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

Like List #1

Instagram of one of my Belair transparencies from a shoot with O'lovely

Here is my first ever little like list!!

Firstly, Max Gimblett is one of my all time favorite artists, he is a Kiwi who now splits his time between New York and Auckland. I fell in love with Max's work back in the early 2000's & he is one of the most consistent & hard working artists I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

His most recent works are available to view on his website & I am currently in love with his colourful Quatrefoil works on paper. 

Max Gimblett's colourful Quatrefoils on paper.

Secondly, I was doing some research into artists who had attended the Art Student's League of New York, and I stumbled upon the Lost Artwork's page on Wikipedia. I never had any idea of the quantity of artwork that has been destroyed or 'lost' over the years & I found it incredibly interesting to read about the circumstances in which some of the art was lost.

Lost Artworks on Wikipedia.

& finally, I am going through a 'I want to run away to Paris!' phase (again!) & stumbled upon Airbnb. It's a nifty little place where you can view & book cheap apartment accommodation, pretty much anywhere you want to travel. You can rent just a room, or an entire apartment, with prices according to what is provided & location. I must say that looking at Airbnb fuelled so many daydreams of Parisian photowalks, cafe au lait, crepes & bottles of wine drank on the edge of the Seine. 

Airbnb - Holiday Apartment heaven!

x
Mel

Poladarium 2013!

 

 

I was lucky enough to have two of my Impossible Project SX-70 Polaroids included in the Poladarium 2013 calendar (see above). Its lovely seeing your photographs in print, the thrill never really wears off... it's one thing that makes all the film, cameras, patience & time involved in film photography very much worth it. Submissions for next year's Poladarium are opening soon, so keep an eye out if you shoot Polaroid! 

x

Mel

Photo Swap 2012 - Part Two

My Melbourne photos from the photoswap with Margrethe from Norway. 

(LC-Wide with expired Agfa 100)

Oh the joys of a Melbourne spring! Sunny 28 one day, rainy 8 the next... thankfully there is always just enough light to snap up the sights of the city.

I can hardly believe that it is already November, the year has gone so fast & so many things have happened. Next weekend I am spending a long weekend in Sydney, a little mini break is exactly what I need & if I manage to take some photos while I'm there, that's a bonus. (Although I am limiting myself to only taking 3 cameras with me!) I'll also be catching up with a couple of old friends from the UK & Europe that I've not seen in ages... fun times!

Then 3 weeks after that I am back in Sydney for a Blogshop workshop which I'm going to with the spectacular photographer Olivia... we are making a big girls weekend away of it & I just can't wait for cocktails harbourside & learning loads of neat new photoshop skills.

Sometimes you just need a little travel time to clear your head & heart.

x Mel

Photo Swap 2012 - Part One

Norway photos from the photoswap with Margrethe.

This year I participated in the annual Photoswap run by Rhianne from For The Easily Distracted, which involved swapping film with another film photographer in another part of the world. I was teamed up with the incredibly talented Margrethe from Norway.

Above are a few of the photos from the film that Margrethe sent me from Norway (you can see the remainder of photos from this film here.), but in my next post I will also post the photos from the film I sent to Margrethe.

I just realised today that Margrethe & myself share our birthday, November 18th (however a few years separate us)... what a lovely coincidence!

It was so lovely to be involved in this project & I can't wait to see everyone's photos over on the Flickr group!

x Mel