The Search For Validation - a photo on Flickriver

The Search For Validation. 💟
Last time I checked, there wasn’t a scale for kindness, morality or sense of humour. There wasn’t a grade system for your ability to be swept away inside a beautiful song, or a book, or a poem. There’s no number that can be assigned to the impact your art can have on others, or the way your lover holds you when you come home defeated after a bad day.

I love social media, and I think it can bring all kinds of beautiful things into people’s lives - connection, art, sharing someone else’s joys, the bond of humanity across cultures. Social media essentially brought me a career in something I love, so I owe social media quite a lot.
That said, I’ve found it quite difficult to separate my art from the number that sits next to it. I’ve struggled with not questioning myself when faced with 200+ souls clicking a button to unfollow my work each time I share a new piece. Social media is rewiring us to find our validation in our phone screens, and I can promise you - it’s not there.
I’ve decided to start up a blog - somewhere with no measurements or numbers - to put all my thoughts and behind the scenes. My first post is the making of this image, as well as my journey of social media, and how it’s affected my self esteem. It feels exciting to be taking care of my “art & soul” (see what I did there?) a bit better!

www.rosiehardy.com/blog

Taken on: December 9, 2019

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, f/4.5, 1/640 sec, 35mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens:	EF35mm f/1.4L II USM
Aperture:	f/4.5
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/640)
Focal Length:	35mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Manual
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	GIMP 2.8.16
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