Five Minutes With Marie-Luise Skibbe

There are so many things we miss about life pre-lockdown, and taking our table to some truly spectacular places and meeting new people would have to top that list! We first met talented Melbourne photographer, Marie-Luise Skibbe, at an intimate dinner curated for In Bed Store. Shortly afterwards, we launched our 2019 pop-up dining project, Summer Series. We invited Marie-Luise to join us for the first event in the series, a long-table lunch against a backdrop of floating flowers and giant ferns in Emerald, Victoria. We were thrilled to welcome Marie-Luise to our table and to have her so beautifully capture the magic of that day. Whilst we have taken an obligatory break from our long-table dinners, we have stayed closely connected to our community and the people who make the work we do possible. We recently (prior to Melbourne lockdown v.2!), chatted to Marie-Luise to see what has changed for her over the past few months, and what she was feeling hopeful about.   

What has been the most significant change you’ve experienced since isolation? How are you feeling about it all? 

Initially, my entire schedule of work and photoshoots being totally wiped from my calendar within the space of a couple of days. I know so many people can relate to the shock of it and the stages of grief we collectively went through. Despite, thankfully (!), being able to work again here and there, I have been feeling a slower pace about everything. I guess that’s normal when there are less deadlines, but I’m enjoying not rushing between a hundred different things.

What do your work days look like? 

I’m so lucky that in my profession, my days are really varied. That’s what I love the most about it. The high-intensity shoot days, followed by editing, admin and catching up on everything else it takes to run a business. Quiet days are a good combination for me. Right now, it’s much the same, just less shooting. Running a small business, I still have long task lists and less new work coming in means I can spend that time working on bigger tasks I’ve let slide. That doesn’t happen every day, though. It’s only recently that I’ve felt like my energy to do all that has come back. I’ve been working on my new website and branding and a shop, which I’m so excited to launch soon. 

We’re obsessed with good morning and night routines at the moment! Any advice to share? 

To be completely honest, anything of a routine I may have had pre-Covid went out the window pretty quick. What has really helped me to feel in the moment and take back some control is implementing little rituals throughout the day that act as markers. It feels much looser and more joyful than a routine but some include aiming to get up around the same time each day and begin the process of making the morning cups of coffee. Going for long walks while chatting to my mum or friends on the phone in the afternoon. In the evenings, we started lighting candles when we sit down for dinner because it makes the dining table feel more special than the dumping station/pseudo desk situation. Reading before bed.

What’s helping you to stay inspired?

 Reading books and spending as much time as possible outdoors in nature. It’s so therapeutic and all the more important right now.

What do you feel hopeful about?

Everyone getting excited about what our new normal will look like. We’re so fortunate in Australia to already be able to see family and friends and leave the cities for a bit. I feel hopeful that work will pick up for me and that we’ve all secretly fallen for this slower pace of life. It would be nice to carry that into the future!