Speaker 1: Black cast, Unite our voices.
Speaker 2: This podcast is brought to you by on Track Studio.
Speaker 2: Welcome to Yarning Up, a podcast that showcases stories of
Speaker 2: First Nations excellence to help us learn and unlearn Australia's
Speaker 2: history to work Tillward's a better future. I'm your host,
Speaker 2: proud Barbara woman and founder of Blackwattle Coaching and Consulting,
Speaker 2: Caroline cal This podcast was taped on the sacred, stolen
Speaker 2: and unseeded Aboriginal lands of the Runjeri people of the
Speaker 2: Coln Nation. I pay my deepest respects to them, my elders,
Speaker 2: your elders, and all owners of country, of this beautiful
Speaker 2: place that.
Speaker 1: We call home.
Speaker 2: Well, I'm super excited about today's guest. I've been dying
Speaker 2: to get this lovely titter on our podcast for quite
Speaker 2: some time because I'm such a fan of Marley Morgan's work,
Speaker 2: and so yeah, I'm really excited to have you on
Speaker 2: the show today. Marley, Welcome to Yarning Up.
Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having me. I'm such a
Speaker 3: fan of yourself also, and I've felt really honored when
Speaker 3: you asked me to join, So thank you so much
Speaker 3: for having me.
Speaker 2: Oh, thank you. Marley has been doing some amazing work,
Speaker 2: you know, a visual storyteller, a photographer, a mom of
Speaker 2: three little jar gems, community warrior and woman, someone who's
Speaker 2: fiercely strong in advocating for mobs as well. So it's
Speaker 2: the honor and privilege is so reciprocal. But as we
Speaker 2: do on this show.
Speaker 1: I'd like to start by formally.
Speaker 2: Handing over to you to introduce yourself and your mob,
Speaker 2: and yeah, just tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 1: Sis.
Speaker 3: So my name is Maley Morgan. I'm a photographer and
Speaker 3: as you mentioned, a mum of three boys. He's the
Speaker 3: same as Maley Morgan Photography. I've also in I guess
Speaker 3: the Works is starting a mentoring program for young Indigenous
Speaker 3: women called Shadow Sisters that live in regional, rural or remote.
Speaker 3: I am Gimlauri and Rodri and I grew up in
Speaker 3: a small opal mining town called Lightning Ridge on Ullerroy Country.
Speaker 2: Wow, oh my goodness, three boys, businesses and mentoring programs.
Speaker 2: It's so amazing how our mob can just you know,
Speaker 2: continually dig deep into giving back to families and communities
Speaker 2: and never never ceases to amaze or inspire me what
Speaker 2: our people can do, especially our sisters, So yeah, mad respect.
Speaker 3: Thank you. Like I think we as black fellows, it's
Speaker 3: just in our nature to give back, we share errors.
Speaker 3: We're not greedy people, so I think, like when we
Speaker 3: are running businesses and being parents, it just comes natural
Speaker 3: to want to when we have the right means to
Speaker 3: start giving back to community because it's just who we
Speaker 3: are as people and how it would be changed.
Speaker 2: So true, isn't it like that responsibility? You know, when
Speaker 2: we get an opportunity to not only be able to
Speaker 2: help our families, but really help the next gen and
Speaker 2: our younger ones coming up. Well, you know, you have
Speaker 2: shot some incredible, incredible photos. You know, the thing that
Speaker 2: has really drawn me to your work is, I think
Speaker 2: the way that you I'm getting goosebumps, ah ancestors, just
Speaker 2: the way that you are able to portray the beauty
Speaker 2: of black women, the women the matriarchy, the way that
Speaker 2: we see them in their in our softness, in our realness,
Speaker 2: in our beauty.
Speaker 1: They're so earthy and ow.
Speaker 2: I mean, you've shot for places like Vogue a couple
Speaker 2: of times I see you know Mari Claire to name
Speaker 2: a few, But I'm just wondering, you know what inspired
Speaker 2: you to pick up the camera and start capturing these
Speaker 2: beautiful moments.
Speaker 3: I just look back when I was younger, like there
Speaker 3: was no true representation of the women that I was
Speaker 3: seeing in my community. Like you've just got to look
Speaker 3: at with mainstream Australian media that how black women are portrayed,
Speaker 3: were portrayed as being violent or drunk like, and growing up,
Speaker 3: I've never seen that. I was always surrounded by beautiful,
Speaker 3: staunch black women who really just held our communities together
Speaker 3: and they're the women that inspire me and they still do.
Speaker 3: They were not like what the media had portrayed them
Speaker 3: at all, like I and I feel immensely grateful to
Speaker 3: be raised by such incredible Black women like my Auntie's
Speaker 3: cousins and the black women in my community. And I
Speaker 3: really wanted to do photography portray how I see Black
Speaker 3: women as we are. You know, we're connected, we're strong,
Speaker 3: but we also carry such strength but also softness. And
Speaker 3: for me, it's just how I really see, you know,
Speaker 3: mob and through my own lens, and I really like
Speaker 3: through my photography, I also wanted to really change that
Speaker 3: stereotype of Aboriginal women. We are just incredibly beautiful and
Speaker 3: even like if you look back at the stereotypes that
Speaker 3: they say were ugly or that old gam and say,
Speaker 3: and you know, like, oh, you're too pretty to be Aboriginal,
Speaker 3: Like I really wanted to change that because I think
Speaker 3: every black woman is absolutely magnificent like chef's kiss.
Speaker 1: Yeah, gosh.
Speaker 2: And you really are helping to change the narrative of
Speaker 2: how people perceive us because you're so right, like we
Speaker 2: firstly have not been really represented on a main global stage.
Speaker 2: And whatever I think of like our black women and
Speaker 2: my aunties, my cousins, my friends, my sisters, there is
Speaker 2: this beauty and realness that comes with with you know,
Speaker 2: being a black woman, being a sovereign, sacred woman, like
Speaker 2: our women have been here for longer than modern governments,
Speaker 2: longer than you know, we can you know, even conceptualize.
Speaker 2: So you really are helping to change the way that Australia,
Speaker 2: so called Australia, views us by showing us in all
Speaker 2: of our facets and that yeah, we are strong, but
Speaker 2: we are soft and beautiful and loving and generous. So yeah,
Speaker 2: it's really really special what you're doing, Sis.
Speaker 3: Because like at the end of the day, I you know,
Speaker 3: I look back when I was younger, and I see
Speaker 3: those stereotypes and even like there was a moment when
Speaker 3: I was pregnant with my my second born and i
Speaker 3: was in the doctor's waiting room and I've just seen
Speaker 3: all these posters of like, you know, pregnant women like
Speaker 3: quit smoking, this and that, and I was like, well,
Speaker 3: is this really how they view us? Like none of
Speaker 3: these posters or pictures I had seen really was showing
Speaker 3: anything that reflected how I'd grown up or like the
Speaker 3: incredible black women that I knew. So that also was
Speaker 3: like another kind of turning point because I do I
Speaker 3: love to photograph black motherhood and that was another inspiration.
Speaker 3: Really like that pushed me that little bit step further
Speaker 3: to really want to change the narrative.
Speaker 1: I must say.
Speaker 2: You know, I've spoken quite openly on the show about
Speaker 2: our journey, my partner and i's journey to IBF and
Speaker 2: trying to have a family, and your photos, I might
Speaker 2: get emotional, Oh my god, ancestors get me because this
Speaker 2: is the thing about a picture or a photo of
Speaker 2: someone that.
Speaker 1: Is so special.
Speaker 2: It's because you're almost this mirror back to them that
Speaker 2: they might not see this beauty within themselves and your
Speaker 2: maternity shots are just incredible, Like.
Speaker 1: You're so stunning.
Speaker 2: And you know, we use this terminology about decolonizing things,
Speaker 2: but when you think about, you know, what we see
Speaker 2: online or on Instagram about like baby showers and maternity shoots,
Speaker 2: they're all very white centric, you know, they're not really
Speaker 2: how we do it. And you take us back to
Speaker 2: our roots and you put us in these the photos.
Speaker 1: You put these women in in this like dreamy.
Speaker 2: Raw, earthy, sacred state, and I imagine that it's so
Speaker 2: much more than taking a photo. It's so much more
Speaker 2: than capturing a moment.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm just in awe of our women, like to
Speaker 3: be able to you know, grow another life form and
Speaker 3: also like carrying on this beautiful, sacred bloodline that we
Speaker 3: as black fellows have and passing on that knowledge that
Speaker 3: these women have been told. Like it it's so special.
Speaker 3: We had like the world's oldest continuous culture and seeing
Speaker 3: you know, more little black babies being born and carrying
Speaker 3: on that bloodline, it's it's so special. Like I can't
Speaker 3: even put into words how special it is. And I
Speaker 3: really love it. Most of the time, you know, it's
Speaker 3: when I get to meet these incredible men and women
Speaker 3: and families and models. It can become quite intimate because
Speaker 3: we get to you know, it's very one on one.
Speaker 3: We get to learn more about each other and really
Speaker 3: connect and you know, learn about each other's mobs to
Speaker 3: like who they are, who their people is, who their
Speaker 3: family is. It's it's really special.
Speaker 2: What a gift because it's such a vulnerable, intimate thing
Speaker 2: to sometimes even open up on film or on camera.
Speaker 2: I know we've done branding shoots before, and you know,
Speaker 2: we've used mob and there's something so vulnerable about being exposed.
Speaker 2: And so having a sister on the other side of
Speaker 2: the lens who understands you and your sacredness and your
Speaker 2: beauty and is helping to guide.
Speaker 1: That is just so so special.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, what's your journey being like in becoming
Speaker 2: a photographer? Like when did you start this craft? And
Speaker 2: did you ever imagine it would take you to places
Speaker 2: like Vogue and Marie Claire and you know, all of
Speaker 2: those fashion shows, and Yeah, what's the journey been like
Speaker 2: for you in becoming a photographer?
Speaker 3: Honestly, I didn't. I'd never thought I'd see the day
Speaker 3: that I'd be published in these mainstream magazines because it
Speaker 3: wasn't too long ago that people who looked like me
Speaker 3: or more were really featured in these magazines alone being
Speaker 3: able to photograph them. So for me it's quite special.
Speaker 3: But also it makes me question like maybe this should
Speaker 3: have been happening a lot long time ago, because like
Speaker 3: I know, there's some incredible women out there who are black,
Speaker 3: who are amazing photographers who deserve to be seen, you know, globally,
Speaker 3: like one Grooper, Bobby Lockier. I mean all with how
Speaker 3: talented our women are, and I really hope with me
Speaker 3: being featured in these magazines that it does open up
Speaker 3: more doors for other black titters and brothers to be
Speaker 3: featureds in their incredible work. So I do feel really privilege,
Speaker 3: but also in the sense I'm like, well, you know,
Speaker 3: they should have been happening a very long time ago.
Speaker 2: You're so right, It does feel like, you know, mainstream
Speaker 2: is very much catching up. But it does beg the
Speaker 2: question of you know, what shifted you know, for us
Speaker 2: to actually be I guess respected for our craft, not
Speaker 2: for our aboriginality that we bring so much, like we
Speaker 2: contribute so much, just for our skills, not because we're average,
Speaker 2: not when we have skills.
Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly right, Like, I know my storytelling skills come
Speaker 3: because I am Aboriginal, Like it's something that I carry
Speaker 3: in my bloods, and you know, we are the world's
Speaker 3: oldest storytellers. But like at times, yeah, I do question
Speaker 3: what I am booked and I being booked because of
Speaker 3: my aboriginality? Is it a tick in the box or
Speaker 3: because you know of my my work and my style.
Speaker 3: Also yeah, yeah, but also I know that with stereotypes
Speaker 3: and how slowly this is moving that you know, if
Speaker 3: I what's the word, Like, if I wasn't aboriginal, I
Speaker 3: do believe, you know, without racism, I'd probably get more opportunities,
Speaker 3: like from a realistic stand of you, because there is
Speaker 3: still in media this very racist stereotype that we aren't
Speaker 3: capable or we need to be supported or you know,
Speaker 3: we're just not well suited when that isn't the case
Speaker 3: at all talented and we are more than capable. I
Speaker 3: hope that made sense.
Speaker 2: Oh, it makes it makes so much sense. And I
Speaker 2: think you're right, Like you know, Whine, Australia has such
Speaker 2: a long way to go for us to not just
Speaker 2: be seen as that diversity teak, but actually respected for
Speaker 2: the for the skills, the unique skills that we bring,
Speaker 2: and you know you are you know you are so
Speaker 2: talented in your craft that anyone would be lucky that
Speaker 2: feature you, and it would be lovely to reimagine a
Speaker 2: world or we're moving slowly, slowly towards a world where
Speaker 2: I imagine on set and I don't I believe this
Speaker 2: might have happened with the Vogue shoot, but that we
Speaker 2: had black photographers, black models, black makeup artists, black, all
Speaker 2: black everything, and that we weren't just sort of slotted
Speaker 2: in to this white paradigm, but it was all black everything.
Speaker 2: And you know, there's a long way for these industries
Speaker 2: to go. But I guess I'm pretty.
Speaker 1: Grateful that there are people like you who are.
Speaker 2: Leading the charge. But I also know that what you're
Speaker 2: saying would be really tricky to hold on to this
Speaker 2: hope and optimism but also be like, well, come on,
Speaker 2: your followers, like get with it now. We've really got
Speaker 2: to stop and really address racism in these industries as well.
Speaker 3: Absolutely, like it's twenty twenty four, there's no excuse to
Speaker 3: not be hiring mob. It's well and really great to
Speaker 3: have these one off features, but we need consistent work
Speaker 3: for black followers.
Speaker 2: Yes, yes, preach say that, Yeah, say it louder from
Speaker 2: the back, because you're so right. This is it's hard
Speaker 2: enough to break into these industries. We need long, long
Speaker 2: term work, not this seasonal when it suits them on
Speaker 2: their terms, work.
Speaker 3: Expically right, like it always seems lately, Like I do
Speaker 3: believe there has been some incredible progress. Don't get me wrong.
Speaker 3: I'm really proud to see you know, MOB really leading
Speaker 3: these campaigns and on the cover of magazines and in
Speaker 3: runway and all these incredible industries. But I do believe
Speaker 3: it needs to be consistent, just one offset needs to
Speaker 3: be an ongoing thing where MOB are really valued for
Speaker 3: their time and effort and their work rather than just
Speaker 3: for a ticket like a tick in the box.
Speaker 2: It's a really good takeaway message I think for anyone
Speaker 2: listening about you know, really go working in really long
Speaker 2: term mutual beneficial partnerships with MOB and you know, really
Speaker 2: valuing our contributions and you know, doing more to make
Speaker 2: sure that there are all black everything, because you know,
Speaker 2: when we are around ourself, when we're around our mob
Speaker 2: and we can be ourselves, you know, you'll only get
Speaker 2: better products and things.
Speaker 1: I think it's really important we raise that. Yeah.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I truly think like when MOB are well supported,
Speaker 3: we're together and you know, we know there's going to
Speaker 3: be long term outcomes, that's when we really shine.
Speaker 1: So true.
Speaker 3: And I think like too, when we have, like when
Speaker 3: we're together and MOB booked for these jobs, it creates
Speaker 3: a whole different level of cultural safety too. Well, just
Speaker 3: feel a lot more safer and you know, at ease
Speaker 3: knowing that there's other black fellows working on these jobs.
Speaker 2: Oh well, thank you for raising that. I think it's
Speaker 2: a really important conversation to be having, you know, with
Speaker 2: that in mindsets, you know, it's probably very difficult for
Speaker 2: you to sort of say, but you know, has there
Speaker 2: sort of been any any particular projects or photo shoots
Speaker 2: or things that you've been involved with where things have
Speaker 2: worked well and you have felt that you've had full
Speaker 2: creative license and have been able to produce a product
Speaker 2: where it has been done well.
Speaker 3: Yeah. So we did a campaign for my friends Hues
Speaker 3: are just sign a Laladia Houston Brigs and we did
Speaker 3: that last year and we had a black makeup artist,
Speaker 3: two black models, and the styling assistant was black and
Speaker 3: designer was black. So it was a full black team
Speaker 3: and just being able to really like collaborate with each other,
Speaker 3: like listening to everyone's you know, creative input. I think
Speaker 3: we were all really able to shine but also feel
Speaker 3: comfortable and have a lot of fun. So for me,
Speaker 3: that really like is a you know moment that really
Speaker 3: stood out to me because everyone's creative views and input
Speaker 3: was really valued.
Speaker 1: I love that.
Speaker 2: I could imagine you, like master minds are coming together
Speaker 2: and sharing your passions and collaborating and working together. That
Speaker 2: sounds beautiful.
Speaker 3: It was a shoot that was made by Mob for mobs,
Speaker 3: so I think that itself was extremely special.
Speaker 2: Amazing. Oh that's incredible. I mean what's going on for
Speaker 2: you as the photographer behind the lens, like as you're
Speaker 2: taking the photos, Like if we were on a shoot
Speaker 2: with you, Yeah, what's going through? What are you feeling?
Speaker 2: What are you experiencing when you're actually behind the camera.
Speaker 3: So it really depends on the job because I've done
Speaker 3: such a range of different jobs, like I recently photographed
Speaker 3: the Sorry Day event in Sydney and that was a
Speaker 3: really emotional day. When it's you know, events like that
Speaker 3: or subjects that are really you know, like heavy for us, MOB,
Speaker 3: it can be really hard. But then jobs where it's
Speaker 3: been you know, like where it's just been all mob
Speaker 3: and that itself has just brought me like so much
Speaker 3: joy seeing our people really shine and stuff. So like
Speaker 3: it really depends on the job. It's been a mixed
Speaker 3: bag of emotions because I'm one of those kind of
Speaker 3: people feel everything's being jobs are I've cried, I laughed,
Speaker 3: like I very much put myself into the job and
Speaker 3: really just feel every moment of the photo shoots.
Speaker 2: Yeah, gosh, hearing you say that, you know, it's it's
Speaker 2: obvious it's a really heart led job and that ability
Speaker 2: to like to empathize and put yourself in your in
Speaker 2: the person you're shootings shoes and feeling that it's so
Speaker 2: much more than just a photo, isn't it. It's capturing
Speaker 2: these moments.
Speaker 3: Like I've even done jobs where I would never be
Speaker 3: able to share just because of cultural protocols for communities
Speaker 3: and like even with my own people, and it's just,
Speaker 3: you know, you can't describe the feeling of being invited
Speaker 3: to something that's ceremonial or cultural, like that feeling is indescribable.
Speaker 3: But there are moments that like I will forever cherish
Speaker 3: and I would not be allowed say in that space
Speaker 3: if I wasn't a black woman or in this kind
Speaker 3: of role.
Speaker 2: Will be back you mob right after this short break? Wow,
Speaker 2: so I could I could only imagine what it would
Speaker 2: be like to capture. I guess there's one thing being
Speaker 2: in vogues and fashion shoes, but then there's one thing
Speaker 2: in a ceremony with you, with your own people and
Speaker 2: that sacred responsibility.
Speaker 3: Wow, incredible, And it was great that you said like
Speaker 3: sacred responsibility because it very much did feel like that.
Speaker 3: And like as much as like I've got these photos now,
Speaker 3: I could never share because they're so special and even
Speaker 3: speak about I will always hold these memories really dear.
Speaker 3: And as a mum, I've been really fortunate that my
Speaker 3: children have been allowed to come along to these events
Speaker 3: also or like ceremonies, so that itself like my kids
Speaker 3: now will experience.
Speaker 1: Wow, it's so it's just so beautiful.
Speaker 2: I think sometimes like you know, you've sort of quote
Speaker 2: unquote made it when you're actually serving the people in
Speaker 2: your family in communities that mean the most to you, right,
Speaker 2: Like that's so much.
Speaker 3: Absolutely, Although I do feel honored to be featured in
Speaker 3: some mainstream magazines. I saw it got very clear, like
Speaker 3: what to me is made at moment, is really being
Speaker 3: acknowledged and honored by my own community and people. Why
Speaker 3: not If I'm doing them proud, then I'm happy.
Speaker 1: That's it. That's it.
Speaker 2: And we've got to pour into our families and communities
Speaker 2: as much as we pour into you know, miggeloo or
Speaker 2: to other communities, you know, when we're living off our country.
Speaker 1: Too, So that is so so special.
Speaker 2: Well, I mean with that in mind sets, you know,
Speaker 2: one of the questions we like to ask our guests
Speaker 2: because you know, a lot of our yarns is around
Speaker 2: I guess mental health and burnout as well, is you know,
Speaker 2: thinking about you know, because this is such a heart
Speaker 2: led role that you play in providing these beautiful shots.
Speaker 2: You know, do you have like a person or a
Speaker 2: practice that you turn to to sort of come back
Speaker 2: to yourself after these emotional times? Do you have a
Speaker 2: thing that you do that works for you, that brings
Speaker 2: you a little bit of joy so you can get
Speaker 2: on with the next shot.
Speaker 3: So May that just went was a very very horrible
Speaker 3: month work wise, with just experiencing some really like traumatic events.
Speaker 3: So for me, I've I just I'm turning off, logging off,
Speaker 3: I'm spending less time on my phone. I just need
Speaker 3: to be present with myself.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: If that means doing nothing, then that's fine. If that
Speaker 3: means I'm just laying on the lounge watching my favorite shows,
Speaker 3: eating my favorite food, then that's fine. I just need
Speaker 3: to be alone with my thoughts so I can I
Speaker 3: can process. And I know for some people it's very different.
Speaker 3: I think like connecting with your family and friends is
Speaker 3: also amazing and being supported. But for me personally, I'm
Speaker 3: one of those people that I just really need to
Speaker 3: be present with myself and really just process what's happened,
Speaker 3: and really think through what's the next steps and off
Speaker 3: just taking time out for me to fill my cup
Speaker 3: and just enjoy the things that I love. And for me,
Speaker 3: that's watching proovies and just vegging out and munching out
Speaker 3: on food.
Speaker 1: Oh my god, dear, you're a sister of my own heart.
Speaker 2: There's nothing more that I love than rotting away at
Speaker 2: home laying us on my cout.
Speaker 3: So I don't recommend that for anyone else, but I
Speaker 3: know for me that works. I'll be once I've had
Speaker 3: some times to myself to just rest and be present.
Speaker 3: I'll I'm back to good old me.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so.
Speaker 2: I mean, this is the beautiful thing of what I
Speaker 2: love asking about this question is because you know, there's
Speaker 2: no one size fits all.
Speaker 1: We all have a.
Speaker 2: Many things in our tool kid, and sometimes you might
Speaker 2: need to be around people, sometimes you might need to
Speaker 2: switch off. But I think what's important is just giving
Speaker 2: ourselves the permission to understand what works for us, and
Speaker 2: that we're all so different.
Speaker 1: And yeah, I feel you.
Speaker 3: I agree, like, do what works for you. I know
Speaker 3: that personally this works for me, but for you it
Speaker 3: might be going out on country, it might be being
Speaker 3: with friends, or it might be going to the gym.
Speaker 3: Like it's you know, whatever you feel is going to
Speaker 3: bring you back to yourself. I would recommend.
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, I must admit this year myself too, and
Speaker 2: particularly after you know last year and how hard it's
Speaker 2: been and just life in general, with what we're going through,
Speaker 2: with what's happening in here in Australia. You know, I
Speaker 2: too have really had to do the same, go very
Speaker 2: inwards and just sit and process and be and put
Speaker 2: my phone on, do not disturb, and yeah, go inwards,
Speaker 2: just so I can get enough clarity with what I'm
Speaker 2: feeling so I can process it so then I can
Speaker 2: maybe pake a step in whatever direction it might be.
Speaker 2: But just give him, my posit, myself permission to pause
Speaker 2: and go in and not feel even remotely guilty about it.
Speaker 1: And I either, you know, I think.
Speaker 3: There's such beauty and just slowing down the time to
Speaker 3: be with yourself and you know, just letting yourself feel
Speaker 3: feel like, you know, stop, what's the word, like trying
Speaker 3: to for me, run away from the problems and really
Speaker 3: just take time to process what's happening. Why am I
Speaker 3: feeling this way? What do I need to do next?
Speaker 3: So I'm feeling good about myself in the situation because
Speaker 3: I don't think you know, we as people, it's normal
Speaker 3: to be running on low. We really need to focus
Speaker 3: on filling our own cups and making sure we're looked after.
Speaker 2: And it takes tremendous courage to stop and turn inwards
Speaker 2: when things are going a bit difficult in our lives,
Speaker 2: like to truly stop. We've got so many distractions that
Speaker 2: we can just avoid or oppress or or not deal
Speaker 2: with it. But you're having that healthy distraction of like Okay,
Speaker 2: this weekend, I'm just going to give myself permission to
Speaker 2: just turn off and watch them. You know, whatever works
Speaker 2: for you, and yeah, I think it's I think it's important.
Speaker 3: Yeah, whatever brings you joy, just stop and you know,
Speaker 3: just we're allowed to, you know, enjoy our little guilty pleasures,
Speaker 3: whether that be you know, having a snack, going out
Speaker 3: for a coffee, or you know, just having a good nap. Like,
Speaker 3: it's whatever works for you, We're allowed to. And I've
Speaker 3: been myself that too, Like I'm allowed to slow down.
Speaker 3: I'm allowed to you know, have a little break from
Speaker 3: work and have some kid free time and just really
Speaker 3: be with myself.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well that's it.
Speaker 2: You've got three little jardins too, so you know your
Speaker 2: time would be so so precious. Thank you for sharing
Speaker 2: that with me, sis, I really appreciate that. I think
Speaker 2: it's such an important yu Yan for us to have.
Speaker 3: No Absolutely, like myself, I struggle with mental health issues,
Speaker 3: and I think it's important to really have these discussions
Speaker 3: and normalize in our communities that it's okay to not
Speaker 3: be okay. Yeah, because as we've just had a mob,
Speaker 3: you know, we wear so many different hats as it
Speaker 3: is and I know sometimes it can be hard to
Speaker 3: just really slow down and look after ourselves, but I think,
Speaker 3: you know, it is important that we do prioritize our
Speaker 3: health and mental health.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, you're so right.
Speaker 2: And I guess just knowing that we're not alone, and
Speaker 2: that we've got people around us and people that love
Speaker 2: us and value us when we are not right, and
Speaker 2: that we don't have to sit in it alone. But
Speaker 2: you know, there's beauty in as you say, just hitting
Speaker 2: pause and a reset for you. But yeah, if you're
Speaker 2: noticing that you're not doing right, then yeah, you're right,
Speaker 2: it's okay to not be.
Speaker 1: Okay, we're all you know.
Speaker 2: I think the with what's happening is like with we're
Speaker 2: chartering new territory about how to look after ourselves and
Speaker 2: each other now too, And so yeah, I think it's
Speaker 2: a thanks for that reminder for all of us.
Speaker 1: Really, it's really importantly.
Speaker 3: Like I cannot preach it enough and there is so
Speaker 3: much support out there, and you know, there's always more
Speaker 3: that are willing to listen to and that's something like
Speaker 3: I've had to remind myself like Okay, like I don't
Speaker 3: need to be going through this alone. Like there's people
Speaker 3: out there that care about me and want to support
Speaker 3: me and see me do well. So for anyone that's listening, like,
Speaker 3: I think it's important that we remind ourselves like there's
Speaker 3: so much you know, love out there and support from
Speaker 3: other mob and you're not alone.
Speaker 2: And that they're in know to add I guess to that,
Speaker 2: which I think it's really important to underscore that you
Speaker 2: know you're not alone and that there is such there's
Speaker 2: such strength and vulnerability, you know.
Speaker 1: I know that in the last few months, I've.
Speaker 2: Really had to ask people for help. I've had to say, hey,
Speaker 2: I'm not coping, can you take something off my plate?
Speaker 2: Or you know, this is what support looks like for me.
Speaker 2: Are you in a position to be able to help?
Speaker 2: And it it can be really tricky, but when you
Speaker 2: come out the other side and you realize that sometimes
Speaker 2: you're going to be the supporter. Sometimes you're going to
Speaker 2: be the person who's giving support. And that's what the
Speaker 2: beauty of being a part of big community is is
Speaker 2: that we're all going to be have times where we're
Speaker 2: up and down, but.
Speaker 1: We're all here to lift each other up.
Speaker 3: So absolutely I agree, Like I can't even add anything
Speaker 3: else onto that because you're so correct.
Speaker 2: Oh, this is why I love these yarns because we
Speaker 2: got too when we talk about photo and then next minute,
Speaker 2: you know, we're talking about you know, real stuff. And
Speaker 2: this is why I love I love this podcast so
Speaker 2: much because they're such beautiful, candid yarns.
Speaker 1: Ah, I feel.
Speaker 2: Like an to just take a big breath with that one. Well,
Speaker 2: I mean with that, I mean there's no real neat segue.
Speaker 2: But you mentioned something before that I'd love to be
Speaker 2: a dorion and circle back around, which is around shadow Sisters.
Speaker 2: You mentioned a program that you're doing to support mom
Speaker 2: in this space. Can you tell us a little bit
Speaker 2: more about this idea and what you hope to achieve
Speaker 2: in in supporting mobs.
Speaker 3: So as we were talking about earlier with that whole
Speaker 3: you know, if you're in a position to give back
Speaker 3: like a lot of our people do. I feel like
Speaker 3: with my career now and my knowledge, you know, it's
Speaker 3: my responsibility that I would start looking at ways to
Speaker 3: give back and how I can really help foster that
Speaker 3: next generation of black women that want to get into photography.
Speaker 3: Because when I was growing up in Lightning Ridge and
Speaker 3: also in Dubble was back and forth. I look at
Speaker 3: the really limited opportunities for mob that wanted to get
Speaker 3: into the art space or anything really that wasn't sports.
Speaker 3: Growing up, footy was, you know, what everyone wanted to
Speaker 3: get into. Whereas you know, the mob that don't really
Speaker 3: want to do sports or want to really pursue a
Speaker 3: career or hobby in arts, there was very limited opportunities there.
Speaker 3: So I'm hoping when I do start this program, I
Speaker 3: can support women to begin a career in photography or
Speaker 3: just even a hobby, just like a little outlet to
Speaker 3: get creative and you know, something nice for them. And yeah,
Speaker 3: I'm still very much in the early stages of really
Speaker 3: mapping out what these workshops are going to look like
Speaker 3: and what I really need to make sure they are successful.
Speaker 2: So amazing to create opportunities for, like you say, sisters
Speaker 2: in areas where there's just sometimes no opportunities, and yeah,
Speaker 2: just to be able to provide some of that some
Speaker 2: of your skills back, you know. I think we've been
Speaker 2: having these yarns internally at Black Wattle about creating some
Speaker 2: mob meats where we can come and just share our skills, like, oh,
Speaker 2: you do this, I do that. Let's just share it
Speaker 2: in like a circular way. It's just exchanging our passion
Speaker 2: so you can learn a little bit there. And so yeah,
Speaker 2: that's incredible that that's what you're thinking about and thinking about.
Speaker 2: Birthing into the world. Is the next step of your
Speaker 2: I guess your your personal passion outside of just yeah, photography.
Speaker 1: You know, for all of.
Speaker 2: Us amateur iPhone people who taken photos or selfies or whatever,
Speaker 2: is there any like any little tips that you could
Speaker 2: give anyone who listening about what is the secret to
Speaker 2: a good shot? I'm asking for a friend, nah, given.
Speaker 3: A secret truly, Like I look at some pictures like
Speaker 3: people take on their iPhone, they're so creative. I think
Speaker 3: it's just about getting creative with your photos and like
Speaker 3: the capabilities of our phones, like the cameras on their
Speaker 3: own credible. I think it's just really like, you know,
Speaker 3: thinking outside the box and new stuff that's creative. But
Speaker 3: also you know that's very true to yourself.
Speaker 2: Ah, darl, that's such good advice.
Speaker 3: Even if you just take like a simple you know,
Speaker 3: black and white, that's your kind of style of being minimalistic.
Speaker 3: Like it's really like self preference and just playing around.
Speaker 3: Like I think with you know, with phones these days,
Speaker 3: there's so much you can do with them. It's just
Speaker 3: you really got to think outside of the box and
Speaker 3: you know, let yourself be creative.
Speaker 2: That's such good advice because I think we're living in
Speaker 2: a world where everything is very copy paste, where people
Speaker 2: are like, you know, just taking someone's idea rebadging it
Speaker 2: for themselves on TikTok or online. But yeah, giving yourself
Speaker 2: permission to like find the thing that works for you
Speaker 2: and just yeah, embrace your authenticity with it and try
Speaker 2: to do it in your most creative way.
Speaker 1: What great advice?
Speaker 3: No, Like I love. I love seeing authenticity and creativity,
Speaker 3: like even if it's not necessarily like in a photography
Speaker 3: standupoint view, like you know, correct what you know, the
Speaker 3: olden ways of doing it. I love seeing just creativity,
Speaker 3: like people who are thinking outside the box and doing
Speaker 3: what you know others aren't. So I think there's no
Speaker 3: really wrong way of taking a photo because if you
Speaker 3: like it, then neces.
Speaker 2: Really I love that. What good advice be bold, be creative,
Speaker 2: have fun with it, and give something else a go
Speaker 2: that works for you.
Speaker 1: I love that.
Speaker 3: I think my own photography I look now and you know,
Speaker 3: at the start, I was really creating what I thought
Speaker 3: other people wanted to see. But now I'm just creating
Speaker 3: like what I want to see. What's you know I like?
Speaker 3: And I think when you start creating for yourself, that's
Speaker 3: when you know the magic will really outshine and people
Speaker 3: will really start to notice your work.
Speaker 2: So true because you're working from that place of like love,
Speaker 2: when you're actually doing something that brings joy or spark
Speaker 2: some joy for you, it's so true.
Speaker 1: Like I think a lot of us.
Speaker 2: When we're moving into our careers just sort of try
Speaker 2: to template the White way or think that the white
Speaker 2: is right or that success so that's what it looks like.
Speaker 2: And yeah, I think doing the things that you like
Speaker 2: for you your way, knowing that you're creating a new
Speaker 2: path and doing things is yeah, really good advice.
Speaker 1: I love that.
Speaker 3: And I think, like you just to add onto what
Speaker 3: you said too about like you know, like with success
Speaker 3: and the White way, I think in this generation we
Speaker 3: really need to stop thinking that money or the White
Speaker 3: way is the right way. Like you can be very
Speaker 3: successful without actually being rich. You know, you're rich in
Speaker 3: spirit and in community and love, Like that is the
Speaker 3: true definition of success and happiness, happy with what you're
Speaker 3: making and creating and doing as a career.
Speaker 2: Preach I love that being wealthy in your spirit. Put
Speaker 2: that on a T shirt, put that on a mug,
Speaker 2: because you're so right, like, we really don't need we
Speaker 2: don't need wealth and fame and fortune and being, you know,
Speaker 2: to be feeling fulfilled. And in fact, probably for a
Speaker 2: lot of our mob who are sort of you know,
Speaker 2: I can't speak for everyone, but you know, I've certainly
Speaker 2: in my early twenties sort of fell into this trap
Speaker 2: of I guess thinking that I had to be something
Speaker 2: I wasn't to be successful because you know, the colony
Speaker 2: didn't make space for black women, you know, and you
Speaker 2: just burn out. You're miserable, you're trying to be something
Speaker 2: that you're not. But yeah, having enough, you know, And
Speaker 2: I think it's having enough and then having enough time
Speaker 2: to give back to the thing you love and enjoy
Speaker 2: and your family and your community too. And you know,
Speaker 2: if you're running around running yourself into the ground for
Speaker 2: you know, white dollars, it's a very it's for me
Speaker 2: and my experience, it it's it's maybe a short feeling,
Speaker 2: but it's a fleeting moment it's not long term love
Speaker 2: of self, you know. It's it's a fleeting feeling of something,
Speaker 2: but it will not bring you long lasting joy in
Speaker 2: my experience.
Speaker 3: So you're so correct, and I think if you find
Speaker 3: something that really brings you joy and you're passionate about it,
Speaker 3: then the rest will come. Really like the money, if
Speaker 3: that's you know, your long term self goal, but everything
Speaker 3: else will come. If you're passionate about something, then you know,
Speaker 3: people will catch on and see that this is something
Speaker 3: that you really love and that you're good at, and
Speaker 3: the rest will come later.
Speaker 1: It's so true.
Speaker 2: Ah, It's like you know that the notion of worthiness
Speaker 2: and that feeling and belief in self, it doesn't come
Speaker 2: from out there the things we have, all the stuff
Speaker 2: we've done. It comes from who we are and what
Speaker 2: person we are.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 1: I remember when I when I was in my early twenties.
Speaker 2: I always used to have this narrative like, oh, when
Speaker 2: I get this job, I'm going to be happy, or
Speaker 2: when I do this, I'm going to be and then
Speaker 2: you get to the thing and you never feel fulfilled
Speaker 2: because you're just chasing this false sense of what you know.
Speaker 2: So it's really just about yeah, turning inwards and going
Speaker 2: in and focusing on the spirit, like you say, to
Speaker 2: be wealthy in spirit, family and community. It's just so
Speaker 2: simple but so so beautiful. So thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 3: Exactly right, Like it is very simple but also very fulfilling.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's an unlearning you know, we're all being programmed.
Speaker 1: We're all unlearning.
Speaker 2: And you know, with time and wisdom and lots of
Speaker 2: step backs and lots of mistakes and lots of maybe
Speaker 2: low periods or feeling you know, really down, you know,
Speaker 2: sometimes these things become clearer and we're all on a
Speaker 2: journey with this, you know. Yeah, that's beautiful advice. You
Speaker 2: read my mind this because that was one of my
Speaker 2: questions was around you know, you know, what advice would
Speaker 2: you give to mob? But I think that that captures
Speaker 2: the essence entirely. Just don't be afraid to do the thing,
Speaker 2: be bold, be yourself, and you know, find ways to
Speaker 2: love yourself just as much along the way.
Speaker 3: Absolutely, Like I like me personally, I you know, was
Speaker 3: when I was starting out really afraid to be myself
Speaker 3: and be what others I thought others wanted me to be.
Speaker 3: And I found like as I got older and more
Speaker 3: mature when I started really just being my authentic self,
Speaker 3: you know, and giving you know, unless not just be
Speaker 3: vulgar but fox like.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I that's when I really started to become more successful
Speaker 3: because I was being my authentic self whether people liked
Speaker 3: it or not. And surprisingly, like I've just being myself,
Speaker 3: I've made some really great friends. And that's when my
Speaker 3: business was really able to start growing because I was creating,
Speaker 3: you know, work that was authentic to me, and I
Speaker 3: was really putting myself out there being vulnerable also, and
Speaker 3: it was making me happy. And that's when you know,
Speaker 3: I started feeling my own cup and creating what you know,
Speaker 3: made me happy. That's when the rest all came later.
Speaker 2: Working from that place of love and authenticity and acceptance
Speaker 2: and you because this is a thing, you know, you're
Speaker 2: not like it's not your business anyway. And for the
Speaker 2: black business owners who are listening, you know, it's not
Speaker 2: that like we are our business. We we it's not like, oh,
Speaker 2: my business is here and I'm here, Like how we
Speaker 2: show up for ourselves is how we show up in
Speaker 2: our business. And so you know, it's such a it's
Speaker 2: actually business is a very spiritual feeling. I think because
Speaker 2: we're pouring into something and abs not separate.
Speaker 3: So and I find that with black businesses too, Like
Speaker 3: it's just compared to non indigenous businesses like mob you
Speaker 3: can really feel when you're purchasing from them or you know,
Speaker 3: looking at their work, it does come from a place
Speaker 3: of authenticity and who they are. And yeah, I just
Speaker 3: thought i'd add that on with that because it's like
Speaker 3: you're so spot on.
Speaker 1: It's I love it. I love it. Oh my god.
Speaker 2: This has given me so much to think about. And
Speaker 2: I think for any of the you know, the young
Speaker 2: sisters who particularly are listening, you know, that's a I
Speaker 2: think it's a really beautiful conversation to be having about
Speaker 2: leaning into all parts of ourselves and you will attract
Speaker 2: the people that want to stick around and sadly some
Speaker 2: people you might have to surrender and let go to
Speaker 2: as well. It's when you start leaning into yourself. You know,
Speaker 2: people know feel that and you attrack that, oh this
Speaker 2: is let them leave.
Speaker 3: Yes, they if they don't want to see you shine,
Speaker 3: then you know they're definitely not worth it. They're not
Speaker 3: worth bringing into the next chapter of your life.
Speaker 1: Amen. I mean.
Speaker 2: I've been Yeah, I feel that on so many levels.
Speaker 2: It's such a grief and loss at first to let
Speaker 2: people go, but over time you're like, bye, see you
Speaker 2: love to see you leave.
Speaker 3: The place of self love to I find when you
Speaker 3: start really you know, within and loving yourself, then you're
Speaker 3: more than happy to let go of that loose toxic
Speaker 3: people and really allow the people who want to see
Speaker 3: you shine come in.
Speaker 1: That's so true.
Speaker 2: Oh, my Cis you are so wise And this is
Speaker 2: the thing.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 2: We started off talking about photos, but then when we
Speaker 2: really started to unpack, it's like it is such a
Speaker 2: heart led process, so of course we're going to be
Speaker 2: talking about vulnerable things like what a no brain? Oh well,
Speaker 2: my sister, where can people connect with you? And have
Speaker 2: you got anything that you want to share in the
Speaker 2: pipeline or yeah, anything else that you want to share
Speaker 2: about you in your work and a big shout out
Speaker 2: to where we can all follow along with your beautiful
Speaker 2: magic and gifts for the world.
Speaker 3: Well, you can find my work on Instagram. That's where
Speaker 3: I spend most of my time. It's Marley Morgan Photography
Speaker 3: and I'm also on Facebook and my website is www
Speaker 3: dot Marleymorgan dot com dot AU. But also like to
Speaker 3: those listening, I encourage them to really connect with other
Speaker 3: black photographers also because like I'm very inspired by the
Speaker 3: other mob who are doing it. I'm a part of
Speaker 3: a little community called Black Lens. It's just where we
Speaker 3: really support each other, we share resources, and you know,
Speaker 3: really want to see each other do well. And I
Speaker 3: think it's really worth checking out. And if you ever
Speaker 3: need a photographer, I encourage them to reach out to
Speaker 3: Black Lens or to source out who is in your community,
Speaker 3: because honestly, like there is some mob that's really being
Speaker 3: you know, not being booked, and their talents so really
Speaker 3: being overlooked, and I couldn't encourage that anymore.
Speaker 2: Such a great piece of advice. We'll be popping all
Speaker 2: of Marley's and Black Lenses details in our show notes,
Speaker 2: but it really is such a beautiful reminder that this
Speaker 2: is what you get when you hire your black followers,
Speaker 2: not just someone who's going to rock up and take
Speaker 2: some photos, but people who are really digging deep into themselves,
Speaker 2: providing pouring into their communities and are really showing up
Speaker 2: in unique, vulnerable and fearless ways.
Speaker 1: So please, new followers, get out there and.
Speaker 2: Book your black artists, because you aren't going to get
Speaker 2: this love and care from anyone. So yeah, thank you,
Speaker 2: thank you so much for coming on the show today,
Speaker 2: my system, and also just giving me a place in space.
Speaker 1: To air out some of how I've been feeling.
Speaker 2: It's such a reciprocal, beautiful thing, Miss job about having yarn,
Speaker 2: So you've given me a lot to think about too, Sis,
Speaker 2: So thanks.
Speaker 3: I think that's the beauty of when MOB connect, isn't
Speaker 3: it Like we're really able to just yearn and just
Speaker 3: like release so let go.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, Yeah, it's so true. You've definitely given me some
Speaker 2: things I need to go away and think about. So
Speaker 2: thank you all, love my sis, thank you so much
Speaker 2: for listening you Mob. If you're vibing this season of
Speaker 2: Yarning up, then please head over to Apple, Spotify, or
Speaker 2: wherever you get your podcasts from to show us some love,
Speaker 2: rate and review. Alternatively, you can get in contact and
Speaker 2: give us some feedback by visiting www. Dot carolinecow dot
Speaker 2: com dot au