Dearest reader,
How are you this week?
I am nervous excited about writing this week’s email to you.
I am in my fuck around and find out era – literally throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks, what feels great, what feels gross, experimenting and being curious.
It feels like flow, and when I say flow, I think of the creek that I am going swimming in today, it’s quick, but still gentle after the rain (there has been rain the last few weeks). It also feels like the rip that Scott saved an old man from 2 weeks ago at the beach, dangerous and strong.
Things I am throwing at the wall, my women over 40 project that has turned into a photo book (I am finishing up photo sessions for this 30th April if you would like to join in – (and there are women that I know read this email that I would LOVE to have in the project).
Mentoring sessions that have turned into Wednesday coffee 20-minute speedy conversations for accountability, brainstorming and connection, the price is $9.99. I keep being told that is ridiculous price, that an offer like this is not sustainable. But you know what it’s my business and I am enjoying the conversations and connections that are coming from these Zoom calls, there is no pressure financial or otherwise, it really is like having a cup of coffee with a friend, business is about building relationships. Amazing opportunities come from who you know.
I am offering Women in the family photos – women over 40 with their kids, their mum, grandma, women in their family. There is a lot of curiosity and comments of “I love this idea”, a few enquiries. It is an offer that does have barriers because of logistics and for some the emotions or vulnerability in coordinating an experience like this with women in the family. There will always be one that will not pay her share, or another that the time will not suit, maybe dynamic relationship issues. Again, it is what we create it and as I have said to women that enquire, create the photo that you want; have the women in the frame that you want hanging on your wall.
I am creating blogs for my website and repurpose the good bit for Pinterest
AND TODAY:
What I am nervous excited about is something that I will share with my email list first on Wednesdays.
Scott and I were cooking a BBQ last week and chatting about how different our life is now that I am home. No more shift work and how we can continue with this life. I went on to ask him what I needed to buy for him to hang some prints that I want hung on an art wall. Scott was asking me about the prints, and he said why aren’t they your photos?
When I started my visual culture degree Scott was working fly in fly out – so he was away for 21 days and home for 5 days, I was working 38 hours a week an hour from home, at the time the boys were playing multiple sports, every night was at training and Saturday at games. And after a few wines with a friend, I signed up for a visual culture degree online. The first night I sat down and opened the online student portal I thought I was going to vomit, at that exact moment Scott called me like he did every night after his 12-hour workday. I told him how I felt, and he said “babe, you know how to read, start reading”. This man thinks I can do anything. His confidence in me far exceeds my own. The look of astonishment with a dash of annoyance comes across his face when I say “oh, I don’t know” or if I don’t dive headfirst into things gives me the confidence to as I said in the first paragraph fuck around and find out. He has always had the attitude of you are capable, resourceful, figure it out, you can do whatever you want.
My nervous excitement is around releasing a new PRINT every Wednesday.
MY prints, my photos.
It is the same feeling as when I released Remember into the world; nervous excited to see the life that will be led and where the prints will travel to, will they go in a beautiful frame on a wall in a place I only dream of travelling to, will they be stuck up with blu-tak temporarily, will they be stuck in the bottom of draw. Who will love them, will they sell, are they as good as the prints I am about to hang on my wall, comparison, comparison, then it takes me back to the feeling of sending the boys off to school for the first time, who will love them, will they have friends, will someone bully them.
It's a vulnerable position to share photographs I took for various reasons, none of them being to sell as prints – so these are deeply mine, my grief, celebration, processing, observation of beauty, capturing for sentimental reasons.
The prints will be released on a Wednesday and taken down the following Tuesday. I have created them with only one size. The size of the prints that I think will do the photo justice in how she will live once released from me. Some will be 4 x6 some maybe 12 x12. All on fine art cotton rag 300gsm paper. I will place the order to the printer on the Tuesday they are taken down, the prints will be delivered to me where I will sign them maybe with a note on the back and post them to the collector ASAP. I did investigate automatic fulfillment but the postage outside of Australia was $51.23. Not sustainable and I want these prints on walls all over the world.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE VERY FIRST PRINT.
Let me know your thoughts on allllll of the above.
Thank you for being here, I wish you a beautiful day
Love Melinda.
Love this idea of selling your prints xx
Great idea love, and... I could be interested in the photo session?