Did you know that worldwide, there are more skin cancer cases due to indoor tanning than there are lung cancer cases due to smoking? 

JAMA Dermatology released a study, “International Prevalence of Indoor Tanning -- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" which finds that worldwide, the number of skin cancer cases due to tanning is higher than the number of lung cancer cases due to smoking.​

For a while now I have been contemplating a way to combine my interests and different shops into one cohesive brand. I still have a bit of work to do, but today I’ve launched my new shop! Check it out! And take a look below to see a peek of what’s in store!

I recently switched back to a Dell XPS, in search of a computer with the most RAM and best SSD I could find.  However, as a content creator and photographer I quickly realized that photos on my new computer screen looked NOTHING like they did in print, on my phone, or on other computers.   The screen was VERY vibrant, over-saturated, and orange.

The problem with this was when I was editing photos, they would look great on my computer, but when I exported them they looked really dull on other devices (skin tone looked grey instead of warm).  This was obviously a huge issue for me to resolve, as I would never want to send photos to a client that didn't look great on their own device, or in print.

I have tried monitor calibration tools in the past and did not like the result.  Instead, I take the approach of checking my photos on other devices and in print periodically to make sure that they look consistently good in those forms.  So basically I was just looking for a way to turn down some of that saturation on my new Dell XPS.

Dell has a solution for this, as I soon found!  It is called Dell PremierColor, and you can download it here from their website. 

When I first opened up the tool, the Color Gamut was set to "Vibrant (Full)".  I switched it over to "Internet (sRGB)" and instantly all the issues I had were gone!  There are also settings on here to limit blue light which is great for nighttime browsing. 

Hope this is helpful if you were having the same issues I was!

​<3 Lindsey

The coronavirus / quarantine situation has put stress onto everyone and has taken away a lot of ways we can remove stress. For me, when anxiety started to overwhelm I would always head to a Ghosh yoga class. Now that we’re forced inside and I’m as busy as ever I found a new outlet to let my brain have a break from thinking for 30 min a day.

Below are some of the daily results of my watercolor adventures. I’m not watching tutorials or doing things “the right way” because I’m using this time to simply not think, create, and learn through experimentation.

Hope you enjoy!

Weird times call for new forms of getting by, new forms of creating. Desperate to do a creative portrait session, my friend and business partner (Ember + Solis) Sam and I got on FaceTime video chat and started making something similar to what we’re used to making, despite 2500 miles being in between us. Despite the global pandemic happening.

​It feels so normal, which is scary to think that technology has become so much a part of our lives that despite everything happening - it really is our new normal.

To see more of my photography work, please check out my website.

It’s the little things that make us happy during times like this. Here’s a few moments during quarantine that made me feel normal.

Growing up I never fully felt part of “the group.” Even in college surrounded by friends that were handed out like a jar of candy, I never fully felt like I belonged and ended up pushing people away. This is something that is hard to admit, write, and share as I spent the entire first part of my life pretending the opposite was true.

After college, my life turned around for the better. I made some financially risky decisions that paid off with some hard work, I had several groups of great friends, a home, a career, a yard, somebody who would do anything for me. But it wasn’t enough. I pushed it all away and left for the other side of the country in search of something more. A newer bigger home, a perfect partner, a sunnier climate, an even bigger group of friends.

I found that group of friends. I found them at 3am on Friday nights cuddled up on the couch with 6 others laughing. I found them at weekly dinners, movie nights, birthday parties, and countless nights out. It defined me. They were who I was. This is who I wanted to be.

For about 5 years my life revolved around being a part of “the group.” When something or someone threatened it, or even took it away from me I became outraged. The anger would consume me for months on end. I felt wronged. But I would find another group. It became this cycle of needing to be surrounded by this collective of people who embodied “fun,” and needing to be a key player in that group.

But the thing with these large groups of ‘friends’ is that collectively, they will always take the path of least resistance, the path that takes the least amount of “fun” away. So at the times in my life when I really actually needed a friend, the group was not there. The group was doing what the group always did. I slowly started to realize that if I wanted real relationships in my life, if I wanted the kinds of people that could peer into my soul and really see me, that would support me no matter what they saw, I had to completely change my surroundings. These weren’t bad people, in fact they were amazing people. But they were clouded by the same cloudiness I had. They needed the group to feel whole. They lacked an individualism, a drive to truly live their purpose instead of hiding behind the group, doing the same things day after day as the years passed by.

Before I moved back to the PNW I had many days not knowing if I’d ever find what I was looking for, thinking that real relationships were impossible or that I wasn’t deserving of them, or that it was too late for me to find them. I made a drastic move, a return to home, and a return to my purpose and desires. I know what I want, and what will actually make me happy. If staying in to read, paint, blog, or work on my business is what I need, I no longer feel a fear of missing out like I used to. I no longer feel the need to say yes just because a group of attractive, fun, like able people ask me to hang out. I no longer feel like somebody will “steal” my friendships if I’m not there to protect them. I’m showing up as me, and sometimes that means not physically showing up at all.

The Process

I've been staying in downtown Seattle for the corona-virus quarantine and have made a few trips to grab food. I took my camera a couple times to capture what life is like right now. I'm pretty timid when it comes to taking photos of people who aren't willing participants, so most of these images are of the Seattle streets - not the masks, gas masks, gloves, fear, and isolation walking around. These streets and markets are usually full of residents, tourists, and vendors. From closed forever signs, to encouraging messages, empty streets, and boarded up restaurants - join me in a sobering look at our city during this time.

Recently I made salmon chowder and it turned out so great I can't help but share with all of you!  Being in the PNW, fresh seafood, and Seattle chowder is everywhere, so it was fun to make this myself too! 
​Enjoy!

Beginner Video Editing Tutorial
Need: Adobe​ ​Creative​ ​Cloud  membership​​ ​(or trial) to get Adobe Premiere Pro

Have you ever wondered how to make a video clip that is shaky into one that is smooth? 

Sometimes I get into a situation where I don't have a gimbal but ended up filming a small clip of a vacation or a photo shoot that I want to later use in a video.  Because I was hand holding my camera, it is often shaky and moving around a lot which is super distracting and not a pleasant viewing experience.  I'm going to teach you a super quick way to FIX that in Adobe Premiere Pro!

• When you're in adobe premiere pro and working on your video, select the clip that you want to stabilize.
• Go to the effects panel
• Click Distort
• Click Warp Stabilizer and drag it onto the clip in your timeline (or several clips)
• Premiere Pro will automatically start analyzing the clip(s) in the background

The next step and tip I would suggest is rendering these clips.  Depending on what you have done to other clips in your timeline you may want to render them as well.  On your timeline right under the numbers, you should see red, yellow, or green bars for each clip.  I recommend rendering any clip that is yellow or red, but especially red. This will allow you to playback the clip (with any effects including the warp stabilizer above) without freezing on your computer screen.  

• Select the clips you want to render
• Click the Sequence Menu
• Click Render In to Out

​Enjoy!

After moving back to Seattle, I found myself going from a house with lots of space and open areas to a tiny apartment that I all of the sudden had to fit all of my belongings into.  Being that I work from home, I love being able to do at home workouts on my lunch hour. but suddenly I had no space for gym equipment.  I tried out Fluidity Barre and was shocked at how easy it was to set it up (less than a minute) as well as fold up and store under my couch!

I was also shocked at everything the system came with and what great quality it was.  Besides the barre (solid wood!) and mat, it came with several DVDs of workouts, a ball, bands, a pump for the ball, and a healthy eating guide. 

After my 30 minute workout, I slide it back under the couch and can go back to my day!

My friend Ashley and I went to London for the holidays this year!  We walked a TON every day, found so many street markets full of food vendors, vintage goods, and more.  We also tried out some highly recommended restaurants with crazy long lines (ex. Padella, Dishoom) that were so good!  So essentially we ate a lot, shopped a lot, and walked a lot!  Here are some photos I took on my camera of the sights around London, enjoy!

​Photos taken on a Canon 5d mark iv,  Sigma 24-70 lens, and edited with my presets.
Shop my print store here!

Christmas time in Paris, what more can you ask for?
My dear friend Ashley wanted to spend the holidays in London & Paris, and what kind of friend would I be if I said no?!  But really, I'll take any excuse to travel especially if it means I get to eat beignets and drink wine all day.

We spent most of our time here walking, exploring the city by foot, stopping in every Zara and boutique the city has to offer, and trying some amazing restaurants. 

My first time in Germany was such a refreshing experience!  I am fortunate enough to have made a few friends in the US who are from and live in Germany, and this time I got to visit my friend Max who was the best host!  He took my friend and I on a full bike ride throughout the city, we visited Christmas Markets, ate the local food and drank the local beers.  We saw the river that he surfs one continuous wave on, went dancing on a night where dancing was apparently illegal in the country, and had lots of homemade breakfasts from our wonderful host!

​Photos taken on a Canon 5d mark iv,  Sigma 24-70 lens, and edited with my presets.
Shop my print store here!

I headed back to Sedona for a 2nd time and it was just as beautiful as ever.  Spent the weekend hiking, watching the sun set, trying out new restaurants, and taking in the beautiful desert.  Dying to shoot another wedding out here <3

Photos taken on a Canon 5d mark iv,  Sigma 24-70 lens, and edited with my presets.
Shop my print store here!

Growing up acne was never a big issue for me.  Then I hit 25 and moved to South Carolina (hello humidity) and things took a quick turn.  Fast forward 5 years later and I was still dealing with spurts of adult acne which is frustrating.  My life is super busy and stress seems to make my skin very upset.

Poly LED offered to let me try their new anti-acne device, the only cordless LED device on the market, and I was excited to see what the results would be.  The following is a before and after photo after using the light for 1.5 weeks.  

Overall I feel like it definitely worked for my skin (the blue light kills the bacteria and the red light helps to heal scars and marks).  Moreover, now that my skin has cleared up, I can notice a difference if I don't use it for a couple days as acne starts wanting to emerge again.   Luckily this is cordless & lightweight so I can bring it anywhere as a tool in my quest for natural, healthy skin free of harsh chemicals and ingredients that can age you (despite what they advertise). ​

If you're interested in learning more, check out the devices here: https://www.mypolyled.com/product/poly-go-clear/

So I had to leave my blow dryer and a thousand other things behind when I moved across the country this year.  I was okay with it because I really don't like using heat on my hair as it can be damaging.  However I really missed being able to dry off that last section when I need to get out the door or start getting ready.

I tested out these 2 gorgeous tools from Jose Eber - the blow dryer and the wet/dry hair straightener.  Keep reading to hear why I love them, and get a 70% off coupon!

The Direct Air Blow dryer has 3 different heads, 2 of which direct the air in a strict line which makes drying super quick and efficient!   Its also surprisingly very lightweight which means I wont feel guilty traveling with it.

The Infrared 2" Wet / Dry Hair straightener can be used on wet or dry hair and is designed to minimize damage.  Lately I've found this is really nice to use about an hour after I get out of the shower and want to spend 1-2 minutes smoothing and finishing drying my hair with a couple comb-thrus of this tool.  Makes my day a little easier and I can say goodbye to the "messy bun" and be okay wearing my hair down when I don't have time to style it.  Another way I love to use this is (at the same time, hour post shower) to run it through my hair and then wrap the hair around curlers for 10 minutes - the result is perfect beach waves with only 2 minutes of my time. 

My last stop in China was to Shanghai, a fun, crowded, lit up city with lots to do. 

We took a pretty decent sized boat cruise along the river in Shanghai.  On one side of the river, it is filled with the the colonial architecture of European design - the Western influences of the old days.  On the other side it is full of more modern skyscrapers.  Seeing the difference of the area depending on which side of the river you were on was pretty incredible to witness via boat. 

​This large and insanely busy market is composed of specialty stores, selling traditional Chinese arts and crafts, medicine and souvenirs.  The buildings were all incredibly detailed and beautiful and everywhere we went was packed with people, especially on the weekend.  If you want to shop, this was definitely the place to do it! 

On my last night, we attended a Chinese acrobatic show called "The Intersection of Time."  The performers were phenomenal.   

​Hangzhou was described by Marco Polo as "the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world" and has been described by poets and artists as “Paradise on Earth”,  home to the West Lake, the most beautiful lake in the country.  Daytime here was quite and serene while nighttime downtown was filled with plenty of shopping, eating, lights, and fun things to explore!

We got to visit and tour the number 1 tea plantation and taste (and buy way too much) of the "Dragon Well" tea, the best green tea in China.  We learned a lot about the health benefits of green tea and got to witness its antioxidant benefits in a cool experiment! 

Wuxi (pronounced "ooo-she") was such a calm peaceful city.  The accent here almost sounds like singing as opposed to other cities like Shanghai which tend to sound like yelling.   Here i visited the grand Buddha and a serene lake. 

One of China's largest Buddha statues at over 80m tall. The surrounding area is huge, and full of peaceful, beautiful attractions.  At sunset, there was a large musical fountain which plays out the story of the birth of the Buddha.  Also here is the Brahma palace, a palace with sandalwood pillars, built to host the 2009 Buddhist conference.

Suzhou is also known as the "Oriental Venice" for its beautiful canals, bridges, pagodas, and gardens.  I took a boat ride through this gorgeous yet mellow city and was so humbled by the way of living I witnessed everywhere.