Image By Christina Macperson
AT HOME WITH: CHRISTINA MACPERSON
Interview By Sarah Norris
In our ‘At Home With’ Series, we chat to some of our favourite slow travellers, muses and photographers, getting a glimpse into how they practise slow living in their day-to-day lives.
We’re starting things off with a bang, our first interview is with the delightful and poignant Christina Macpherson. You might know Christina as a worldly traveller, photographing and musing her way through soft palette tones of quaint seaside towns and beachside settings. We caught up with Christina and asked her to shed some light into her slow rituals at her home in Byron Bay.
NJ- Please tell us a bit about yourself. Where do you currently call home? What do you do for a living?
I'm Christina, I live in Byron Bay Australia with my husband Tom (a kiwi!). I'm a model, content creator and writer who has worked in this industry for about 12 years. I still do the occasional modelling job but I now predominantly work with my husband/photographer Tom in creating campaigns, imagery and guides for a range of fashion, homewares, and travel brands.
NJ- What is your daily morning routine?
I wake at about 6:30 and do some form of exercise; I then do my daily writing exercises which take about 15-20 minutes - this really sets up my mind for a day of creative thinking. Tom and I always make time for breakfast at the table - it's such a good start we talk about our plans for the day and what we need to achieve independently and as a team. Then we get to work and each day always looks different! One day it may be hours in front of the computer editing, writing or researching. The next it may be a full day of shooting or scouting; and the next it may be a bit of both or a whole lot of nothing. No day is the same and it's always a bit of a rollercoaster and that suits my own topsy-turvy mind very, very well!
NJ- What are your tips for a sustainable beauty routine?
I think it's about choosing products and beauty brands you can truly get behind and that speak to you, as well as being realistic with outcomes.
NJ- You have a day off, what are you doing? Where can we find you?
It is an early rise but a long morning. Breakfast is made with a background of gentle music and the hum of the birds. We play chess, we sip coffee, we mumble sleepily. It's surfing and sunning and reading. Or it's hiking, swimming and eating packed lunches. No matter the details, it always includes soaking up the elements and just enjoying the company of myself or whoever I'm with.
NJ- What are your favourite destinations?
There are too many places, but lately I can't stop thinking about Minorca in Spain. I'm dreaming of going back there next year if possible with Tom and our little bubbalina on the way. I'd also love to revisit Japan and travel there with a baby, we've been there three times and it's always such a safe, friendly, other-worldly experience.
NJ- Give us your best ‘local’s only’ tip for your hometown? Where should we go to discover something off the beaten path?
Not telling hehe, but just drive or keep walking. Let the beaten track take you where it may, you're certain to bump into something magical along the way.
NJ- A destination on your bucket list?
Namibia, Sweden, Peru, Iceland, China, Egypt...toooo many places!
NJ- Last book you read?
Lonely Castle in The Mirror by Mizuki Tsujiimura - a story told with magical realism that deals with issues around anxiety, loneliness and bullying. It's a book I wish I'd read in my formative years, but even happier I did as an adult. I think this book should be given to kids and adults alike - it allows both validation for teenage struggles, and creates an awareness that kids have a depth that goes beyond what they're given credit for.
NJ- Last film you saw?
Sound of Metal, such a goodie.
NJ- You can’t travel without...
Kindle, mask, moisturiser, my glasses (I'm blind as a bat), a notepad and pen, and mostly - if I don't want to get into trouble - Tom
NJ- Finally, what does slow living mean to you?
I'm a person who loves to act on impulse, planning tends to scare me so my 'slow living' may not be as intentional or reflective as it traditionally should be. But for me (for us) it works. For me, it just means to live life with positivity and joy; to reflect and act intentionally (no matter how spur-of-the-moment those actions may be!), and to always practice patience, kindness, and understanding.