Sarah Freije is a family and lifestyle photographer, and the face behind Blueberry Hill Photography. She lives in Anchorage, Alaska with her husband and two children. She didn’t really know what she wanted to be when she “grew up”, and did stints as a middle school teacher, a TV producer, and a makeup artist before finding photography. Now she can’t imagine doing anything else, and loves getting to document her own kids—as well as so many other families’ memories. She dreams of getting to travel again with her husband and kids in a post-pandemic world, and is looking forward to the day she can sit in a café, while sipping an oatmilk latte and doing a crossword puzzle.

For more inspiration from Sarah:

Website | Instagram

Here is Sarah, Unraveled…

What inspires your art? 

My kids, definitely-- but also the fact that I have a horrible memory! If I don’t have a photo of something, it might as well be like it never happened! In 2010, I made a New Year’s Resolution to take a photo every day and through that, I discovered my love of documentary work. It’s now been 10 years of picking up my camera every day, and even though the photos aren’t all great (most of them aren’t) I absolutely love having them as a diary—even if it means I have way too many external hard drives lying around the house! :)

What do you shoot with? Camera body and favorite lens? 

I just recently went mirrorless, and am loving it so far! I shoot with the Canon R6 and the Mark iv, and I’d say my Canon 35 1.4 is on my camera 99% of the time.

What other ways do you express your creativity? 

I feel like my creative expression has changed since having kids. I don’t really have the time to paint or work on the next great American novel like I used to. Instead, these days you’ll find me rocking out to “Let It Go” dance parties with my kids, re-purposing cardboard boxes into forts and airplanes, or attempting to cook something I saw on Great British Bake Off.

How do you de-stress at the end of the day? 

This feels so silly to say, but sleep! With two little kids, my sleep schedule isn’t really in my control—so it feels really decadent when I can get enough sleep. I love climbing into bed, reading a little, putting on some super nice moisturizer, and going to sleep! 

What kind of music do you listen to while editing? 

Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me on NPR. It’s my absolute favorite. I stream it if I miss the live show, and I can’t help but smile while editing.

What is your favorite book? 

“Big Magic” had a big impact on me as an artist, and I love anything by Jane Austen.

Name one movie that inspires you. 

I love Wes Anderson films. I wish I could emulate his style. I just love the way he composes shots and uses color, plus the quirky storylines and characters just make me so happy.

How do you handle self-doubt or creative slumps? 

Giving myself permission to make crap. Seriously! Even if I am uninspired, looking at something mundane and trying to figure out a cool way to capture it is a great chance to shoot in different light or try seeing things from a different perspective. And when all else fails, I google photography checklists and pick a few prompts or techniques from them and just focus on those for a day. (My kids love those days because it usually means we are going to be doing something wacky!)

The other thing that has helped me more than anything is finding people who are in the same position as me and can empathize! That's where my amazing Unraveled small group comes in! We've formed a sisterhood unlike anything I've ever experienced, and not a day goes by where we don't talk to each other and check in. Having photographer friends is such a huge gift because they can understand what you're going through and vice versa.

What has been the most difficult part of your creative journey?

How much time do you have?! Comparison and self-doubt come to mind first. My inner-voice can be a real b****! I’ve learned it is okay to unfollow accounts that trigger self-doubt, and also I have to remind myself 1000 times a day to not say anything to myself that I wouldn’t say to another human.

I'd also have to say striking a balance with my work and personal life has been really challenging. I think some of that is just motherhood, and some of it is working for yourself-- but I refuse to believe that the level of imbalance I've been living is normal. The last two years I've taken on too much, and by the end of busy season I've made myself physically ill. I'm really motivated to get some goals and boundaries in place for the next year.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Ranch dressing, red onion, tomatoes, and so much cheese. Yum!

What is your most favorite kind of light and why?

I love back light so I can get even skin tones. But directional light also has my heart and is something I’d like to do more of with clients instead of just personal work.

What is your favorite course or lesson at Unraveled? 

I really loved Chloe Rosser’s Embracing the Mundane. I was in a huge rut with my 365 Project when her course came out, and it really gave me a boost to see my home differently. I also loved the way her words accompanied her photos and created such a sweet heirloom for her kids!