Tuesday, September 9, 2014

My Fridays on instagram

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I sometimes wonder a bit about how much my online worlds interconnect. If I post my new knitting project on Ravelry have you seen it before I get around to tweeting it? If I tell you a funny story on Facebook is it doubling up to blog it too? And if I write about something that is going on in my life as the caption to my Instagram picture, can I assume that most people who are interested in my goings on will have read it as a bite sized chunk and so there's no reason to tell it anywhere online again?

I have no idea.

But just in case you didn't see this on my instagram, and if you did I'm sorry to be repeating myself, there's this cool thing that I'm taking part of that I thought you might like to know about too.

A few weeks ago 10 Melbourne instagrammers were contacted by The Centre of Contemporary Photography (CCP) in Melbourne, inviting us to take part in their inaugural instagram competition. And I was one of them, can you believe it?!! I certainly couldn't.

The rules are that each participant must post a photo each Friday for ten Fridays using a one word prompt provided. Other than that we would be free to use instagram however we liked.

At first I felt honoured and humbled and majorly overwhelmed to be included amongst such incredible photographers. I think I even jumped up and down a bit too. And then I promptly panicked and wrote back an email stating the ten reasons why there was no way I could play along. The first one being how incredibly talented and professional and arty the other nine photographers are. I thought I would feel silly taking my usual photos of wool and chickens and children alongside their masterpieces.

But then after a good long think, and a few kind pep talks from my peeps, I decided to play along. But I would be trying my hardest not to be intimidated, not to second guess myself and not to try and recreate anyone else's style. And I would post iPhone photos only, edited on my phone only, taken on or as close as possible to the same day as posting only. 

So each Friday we'll be posting our pics using the hashtag #ccp_australia. Each week there will be a different theme and each week I'll be hyperventilating while I work out what to post and hope to goodness that I don't make too much of a fool of myself while doing so.

The first theme was BEGINNINGS and my photo was the springtime one up above.

I think the first one was the hardest because I didn't know what to expect from the others. But around lunchtime as I was gathering veggies from the garden for dinner and flowers for the table, I had the brainwave to lay them out on the ground like that.

I tried doing the writing with seeds, then with petals before the chalk. Our dog ran through it a few times and I panicked as the others started posting their clean, stunning pics. But eventually I took a big deep breath and posted it. It's earthy and messy but then again so am I.

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The second week's prompt was TEXTURE.

We moved all our flocks of chickens through the forest that Friday morning and I considered every wood-pile, every fallen branch, every bit of moss and every other interesting textural bit of forest I came across, but in the end I decided I wanted something brighter.

So at about five o'clock, just when I thought the light would be just right, I carried a chair and a pile of blankets I'd made down the hill to the back of the bottom shed. But no matter how I tried I couldn't get the shot I wanted.

I spent the next ten minutes running up and down our hill chucking those blankets on things, against things and underneath things before coming home and snapping the picture above. Sometimes simple just works better.

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Last Friday's word was LIGHT.

All week I'd imagined something to do with feathers - light as a feather and all that. And it just so happened that last week our pullet flock started losing their baby feathers and I amassed quite the collection.

But out of the three, this last photo is the one I am least happy with. Although it has light and feathery light, and although it is earthy and farmy, I still don't think it is me. I feel like I tried something and it didn't quite work.

Luckily I've only got a few days before this Friday's entry to make myself feel better.

You can click on the #ccp_australia hashtag to check it all out for yourself and if you like you can even play along using the #diyccpsalon hashtag. Come November all the 100 photos will be printed out and hung as a proper exhibition and you can go along and see them there too. Wow!

Oh and these three photos were taken on my camera, but if you want to have a look at the proper instagram versions, please come and find me, I'm @foxslane over there too.

Anyway, enough about me, how about you?
Do you have your own rules for your instagram posting?
Do you feel like everyone's just repeating themselves, repeating themselves all over social media?
Do you think you might like to play along with this Friday's CCP prompt too?



I hope your light is just right.
Happy snapping!

xx

44 comments:

  1. I only really follow people on blogs so thanks for posting them here. I love your photos. They picked you for a reason - your photos are beautiful.

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  2. I've become conscious of holding back some content from Instagram, so that I have something unique to share on my blog. I only have a handful of regular readers at my blog and I think some of those follow me on IG too - I don't want to bore them!! My only issue however, is that I really enjoy the interaction & feedback on IG and I don't really get that on the blog, so sometimes I feel like I'm sharing something I put a lot of time & effort into and no one is reading it anyway.... I don't know if that makes sense??

    I used to "like" a lot of my fave blogs on FB as well, but I've stopped doing that now. It was a bit "too much of a good thing"..

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  3. Firstly Kate, these photos are gorgeous! I LOVE the spring wreath! Please keep sharing them on your blog. I actually share very little on FB anymore and I am not on IG. In both cases I feel that there is only so much of my 'stuff' that people are actually interested in. For what it is worth I really love blogging but I don't like sharing things too many times, so I 'save' most moments and photos for the blog.

    Who would have ever thought we would have so many options? x

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  4. I really only follow blogs on a continual basis, facebook is for catching up with family and friends OS and instagram I have an account but have never used it. So please keep cross posting Kate :)

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  5. I don't follow IG or facebook - so thank you for still blogging. I love your blog posts, they are always so real.

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  6. I LOVE the feathers pic!!! So atmospheric and I can almost see the chooks just out of shot! The light is stunning. All the pics are wonderful (I wish my pics looked like yours) but the feathers is my favourite! Blessings. x

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  7. Kate, I am a real photography nut (even if I don't take many great pics myself) and one of the reasons I love your blog so much is your wonderful photos, so I am so glad you accepted the challenge. These three photos are fantastic, different and all reflecting what is important in your life. I love them all, the feathers are lovely against the wooden background. I really only follow blogs, so I am glad you post here too. I am not on FB yet. Not sure how much longer I can avoid it though!!! Have a happy day, as your spring is springing our autumn chills are starting here in the UK. Elaine x

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  8. Your photos are just stunning! I too wonder about cross-posting and doubling up as I have a blog, facebook page and instagram. With pics like yours though I don't mind if I happen to see yours twice :)

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  9. Hola Kate! Quería decirte que de los blogs que sigo el tuyo es uno de los que mas me gusta, si te han elegido es porque saben que haces muy buenas fotografías, ¡Animo! No hace falta que te compares con los demás tu propio ser tiene la sensibilidad de poder plasmar belleza en cada foto y transmiten tu esencia... Yo no tengo cuenta en instagram aunque me gusta , pasare a mirar... que te diviertas y disfrutes con este nuevo reto.

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  10. I actually love the last photo best! And yes, I wonder about the repeating too...so much so that I think I'm going to drop off Facebook and just stick to my blog and Instagram. For me, the time spent curating Facebook posts on the blog page could be better spent commenting on beautiful blogs like yours I think ;) Congratulations on being invited to take part!

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  11. Kate, be yourself after all that's why we love your blog. Good wholesome real life country farm living. You are really living life and not a magazine. Don't second guess yourself, just be yourself. All beautiful pics and I'm a blog lover not a Facebook person but we are all different so people are going to want like different styles of social media too. Enjoy your little postings how much fun it will be. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane

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  12. Oh Kate, I feel like your in my head! I totally rambled on a whole post today about connecting and it all being too much sometimes and some days I just wish there were just blogs and no other social media, because I always feel like I'm doing the same thing everywhere. But you know what, I love seeing your world, all the time and everywhere! And I love these beautiful photos and they really do inspire to dream big about our own little patch of land. Much Love to you! xxx

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  13. I love your photos, so you, which is why I read your blog. I don't do instagram so many thanks for sharing on here.

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  14. Your photos are gorgeous Kate! You are a photographer!

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  15. sometimes there is a little bit of repetition i guess... but a lot of the time, things are written differently, or share different degrees of the 'story'
    instagram is such a little snippet, as is twitter. then facebook and blogging are more in depth.
    and ravelry is just wool and that is awesome :D
    xo

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  16. Kate I'm so very glad you're still here in Blogland and as I'm not an Instagram dweller. I hope you continue to be here in this space to add your sweet voice to your beautiful images.
    Lxxxxxxxxxx

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  17. It doesn't matter if you double up in other places, you're bound to because it's your life you're talking about. I love your writing and photos and find them hugely inspiring (especially anything to do with knitting & crochet).
    I don't blog or instagram but I read you on both as well as pinterest. I had to pin that Spring photograph just now, it's stunning Kate, and though I know nothing about the CCP, I can quite believe you are a most worthy contributor.
    Kindest regards, Niki (uk)

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  18. You know my thoughts - Pinterest drove a stake through the heart of blog and Instagram was the nail in my coffin. BUT you are ace and lookie see you nailed 'light'. Love to you. xxx

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  19. Those feathers are sublime, hands down my favourite picture of yours! I wonder too about the repetitive nature of maintaining a blog/Facebook/Instagram, particularly when it's just my small self I'm documenting, nothing nearly as worthwhile and fascinating like farming and family! I'm so pleased you took the challenge.

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  20. I love your photos. They are especially incredible considering you are using your phone, I'm motivated to get better at using mine if you can get results like yours!! I'm looking forward to following you on instagram.

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  21. After I put the children to bed in the evenings I like to sit down and read my favourite blogs. But this seems to be a thing of the past as most people seem to be on Instagram and not commenting on blogs anymore. I find Facebook too overwhelming these days. I was happy when it was small and I could keep up with my "real" friends but now it seems everything is on there and it's too time consuming. Now I use Instagram for just a small group of "real" friends but I do follow you because the photos are inspiring and positive.

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  22. No No No!! Do not stop posting EVERYWHERE!! I love your blog, it's one of my favourites. But I am also loving your facebook posts. Sometimes over the weekend I don't really check my emails so I forget to look at my bloglovin feed. Your wee posts on facebook give me the "heads up" that there are posts to be read!LOL

    Also, STOP underestimating yourself! Your photographs are amazing, they evoke all those feelings of childhood for me, outdoor play, up a field, eating a carrot straight out of the ground peeled using a bit of broken bottle we'd found near the park (don't ask! LOL) If you were not good enough, you would not have been asked! End of! Enjoy it, don't overthink it. And for what it's worth I think the feather photo is beautiful.

    Happy Tuesday! (if it's still tuesday down under! LOL)

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  23. These pics are so beautiful, especially love the one with the texture. But do you know what I love the most? That you are so humble and decided to write about your doubts and all those things you tried to do to take these pics. Thank you for sharing that, it's precious.
    xx

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  24. I love a good old blog post. I haven't gotten into instagram as I don't have an iphone, so I appreciate you sharing here as well:) I think all three of your photos are lovely!

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  25. I'm not on instagram, I like seeing your mini posts on Facebook, but most of all I love your blog, and that's half for your writing and half for your photos. I really think your photos are great. It's something to do with the colour and light, I think. And I love your writing because we like lots of the same things, good food, knitting, growing, reading, and because, although I don't know you, you come across as such a lovely, warm, genuine, caring person, and to me that's interesting. Keep writing and snapping, please. I love the blankets picture. I think it's comforting.

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  26. Congratulations, Kate, on being chosen and on the consistent good quality of your photographs. They are gorgeous. You have a knack for composition and colour which is hardly surprising considering your creative nature.
    My tiny computer doesn't handle loads of photos very well so I do not have time for Instagram. I love your blog because I get to enjoy your favourite photos within the context of your life as described in your blog. Please continue to blog. Perhaps consider whether your different forms of social media might play different roles or serve different purposes. Perhaps Instagram can be the place to post large collections of photos and choose the best or favourite ones for your blog which can whet the appetites of those who would like to see more via Instagram.
    Please keep posting your Friday photos here on your blog as I love them.

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  27. Earthy and messy...two of my favourite words Ms Kate :-)
    I think that's what I like about instagram, I get to make the rules, well kinda anyway. FB feels like shackles and a gag...insta positively freeing in comparison.
    (And of course you were picked for this, because your pictures are beautiful dear Kate!)

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  28. The last picture looks amazing! No wonder you have been choosen - your photos are amazing! I am very happy that you decided to take part in the end!

    Looking forward to see more of your pictures over the next weeks!

    I haven't used Instagramm so far. Right now I love Pinterest a lot but perhaps I will go to Instagramm one day as well...

    Take care
    Anne

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  29. Your pictures are beautiful Kate, I'm not the least bit surprised that they invited you to play along. I had a little chuckle because your reactions to this were identical to mine for the craft sessions. We need to get better at seeing ourselves and what we do the way other people see us (says me, who's really bad at doing that, but I intend to try harder).
    I also feel a bit repetitive with social media, though I tend to keep my instagram and facebook fairly brief, and leave the detail for the blog..x

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  30. Bonjour! I don't follow IG or facebook - so thank you for still blogging here for all of us!
    Lucie (Québec, Canada)

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  31. Just brilliant Kate, your images are super but how you've described your feelings, excitement and insecurities even better! :) xxx

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  32. I’m still developing / coming to terms with my rules for posting on instagram.

    I’ve begun sewing again and I’m struggling between having an account for myself (which would probably end up just being photos of my partner and fishing …) and an account for the stuff I make. I feel having two accounts may be a bit contrived so I just have the one account at the moment and overthink everything I post to it… First world problems huh…

    As for other social media tools I almost never post anything onto Facebook as it just doesn’t sit well with me and seems to be the wrong forum for sharing anything creative.

    I do think there are a lot of people saying the same stuff and it can be pretty easy to tune out, unlike, whatever if what the person / brand is posting is not authentic and meaningful. I think Blogs are still the best places to find real people making / doing / living awesome stuff.

    Good luck with the last shot,

    Al.

    www.raawrr.com

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  33. Your images are sublime, peaceful, real, authentic. Still, I loved that you addressed that notion of authenticity on the web. To be honest it actually inspired my blog post today. So you see you touch people in ways you may not even know Kate.

    We've been devouring episodes of River Cottage Australia and I'm always reminded of you and your families' adventures. There's a tendency to idealise the life you've chosen and people forget the hard work that it entails... but then again - you get what you give.

    Thank you for sharing with such warmth and truth.
    There's a LOT of stuff on the web - it's nice to find the gold when panning through the mud. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

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  34. What fun kate, I love your light and contrast in your photos as ever. Jo x

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  35. Well, for me, the question is often this: If you are signed up for email and bloglovin' notifications of someone's blog, you follow them on twitter, instagram and pinterest, you 'like' their Facebook page, and you have made them a friend on Ravelry, are you stalking them? That's my worry.

    Your images and words are beautiful, the platforms are different and if anyone feels they're seeing and reading them repeatedly there's something they can do about that. I think it's rather wonderful that the internet allows us to make connections with so many people who share common interests but are different in many ways.

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  36. What an exciting opportunity for you - congrats! Your first three photos are really great. I love the color and texture in all of them. I am not on IG - no time for that - so I'm glad you shared them here.

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  37. Now I'm following you on instagram! I think that most people have preferred social media platforms so they probably won't have seen what you have posted on every platform. I love wool but can't knit {yet} so don't use Ravelry and I'm really not a FB fan.

    Your photographs are absolutely beautiful :)

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  38. Hi Kate,
    I'm really keen to know what type/kind/ply wool you use?! and needle size? I'm falling in love with crochet and your projects are just beautiful!!
    Cheers, Jan x

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  39. Hi Kate. Just finished reading The Dirty Life and loved it. Just wondering? Have you ever read The Egg and I? Love julie

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  40. These are STUNNING! I am your newest IG follower :)

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  41. love your blog .wish I had the answer for you. I know people are moving away from them at the mo , but I for one will follow mine through and trust who is ment to find it will. I have pit my toe in instragram however. if we blog from the heart may be we cannot go wrong. from hesta x

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  42. Such stunning photos! All of them, I can't pick a favourite. Lovely post and welcome Spring! Bec x
    www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au

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  43. i never would have found you if it wasn't for stephanie's blog....she's pondering your same questions about blogging purpose.....
    those photos are over-the-top amazing. and done with your PHONE??!? YIPES.

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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