What does LA represent and mean to you?
Honestly, I try to keep shoots fresh by never shooting in the same place. If I had to choose, one of my favorite look-book shoots I did was out east in Eaton Canyon.
LA represents a city of dreamers. Its a place of endless hope and a well of creativity. The incredible things being birthed here are evidence that there is favor on this city. That when given the chance to move beyond survival mode, humanity has beautiful ideas.
How did Darling come about, and what is your role with the magazine? What inspired its inception?
Darling was started by some dear friends of mine and I've had the privilege to be a contributor the past few issues as well as be part of the design team for the launch party we hosted here in LA late last year. It was inspired by being a recourse of encouragement and grace among piles of magazines that tell women they need to be a certain way. The modern woman knows that that advice is vain and does not bring us any closer to our femininity. Darling is a catalyst for positive change; leading woman to discover beauty apart from vanity, influence apart from manipulation, style apart from materialism, sweetness apart from passivity and womanhood without degradation. Do yourself a favor and get yourself and your mom a subscription to it!
You have been a part of many weddings through your photography and even been featured in green wedding shoes! What are your favourite ceremonies to photograph?
Yes, I have been to over 100 weddings so I'm a bit jaded! But my favorite ceremony I photographed was held in a community garden in Washington DC. The now garden, is reclaiming a swath of previously unused, a relatively unnoticed, green space in the middle of a NW DC neighborhood that lacks access to fresh foods.
The day before the ceremony we all meet there to weed and replant, to clean up the area and essentially give back to the community. We went door to door inviting the neighbors to the celebration of marriage that would take place the next day. The ceremony was magical as Lisa was walked down the isle by her father with alzheimer's, we sung hallelujahs and Lisa and Wade actually made vows to us, their friends and family. I was useless behind the camera with tears the whole time!
"Passion changes everything". Do you think that describes your work/art/life?
I think you can have passion, and yes it changes things, but for me its been the people around me that have changed everything for me. When I had a passion to pursue art, my family believed in me. When I said I wanted to be a photographer, my friends rallied around me and helped me raise funds to buy a camera. You don't get far with passion, you get far with passionately caring for the people around you.
A guilty pleasure of yours is…
Mint chip ice cream and this terrible show I watch with my roommate, Switched at Birth.
What does magic mean to you? How do you capture magic through your images?
Magic means seeing things that other people don't. I think we all have unique magic in us. I believe its the Spirit in is. I think when we realize we each see the world in a way that no one else does, we realize we need each other. We realize that there is light in each one of us that is just waiting to be exposed. I try my best to capture that light through my images, and when I'm successful, I'm reminded that that, is a gift to be stewarded.
