A Visit With | Sarah Thornhill

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I’m so excited to introduce all of you to Sarah Thornhill. Sarah is an amazing photographer living in northern California who shares gorgeous photos of her travels and adventures with her daughter. I’ve been following her for quite sometime and it’s been amazing to see how her photography business has bloomed. Read more about her below:

Tell us a little about yourself:
I’m Sarah, and I live in the beautiful northern California countryside with my husband + daughter. I’m a photographer and would happily like to take up “California explorer” as my other job title, but, you know…

Describe your path to becoming a photographer:
I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures, and would go as far to say most people really do. I mean, to have a memory captured just as you remember it is such a beautiful, beautiful thing. I sort of fell into the career, with no exact direction and not a single clue as what I was getting myself into. It started out with investing in a good camera to capture my daughter’s first years, and quickly transformed into capturing others love + life stories. The more I shot, the more I fell in love with the entire process, and it’s blossomed into something truly phenomenal.

What’s a typical workday like for you?
I work as a caregiver for my grandmother on the weekdays, so I spend most weekends photographing sessions and late nights editing. And those late nights turn into mornings, usually. I know one day I’ll get a solid routine down, but that day hasn’t come just yet. Slowly, but surely!

What was your first paid photography job? and were you nervous?
My wedding photographer, Lia Cecaci of Oh, Honestly Photography, asked me to play second-shooter at her first wedding of the year. I kid you not, I spent the entire hour drive home with a massive, borderline-crazy smile. It was a perfect experience and I knew that day that this was it. This was what I was meant to do. I learned and am still learning so much from her! I was absolutely nervous, but so thankful to have her there teaching me along the way.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The reactions when I send a client’s gallery over. Nothing in the world can beat it! I think it’s so easy to be a perfectionist in your field and to be hard on yourself, but having someone fall in love with what you worked so hard on is an incredible feeling. And I’m going to cheat and name a second thing, but meeting people of all different backgrounds with all sorts of stories is its own kind of magic.

What do you find to be the biggest challenge of being a photographer?
Managing my time well during the editing process. I can spend hours + hours on just a handful of photos, but I know with trial and error it will be a quick process (one day)!

What’s your favorite subject to photograph?
My daughter. I’d love to say two people in love (because that’s pretty great, too), but there’s something about seeing the world through a three-year old’s eyes. Or at least a glimpse of it.

Any advice you would give to someone wanting to be a photographer?
That there is no such thing as too much practice. Shoot and shoot some more to find your own style. There is so much to learn in photography and I’ve found it to be so beneficial to sort of immerse yourself in it all.

Who is inspiring you at the moment?
Benj Haisch. His photographs are absolutely gorgeous and no two are the same!

Find Sarah here:
WORK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

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