Social Media Detox

It's written on the wall... just not the Facebook wall.

It was the day before Christmas Eve, I knew I'd be away for a few days and thought it would be a good time for a bit of a break from social media. I proceeded to delete the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram apps from my iPhone, and ensured I was logged out of all social media pages on my computer. I thought I'd last a week, it turns out that I've lasted one month now and to be honest I'm not sure that I want to return to the world of selfies, re-tweets and likes.

I feel like a reformed smoker whenever someone asks me how I'm fairing without social media, some ask in tone of desperation “Oh, how are you coping?” or “When will you be back?”, others, having had a similar experience to my detox, nod and smile knowingly.

So why did I feel like I needed a detox and what did I discover about myself?

For a while now (maybe 6 months), I've felt less and less of a need to post to social media. Every time I checked my iPhone or logged into my computer, there was a Facebook or Twitter feed vying for my attention, “Read me… READ ME!”; so I'd read my friends posts; commented, liked, retweeted, replied etc. But as each day passed, I felt like I was participating less and less with these “friends” of mine, and time on social media felt more and more demanding.

Little did I realise just how much time this dutiful addiction to social media was taking up in my day to day life, I didn't even realise that I was checking social media every chance I had, especially on my iPhone, just in case I was missing out on something important. In reality, I wasn't missing anything important.

About two weeks into my detox, I came to the realization that we no longer really communicate with our friends, messages are no longer personalised our online communication, we BROADCAST our life online and if it is overlooked or not liked or replied to, we see that as disinterest from the parties involved. I was spending so much time keeping up with the Facebook-Twitter-Instagram-dashians than I wasn't giving myself time to make a life of my own.

In my third week of detox I attempted to calculate just how many hours per day I had added back into my life by not using social media, it was around 3 hours per day. That’s three hours I could catch up with a friend in real life, or read several chapters in a book, take photographs, paint, draw and talk to my housemates etc. That’s 21 hours a week and 210 hours per month. I was spending close to 9 days a month on social media. That’s definitely not living life.

I'm not saying everyone spends this amount of time on social media, but I really didn't think I did either, until I stopped and reflected. Did I really need to see 5 different friend’s photos of their Christmas trees? Did I need to hear about your new car? Or your football injury? Was my life being enriched by your drunk duckface pose photos? The answer is no.

Honestly, my life hasn't felt empty in the slightest since I went ‘offline’, I've probably seen more of my friends face-to-face than I had in months, and those friends who did want to know how I was emailed, or texted, or called. Was any less happening in my life because it wasn’t being broadcast online? No.

I now know that you cannot live your life online, at the whim of other people’s judgments while being bombarded with the broadcast of the news feed hive collective. My iPhone battery now lasts all day, since I'm not checking social media every chance I get, I've discovered just how much I can fit into my day when I’m not burying my head in a constant stream of other people’s views, insights and options.

For someone who has been on Facebook since 2008 and Twitter not long after, I really never thought it would want to quit social media. So, I'm not quitting, but once I'm back "online" I will most definitely be scaling back my access to social media, thinning my friends lists and participating in the online community on a more professional, less personal level.

Although I am ready to emerge from the cave of the summer of my social media discontent, I have to set myself boundaries and see if I keep a clear head about the effect of it on my life. And remember, I am always just an email, text or call away.

I'd really like to hear your thoughts on social media and the role it plays in your life. Have you ever gone ‘offline’ or abstained from social media?

x Mel

Franz Ferdinand Live in Melbourne

Franz Ferdinand at The Forum, Melbourne.

LC-Wide (Fuji Superia 1600 film)

It's rare that you find a band that not only feed off the energy of the crowd & can pull off some pretty mean music without looking like they're even breaking a sweat... somehow Franz Ferdinand survived the boom of guitar brit pop rock of the mid-2000's & have weathered long stints on tour & between albums to create their latest album 'Right Thoughts Right Words Right Actions' with as much vigour & stamina as their previous records.

I managed to take just a few clear shots on this roll of Fuji Superia 1600, check out that grain... I'm not a massive fan of the high ISO Fuji films, but I wouldn't have had a chance capturing any shots this night without anything 1600 or above. Next time I'll give some Ilford 3200 a go, or push some 1600.

x Mel

Exhibition Season 2013

Hi Folks... long time, no photos... I know! However, if you are in Melbourne over the next couple of weeks you will have the opportunity to come along to a couple of exhibitions I will be participating in, one being my final end of year exhibition at the Victorian College of Art & the other is the annual Unsensored Analogue Photography exhibition at Collingwood Gallery.

Would love to see you there!

x Mel

Once Upon a Time in Abbotsford

LC-Wide (Fuji Superia 200 film)

Apologies for the lack of posts recently. I've been focused on my other work at the moment (which you can check out here) & I've never been one to post photos just for the sake of creating a post.

These are a few shots from a couple of months ago, when it was still quite cold and my friend April accompanied me on a little photo walk around Abbotsford Convent.

x Mel

Winter, just passing through

LC-Wide (Kodak T-Max 100)

I seem to be shooting more black & white than usual these days, discovering new film favourites and letting the winter light speak for itself. I'm enjoying spending my days at the studio, working on projects and having the time to go out and shoot in daylight hours.

x Mel

P.S. I'm running a Introduction to Lomography workshop in Melbourne on August 15th if anyone is interested! You can find all the info and booking details here: Introduction to Lomography Melbourne.

Black & White Autumn Waltz

Belair X6-12 (Lomography Lady Grey 120 film)

So, winter, you've well and truly arrived in Melbourne. Short, short days, filled with coffee and wholesome soups. It feels like there is a wind of change (a bit of an icy one) blowing through town at the moment. I've recently resigned from my day job, which is equally scary and exciting, but will leave me with more time to devote to Lomography Australia and my own art/photography practice. The lovely folks in my studio have been super supportive over the past couple of months, and it's wonderful to get advice from creative types who know what you are going through.

I'll be back at VCA completing my first year of post-grad next semester, so it will be lovely to have more time to dedicate to my projects and also to spend some daytime hours in the studio.

Many changes are afoot, who knows what will happen in the next few months, but I can say one thing, I'm looking forward to the change. (hopefully you will also see more posts from me on this little blog)

x
Mel

Former Yorkshire Brewery, Collingwood.

LC-Wide (Kodak Ektar)

I managed to catch one of the last sunny warm weekends to spend on a photo walk around Collingwood with a few of my fellow film shooters. One of our main destinations was the former Yorkshire Brewery in Collingwood, that is now derelict & awaiting council sign off before being turned into a multi-storey apartment building.

However, currently it is a mix of bright graffiti & urban flotsam... with nature slowly taking over. Sometimes its nice to get out and shoot in places you've not been before & if you can find some friends who have local insider knowledge of what is out there, then that's even better!

How that winter is slowly setting in, there will be fewer warm sunny days... so it looks like I'll have stick to Portra 400 film & try to overlook the clouds & rain that are on their way.

x
Mel

Surprising Studio

LC-Wide (Kodak BW400CN) - ACDC Lane - Cherry Bar.

So, Melbourne. You have been been impressing me lately. Yes, you are getting colder, but you have resisted too much of that silly rainy windy mess that you are known for. Among other things you have opened some pretty amazing doors lately, including of the physical variety... the physical art/creative studio variety. 

I have longed for a little while now to have a place where I can dedicate my time to my creative artistic projects, my post-grad coursework and my Lomography freelance work. A few of weeks back I responded to an advert of the Creative Spaces website for a desk space in a communal studio just a couple of blocks from my house in Carlton. After meeting the awesome bunch of people who share the space, they decided that I fit the bill & I was welcomed into the world of Bouverie Studios! Hurrah!

The past few of weeks that I've been working in the studio have been super productive & very much worth the extra rent. I recommend anyone who doesn't feel like they have the space or solitude they need in their current working space to seek out a studio space, it very much worth it for your own peace of mind & the best outcome of your work. I'm surprised just how much I can get done on nights & weekends, more than I ever did working out of my bedroom in a share house.

What has surprised you lately?

x 

Mel

Mother Megan Love

LC-Wide & Belair X6-12 (with black borders)

To say that I'm over the moon about the birth of my best friend's little girl, Harriet would be an understatement... so I wanted to post a few more of the photographs I took back in February for Megan's pregnancy photo shoot.

These are some of my favorite shots from the whole day & I really love the way that they show just how happy Megan was to welcome her first born into the world. I feel that they are a mix of celebration and heartfelt happiness, which were exactly the emotions that that Megan was expressing on the day.

I had the opportunity not only to use my beloved LC-Wide, but also my new Belair X6-12... this was only the 2nd time I had used my Belair & I found that it gives such a beautiful quality to these portraits. I can't wait to use it in more portrait sessions in the future.

I especially can't wait to take photos of little Harriet when I am next in Brisbane. 

x

Mel

Hello Harriet!

My beautiful & amazing friends Megan & Dan have welcomed their daughter, Harriet into the world!

What other way to celebrate is there than with confetti?

Congratulations Megan & Dan! I can't wait to come visit Brisbane to meet her!

x 

Mel

O'lovely!

   

O'lovely - LC-A, LC-Wide & Diana Mini (various film types)

Back in January I had the pleasure of joining the wonderful O'lovely girls, Laura & Shakira for a photo shoot, here in Melbourne. The theme was 'runaways', so we spent the afternoon shooting at a local train station & getting up to general hijinks.

O'lovely have just arrived back from recording new material in New Zealand... so keep an eye out at the links below for new music.

O'lovely at Triple J Unearthed
O'lovely My Space
O'lovely Facebook

x
Mel