See Be Art. Melbourne child and family photographer.

Excuse me while i get a little personal.

I have always been a fan of fellow photographer and creative person Haylie Bartholomew, ever since i saw a mini documentary of her and her family on the ABC a few years back. Last year she embarked on a project where she would take a photo of something small she was grateful for each day. The little things that usually get over looked in the hustle and bustle.

The last few months of my personal life have been incredibly hard and challenging. A unwanted (and unexpected) marriage break down, a new baby, sickness, change, stress, lack of sleep and non existent organization. I have felt like everything in my life was completely falling apart around me several times. But i can’t fall apart because i have three little people relying on me to be ok. And because i have always been a glass half full kind of person (and i am determined not to let the crappy things I’m my life ruin that positive attitude) I am going to make sure i recognize something i am grateful and thankful for in my simple life every single day. There is always a good in every bad.

Now regular readers know that i have done a photo-a-day challenge at the start of each year for the last few years, and i usually last for a few months and then stop. The reason for this is because deep down i am a bit of a perfectionist. It’s never just a matter of taking a photo and uploading it. It would always involve taking several photos..picking the best..loading it onto the computer..spending 5-10 min editing it into perfection and then uploading and blogging. And inevitably my time just runs out…not to mention my motivation. Well this time, because i have even less free time during the day (and little desire to stay up late at night) i have decided to let go of my inhibitions and my need to constantly capture the perfect image and instead focus more on what it is i am photographing and why. So, inspired by Haylie, a few weeks back i decided to start my own grateful daily project, however i have gone somewhat basic this time and instead i am only going to only be using my iphone to take the images.
No editing. No retouching or perfecting. No fancy lens or camera…just my phone and the standard hipstamatic and polaroid applications.

I will admit that it has been a challenge to resist the temptation to re-take the photo if it doesn’t work out first go. And i have been guilty of taking a few shots instead of just one. BUT the essence of the project is still there and i am finding it rather liberating. The noise. The grain. The hit and miss focus. The lack of detail. Blow out highlights. Too dark shadows. None of it matters. Because it is life more simple. My life. My day. My ordinary.

Now i think i would drive you all bonkers if i posted up one photo every day so instead i will just compile them all together every now and then and post them in bulk. So here are the first lot, in no particular order, starting back from the 29th of June.

You know those people who live in a world of games and imagination built into their television and computer screens? The ones who know everything about everything, seem to make a fantastic living from their lounge rooms and can hack into whatever they want. They are up to date with all things mega byte and technological and make us regular folk seem like complete dimwits when it comes to everything modern. The ones the government call on in times of need in action movies to hack into the bad guys (and aliens) computers and enter in virus’s to save the day….the ones who can control traffic lights and satellites with a click of their mouse buttons and a magic code no one else knows….

One day…He will be one of those people.