Monday - snap; Tuesday - snap. etc.
July 19, 2011 4:17 AM Subscribe
This has better site design than the zillion other 'portrait a day' sites.
posted by crunchland at 4:34 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by crunchland at 4:34 AM on July 19, 2011
My friend Jamie Livingston, a NYC based director of photography and film maker, took one Polaroid photo a day from March 31, 1979 through October 25, 1997, the day of his death. Once a year he would host a gallery show of all the pictures. The key difference, of course, was that they weren't all of him -- our culture hadn't been quite so poisoned by the narcissism of "reality" tv yet. The complete archive of the photos is here, and this is a shot of one of the yearly gallery shows.
posted by Dean358 at 4:43 AM on July 19, 2011 [13 favorites]
posted by Dean358 at 4:43 AM on July 19, 2011 [13 favorites]
What a neat idea! I'm surprised nobody has thought of this before!
posted by nathancaswell at 4:54 AM on July 19, 2011 [15 favorites]
posted by nathancaswell at 4:54 AM on July 19, 2011 [15 favorites]
A glance at my friends' teenage daughter's facebook pages reveals that this is pretty much normal behavior.
posted by unSane at 5:00 AM on July 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by unSane at 5:00 AM on July 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
The challenge
...if you find that your toenail is particularly striking, shoot your toenail... If you wanna make it about how you have been sad all day, shoot your tear on a piece of paper. But make it about you and what moves you that very day
....If by day 3 you have documented the full range of your emotions and you find that the only thing that moves you is your bowels.....shoot your shit on a piece of paper......
posted by therubettes at 5:03 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
...if you find that your toenail is particularly striking, shoot your toenail... If you wanna make it about how you have been sad all day, shoot your tear on a piece of paper. But make it about you and what moves you that very day
....If by day 3 you have documented the full range of your emotions and you find that the only thing that moves you is your bowels.....shoot your shit on a piece of paper......
posted by therubettes at 5:03 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
I see this and all I can think is that somehow, deviantArt is to blame for people making shit like this. This isn't worthy if the blue, IMHO.
posted by Malice at 5:08 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Malice at 5:08 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
nathancaswell: "What a neat idea! I'm surprised nobody has thought of this before!"
What a neat comment! I'm surprised nobody has thought of it before!
I kid.
posted by bwg at 5:13 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
What a neat comment! I'm surprised nobody has thought of it before!
I kid.
posted by bwg at 5:13 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
"The ideal Saturday for me contains having no plans, going about town, getting a thai massage and enjoying the sunshine doing nothing - well that, and shopping of course!"
It's not a bad idea for project, despite so many people having done in before. I am disappointed that most of the self portraits are literally that, shots of her face. After seven months, I would think one would attempt a deeper examination of their identity other than tedious facial shots and bland quotes by others.
These two are my favorites.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:48 AM on July 19, 2011
It's not a bad idea for project, despite so many people having done in before. I am disappointed that most of the self portraits are literally that, shots of her face. After seven months, I would think one would attempt a deeper examination of their identity other than tedious facial shots and bland quotes by others.
These two are my favorites.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:48 AM on July 19, 2011
Christ, Tom, you know all the angles, hell, better than anybody... but... maybe you're wrong about this... you don't know what's in Verna's heart.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:58 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:58 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
You guys realize that the artist is going to be coming to this site to see what caused the spike in her referrer logs. How would you feel about this snark if it were aimed at you?
posted by crunchland at 6:18 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by crunchland at 6:18 AM on July 19, 2011
Going on record here, crunchland, as stating emphatically that my comment is not snark. Quoting Miller's Crossing (from memory!) is an entirely different thing altogether.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:20 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:20 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
(Is this the part where you shoot us down with your tommy gun while your house burns down?)
posted by crunchland at 6:22 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by crunchland at 6:22 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
(yes)
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:25 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:25 AM on July 19, 2011
You guys realize that the artist is going to be coming to this site to see what caused the spike in her referrer logs. How would you feel about this snark if it were aimed at you?
I would probably react with a photo of a tear-soaked keyboard.
posted by therubettes at 6:34 AM on July 19, 2011 [8 favorites]
I would probably react with a photo of a tear-soaked keyboard.
posted by therubettes at 6:34 AM on July 19, 2011 [8 favorites]
I did this once, except sometimes I took less than one self-portrait a day and I didn't put them on a web site.
posted by snofoam at 6:34 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by snofoam at 6:34 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Considering she is doing this with a camera phone I think she's getting great results.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:36 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by cjorgensen at 6:36 AM on July 19, 2011
I did this once, except I took a mental photograph a day and I didn't put them on a web site; I committed them to memory.
It was pretty high concept. I don't expect you to understand.
posted by etc. at 6:38 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
It was pretty high concept. I don't expect you to understand.
posted by etc. at 6:38 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
How would you feel about this snark if it were aimed at you?
Maybe the people doing photo-a-day sites really do need to be brought down a rung sometimes. Not all of them are bad or without statement. However, taking a photo of yourself every day and adding PS filters and sharing your priviledged life experiences like drinking a latte or going to yoga or overthinking one's haircut is not art. It's web-enabled narcissism. It doesn't mean anything. It's no more productive than watching TV or masturbating. This site is designed for posting on Facebook for people to gush over in the complete absence of critical thought on either side.
To these people I say: If you want to masturbate, it's cool. But, don't do it in public. If you're going to put something up for people to see, then do something meaningful.
posted by jimmythefish at 6:39 AM on July 19, 2011 [10 favorites]
Maybe the people doing photo-a-day sites really do need to be brought down a rung sometimes. Not all of them are bad or without statement. However, taking a photo of yourself every day and adding PS filters and sharing your priviledged life experiences like drinking a latte or going to yoga or overthinking one's haircut is not art. It's web-enabled narcissism. It doesn't mean anything. It's no more productive than watching TV or masturbating. This site is designed for posting on Facebook for people to gush over in the complete absence of critical thought on either side.
To these people I say: If you want to masturbate, it's cool. But, don't do it in public. If you're going to put something up for people to see, then do something meaningful.
posted by jimmythefish at 6:39 AM on July 19, 2011 [10 favorites]
You guys realize that the artist is going to be coming to this site to see what caused the spike in her referrer logs. How would you feel about this snark if it were aimed at you?
I think I might be surprised to see my personal project highlighted as the best of the web. Flattered, but extremely surprised.
posted by londonmark at 6:41 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think I might be surprised to see my personal project highlighted as the best of the web. Flattered, but extremely surprised.
posted by londonmark at 6:41 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
You guys realize that the artist is going to be coming to this site to see what caused the spike in her referrer logs. How would you feel about this snark if it were aimed at you?
I certainly don't mean to be snarky but you're calling her an "artist?" Really? She's copied something that's ben done a zillion times before, made a version that is all about herself and posted it to the world as if we'd be interested. I agree with what jimmythefish wrote.
If this is art then "The Real Housewives Of Orange County" is documentary cinema. Yikes.
posted by Dean358 at 6:42 AM on July 19, 2011 [3 favorites]
I certainly don't mean to be snarky but you're calling her an "artist?" Really? She's copied something that's ben done a zillion times before, made a version that is all about herself and posted it to the world as if we'd be interested. I agree with what jimmythefish wrote.
If this is art then "The Real Housewives Of Orange County" is documentary cinema. Yikes.
posted by Dean358 at 6:42 AM on July 19, 2011 [3 favorites]
Am I missing something? The photography or concept here isn't revolutionary or anything, but the execution is mostly pretty good and a couple steps up from the usual result of these things.
posted by Dr.Enormous at 6:54 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by Dr.Enormous at 6:54 AM on July 19, 2011
Day 66 "Today I am not very inspired to be creative. "
There you have it...
Yeah, there is a narcissism in this stuff that makes it uninteresting at best.
Once in a while I think we were better off with film and processing, digital photography has watered down the pool of creativity.
posted by tomswift at 6:58 AM on July 19, 2011
There you have it...
Yeah, there is a narcissism in this stuff that makes it uninteresting at best.
Once in a while I think we were better off with film and processing, digital photography has watered down the pool of creativity.
posted by tomswift at 6:58 AM on July 19, 2011
However, taking a photo of yourself every day and adding PS filters and sharing your priviledged life experiences like drinking a latte or going to yoga or overthinking one's haircut is not art.
Thanks Dad.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:58 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Thanks Dad.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:58 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
i have no idea what "watered down the pool of creativity" means, but it sounded good at the time.
posted by tomswift at 6:59 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by tomswift at 6:59 AM on July 19, 2011
Since I'm sure everyone is keen to know my thoughts on the issue, I thought I'd chime in. I don't understand why anyone would "need to be brought down a rung." This seems pointless and mean-spirited to me. On the other hand, certainly people should be able to give their opinions about a project posted online. I think if anything, the poster may have misjudged what most other metafilter readers would consider the best of the web.
Personally, I doubt this person thinks they are coming up with a new idea. Ultimately most projects like this are valuable mostly to the person doing it. I'm sure she's getting practice at photography, and also practicing having a project and sticking to it. Ideally she will take these skills and move on to a different project that is more unique and more interesting to other people.
posted by snofoam at 7:09 AM on July 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
Personally, I doubt this person thinks they are coming up with a new idea. Ultimately most projects like this are valuable mostly to the person doing it. I'm sure she's getting practice at photography, and also practicing having a project and sticking to it. Ideally she will take these skills and move on to a different project that is more unique and more interesting to other people.
posted by snofoam at 7:09 AM on July 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
I think if anything, the poster may have misjudged what most other metafilter readers would consider the best of the web.
This. Sorry, adamvasco.
posted by pineapple at 7:23 AM on July 19, 2011
This. Sorry, adamvasco.
posted by pineapple at 7:23 AM on July 19, 2011
Shit Sandwich™, with the crusts cut off, and all the corn removed.
There, is that art enough for ya?
posted by dbiedny at 7:56 AM on July 19, 2011
There, is that art enough for ya?
posted by dbiedny at 7:56 AM on July 19, 2011
she's not alone.
No kidding - a quick search of flickr groups for 365 shows just how common this is. Some are doing it much better than others though - like this girl.
posted by blaneyphoto at 7:59 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
No kidding - a quick search of flickr groups for 365 shows just how common this is. Some are doing it much better than others though - like this girl.
posted by blaneyphoto at 7:59 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Can I just take 365 self portraits on one day and us a cron job to post them?
posted by blue_beetle at 8:01 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by blue_beetle at 8:01 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
No kidding - a quick search of flickr groups for 365 shows just how common this is.
I don't think that matters. If it's important to her, for whatever reason, then that's good enough.
It doesn't mean I have to like a particular person's method or style of doing the project, but hey, if want to do, knock themselves out.
Some are doing it much better than others though - like this girl.
Yeah, those are much more interesting, as she's defining herself as something more than just her face. She has pictures of things and people that shaped her identity and or express it in other ways.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:08 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
I don't think that matters. If it's important to her, for whatever reason, then that's good enough.
It doesn't mean I have to like a particular person's method or style of doing the project, but hey, if want to do, knock themselves out.
Some are doing it much better than others though - like this girl.
Yeah, those are much more interesting, as she's defining herself as something more than just her face. She has pictures of things and people that shaped her identity and or express it in other ways.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:08 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sometimes people do something every day for a long time in order to get better at it. Maybe this is that. I choose to believe that it is.
posted by penduluum at 8:51 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by penduluum at 8:51 AM on July 19, 2011
I'll masturbate wherever the hell I want to, thank you very much.
posted by zephyr_words at 8:59 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by zephyr_words at 8:59 AM on July 19, 2011
Some are doing it much better than others though - like this girl.
Indeed, that caught my eye. First off, for being very very pink. But the aesthetics and content really does catch me. I may have to keep an eye on that one.
posted by Bovine Love at 9:02 AM on July 19, 2011
Indeed, that caught my eye. First off, for being very very pink. But the aesthetics and content really does catch me. I may have to keep an eye on that one.
posted by Bovine Love at 9:02 AM on July 19, 2011
I'll masturbate wherever the hell I want to, thank you very much.
Should Adults Be Allowed To Bring Kids To R-Rated Movies Where We Masturbate?
posted by andoatnp at 9:03 AM on July 19, 2011
Should Adults Be Allowed To Bring Kids To R-Rated Movies Where We Masturbate?
posted by andoatnp at 9:03 AM on July 19, 2011
I was going to get a passport photo a day for a year.
But I didn't.
posted by mazola at 9:40 AM on July 19, 2011
But I didn't.
posted by mazola at 9:40 AM on July 19, 2011
Now a mugshot a day for a year...that'd be something.
posted by adamdschneider at 9:47 AM on July 19, 2011
posted by adamdschneider at 9:47 AM on July 19, 2011
There's no need to shit all over the artist who put these photos up - and, yes, someone who makes art is an "artist", pretentious pre-Warhol attitudes aside.
There's simply not enough here to make a good FPP, that's all. The shortfall is from the OP, not the photographer (who didn't "ask us to care", anymore than anyone who picks out clothing is asking us to admire their fashion).
posted by IAmBroom at 10:47 AM on July 19, 2011
There's simply not enough here to make a good FPP, that's all. The shortfall is from the OP, not the photographer (who didn't "ask us to care", anymore than anyone who picks out clothing is asking us to admire their fashion).
posted by IAmBroom at 10:47 AM on July 19, 2011
This is not equivalent to someone picking out clothing. It is much closer to someone picking out clothing, and then posting pics of it on a style magazine.
Its not just pictures of her, it is pictures she published. It isn't a fine difference.
posted by Bovine Love at 11:09 AM on July 19, 2011
Its not just pictures of her, it is pictures she published. It isn't a fine difference.
posted by Bovine Love at 11:09 AM on July 19, 2011
God it'll be a fucking awful day when Metafilter discovers Cindy Sherman.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:18 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 11:18 AM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
As the perpertrater of this heinousness onto the blue I think I will reply to some of the criticism and risk getting further flamed.
There is a subset here who like nothing better than pissing on people and that is probably all they are good at.
I have no idea of who Nini Baseema is. It was for me a happy accidental finding.
I think her project is superior both in presentation and content to many similar tumblirs.
Fractalized; A Safe pair of hands (part of a series); Mirrorgames; or this one (thanks Branden) are probably not the work of a bored teenager as is evidenced by their composition and execution.
The one eyed shamen suggests a certain story if one cares to look closer; the shaman, traditionally a shape changer with his/her chosen animal guide.
Also the most recent triggers thoughts of A Midsummers Night Dream.
Nowhere does she state that she is an artist; however many of her compositions provoke thought or reaction. That is good enough for me so I thought I would share it.
Of course if it isn't good enough for some of you there is always the option of moving to some other post which I might consider to be be weak sauce, booring, childish or plain meh. I hope you too enjoy your mediocracy.
posted by adamvasco at 12:48 PM on July 19, 2011
There is a subset here who like nothing better than pissing on people and that is probably all they are good at.
I have no idea of who Nini Baseema is. It was for me a happy accidental finding.
I think her project is superior both in presentation and content to many similar tumblirs.
Fractalized; A Safe pair of hands (part of a series); Mirrorgames; or this one (thanks Branden) are probably not the work of a bored teenager as is evidenced by their composition and execution.
The one eyed shamen suggests a certain story if one cares to look closer; the shaman, traditionally a shape changer with his/her chosen animal guide.
Also the most recent triggers thoughts of A Midsummers Night Dream.
Nowhere does she state that she is an artist; however many of her compositions provoke thought or reaction. That is good enough for me so I thought I would share it.
Of course if it isn't good enough for some of you there is always the option of moving to some other post which I might consider to be be weak sauce, booring, childish or plain meh. I hope you too enjoy your mediocracy.
posted by adamvasco at 12:48 PM on July 19, 2011
Maybe it would have been a good idea to include all that extra stuff in the FPP, so that people didn't think it was simply yet another "picture a day" project.
posted by ShutterBun at 1:04 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by ShutterBun at 1:04 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Maybe it would have been a good idea for everyone on Metafilter to not be dickweeds and piss all over something at the slightest provocation.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:11 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by shakespeherian at 1:11 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Wait, what, we're not supposed to say what we think about a post because why again?
posted by unSane at 1:28 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by unSane at 1:28 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Maybe also a good idea for the OP to not accuse everyone who doesn't fawn and slaver over his FPP of "enjoying mediocracy".
Which, is actually a rather intriguing assertion if he is in fact accusing us of enjoying a mediocracy.
Only, I suspect he meant mediocrity, which is far less damning. Or interesting.
posted by pineapple at 1:34 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Which, is actually a rather intriguing assertion if he is in fact accusing us of enjoying a mediocracy.
Only, I suspect he meant mediocrity, which is far less damning. Or interesting.
posted by pineapple at 1:34 PM on July 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
YES THAT'S RIGHT I AM DECREEING RULES FROM ON HIGH
YOUR SINCERE CONFUSION IS UNDERSTANDABLE
posted by shakespeherian at 1:34 PM on July 19, 2011
YOUR SINCERE CONFUSION IS UNDERSTANDABLE
posted by shakespeherian at 1:34 PM on July 19, 2011
That may well be true, but I do not assume that you enjoy mediocracy simply because we don't agree on my favorite band.
posted by Bovine Love at 2:14 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by Bovine Love at 2:14 PM on July 19, 2011
Or even mediocrity, it works either way.
posted by Bovine Love at 2:15 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by Bovine Love at 2:15 PM on July 19, 2011
The Metafilter 365 Project: One snark a day for a whole year.
posted by artof.mulata at 3:18 PM on July 19, 2011
posted by artof.mulata at 3:18 PM on July 19, 2011
To round things out, here's Nini Baseema as micro-curator and a lover of dance.
Also note that Day 6 of 2011 is in video format.
posted by artof.mulata at 3:36 PM on July 19, 2011
Also note that Day 6 of 2011 is in video format.
posted by artof.mulata at 3:36 PM on July 19, 2011
Sheesh....adam, get a frigging grip...
posted by tomswift at 3:48 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tomswift at 3:48 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
*What a neat comment! I'm surprised nobody has thought of it before!*
I'm sure a lot of people have thought that one, they just didn't voice it before.
posted by Apocryphon at 12:49 AM on July 20, 2011
I'm sure a lot of people have thought that one, they just didn't voice it before.
posted by Apocryphon at 12:49 AM on July 20, 2011
Has it already been four years since I fell in love with her?
posted by rebent at 7:05 AM on July 20, 2011
posted by rebent at 7:05 AM on July 20, 2011
After having favorited the snarky comments at the beginning of this thread, I now come down here towards the end to defend "Photo a day" Flickr sets, etc. because I have a friend who's doing one and I really like seeing what he sees on a day to day basis and he's getting much better as a photographer as a result. Seeing that kind of progression (and watching him become more sure of himself as a photographer) makes me happy for him.
Self-portrait a day sets, though? I still feel snarkily towards them.
posted by TrishaLynn at 8:27 AM on July 20, 2011
Self-portrait a day sets, though? I still feel snarkily towards them.
posted by TrishaLynn at 8:27 AM on July 20, 2011
In related news, What I Wore Today is turning into a social network...
posted by cashman at 2:11 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by cashman at 2:11 PM on August 9, 2011
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posted by squasha at 4:29 AM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]