Warm Weather Jams

hello loves!

Now that Daylight Savings Time is officially in effect (let me just say that I am bitter over my lost sleep), there is no denying the arrival of Spring! It has been a bit cold lately in NC, reminding me of our earlier January days and leaving me fearful of snow. Spring Break is right around the corner, though, which means warm destinations lie ahead! Along with this, I will finally be getting my license this week! After a long (and agonizing) year of waiting, I will be able to take to the streets! One of my favorite things to do at the end of a long day or just for fun is to go on sunset drives! No ride is complete without a jam sesh, though, so today I thought I would share some of my favorite tunes for warmer weather. Whether you'll be lying on a sunny beach or driving, these tunes are perfect for the upcoming season. I hope you enjoy!

You can listen to these songs in playlist form on my Spotify here.

XOXO,

Sadie

Springtime Photoshoots

Quite honestly, I don't think that there is any better way to spend a Saturday then with friends and a camera. Yesterday, Oussa, Nichola, and I met up for a photoshoot! After sitting and chatting for a while we went around our area taking pictures and having fun. Even though it was a bit chilly, I tried to keep a springtime vibe throughout all of the outfits I chose! In my first look, I styled my favorite girlfriend jeans from Abercrombie with a faded green button up from J. Crew (similar). To accessorize, I added my lace up heels from Target. In my next look, I wore my favorite off-the-shoulder dress from Urban Outfitters (an equally cute alternative). I especially love this piece for warm weather outings and I can't wait to wear it to the beach! For my last look, I wore my trusty denim skirt from Forever 21 with a white ruffled cami! I also threw over my green button up and used a bandana from Madewell as a headband. I really enjoyed spending the day with such wonderful people and I can't wait to do it again!

ps- check out the last picture for a real life behind the scenes shot!

Happy Sunday loves! I hope this next week treats you well.

XOXO,

Sadie

How to Get the Perfect Instagram Feed

Hello loves! It's finally here... the long awaited "How I Edit my Instagram Pictures" post! After fine tuning my editing style, I'm sitting down to share with you all my tips and tricks for a perfect feed.

the after

the before

how I edit my pictures 

I mainly use VSCO to edit my photos, along with the Afterlight app. My first step for editing is to put on the VSCO filter M5. It warms up the photo and gives it a more summery vibe. After this, I save the photo to my phone, re-upload it into VSCO, and apply the filter A6. I love how this filter makes blues and greens look! If the filter is too intense, I will turn it down a bit to make it look more natural.

I will also brighten the picture a bit (in this image I added +1.5) and, if needed, up the saturation and contrast. Next, I will warm the photo up by adding a temperature of around +.7. Afterwards, I will make the photo greener by changing the tint to -.5 and moving the skin tone to around +.9, depending on how much the image needs. If the image isn't perfectly straight, I always tilt it or work with the x- and y- skew to get it centered. The right alignment can make a huge difference!

I also like to add a bit of grain to my photos to give it an old fashioned vibe! After this, I will save the image to my phone and move into the Afterlight app. I only use this to add the photo "dust" and sometimes a "light leak". In terms of dust, I usually use dust number 12 (turned down a bit) and finish my edit off with a nice "light leak" that compliments the image.

so how exactly do you translate good images into a good feed?

Well, my first tip is to stick to one or two filters when editing your pictures. This gives your feed some uniformity. If you want your feed to really pop, pick a few colors and try and incorporate them into every photo you take! If you look at my feed from Autumn, I stuck to an orange and brown theme. Once you get tired of the colors, you can transition into a few others you like!

I also recommend switching between a light and dark posts regularly. If you look at the picture of my Autumn theme, you can see I alternate between light and dark posts. This creates a nice symmetry when looking at the whole feed but also a variety of content for your viewers!

For planning my feed, I use the UNUM app! It makes it quite easy to see my feed and see how the pictures look without posting to Instagram and then immediately deleting.

I also keep a board on Pinterest for my Instagram Ideas (view it here) to keep my inspired and give me picture ideas!

a note on instagram

Of course, Instagram isn't a reality! Never forget that nearly every photo is staged, planned, and perfected before it is posted. It is just a highlight reel! NO ONE'S LIFE IS PERFECT! Every human struggles and has ups and downs, no matter what there social media looks like or says. :)

I hope you guys found this post helpful and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

XOXO,
Sadie