Every Day For A Year.

My mate Frosty is two things: creative, and organised.



Well, he’s a lot of other things as well, but this is hardly the forum for discussing high-end pomades and toe-fungus, now, is it?


Recently Frosty decided to take a photo a day for a full year. A fairly short time after he decided that, I decided to jump on his bandwagon and display the resulting photographs on the ol’ blog. Every few weeks I’ll whack up an update so you can basically intrude on Frosty’s life and recognise him on the street. SWEET DEAL.


So here, in a massive and uncharacteristic display of handing-someone-else-the-reins, I’ll let Frosty introduce the project and show you the first batch of shots. I think that’s pretty big of me.



I thought I’d interview myself.

Frosty: What’s this project about?

Frosty: I’ve decided to take a photo a day for one year, starting 10th May 2010.


F: Why?
F: Because I dig photography, but always seemed to have an excuse not to get out there and take some pics. Usually it was that I was too busy with work, or playing music, or just too lazy to dust off the camera and get creative. I thought if I force myself to take some photos, I would get into a habit and the old “I’m too busy” excuse would become null and void.


F: Why start 10 May 2010?
F: Because that’s the day I thought of it.

F: Fair enough. So what are the rules?
F: Take one photo a day for the whole year. Black & White only. On a digital compact camera. No photoshop trickery, including cropping. 2592 x 1944 pixels. Landscape format. I must take the photo, but self timer is allowed.


F: So you can take only one photo a day?
F: No, I can take as many photos as I want, but have to choose one as the ‘best’ for the day.

F: But you said its ‘a photo a day for one year’.
F: Technically I did Smartarse, however that would kind of defeat the purpose of the project, i.e. to take more photos.


F: Well, maybe you should rethink that tag line. Just saying.
F: Well, this is my project. So I can basically say what I want.


F: Just trying to help. Let’s move on to another question, what does the subject matter have to be? Do you have to be in it?
F: That’s two questions Mr. Pedant. The subject matter can be anything at all, but as I said before there can be no photoshop action so it will basically be whatever I see on a day to day basis. And no, I don’t have to be in it.


F: To be honest, sounds pretty boring. Just taking photos of what you see every day.
F: Therein lies the challenge. Hopefully on a good day I will be able to shoot something interesting. And forcing myself to shoot when I’m not inspired, or when I’m tired, or when I can’t see something interesting around me will force me to get creative.


F: What happens if your pic of the day is out of focus, or over exposed or something?
F: So be it, the ‘best’ shot with all its flaws will have to be presented. Although I admire photographers who have the time to start perfect shots, I also like the feel of low-fi documentary style photography. It’s that philosophy that obviously fits in with no frills nature of this project. If one day is not great, hopefully the next will be better. I was originally thinking about Lomo photography. But with Lomo you can point and shoot and take an interesting photograph simply because of the warped focus and colours. Straight away its different to what we see every day, therefore you’re fooled into thinking it’s a great photograph. I’m trying to force myself to think about composition, shot angle, etc, and therefore will hopefully create something interesting. Maybe I’m looking at people like Terry Richardson whose trademark is portraiture with the use of harsh flash. Great photos which retain a very low-fi feel to them, and makes the average Joe think they can do the same. And let's face it, if its grainy or blurred or washed out, I can go back another time and do it properly with my way too expensive SLR.


F: Okaaaay, So who is the intended audience?
F: Me.


F: That’s it?
F: Have you listened at all to what I’ve been saying? It’s to spur myself on, if other people get something out of it, great!

F: Alrighty, well I look forward to seeing the results.
F: Thanks me too.

F: So what’s for dinner?
F: Well, it’s cold and rainy so I’m thinking something hearty, like Indian.


F: You always want Indian!
F: I do indeed.