May 11, 2015
Day In The Life™ Tomorrow May 12th
Just a quick reminder that tomorrow I'll be documenting a Day In The Life™ tomorrow (May 12th, 2015) and you're invited to play along.
If you are new to the concept, check out my Day In The Life™ projects page for past examples and a short video overview, or my Day In The Life™ blog post archives.
From the time I wake up until I hit the pillow at night I'll be taking pictures and jotting down notes about my day.
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you approach this project:
- There's no right or wrong. Sometimes I've taken a hundred photos on the day of this project and other times I've ended up with 20. The more I do it the less photos I tend to take - I think that's because I've gotten better at knowing what kind I personally want to include. That said, I'm always delighted and surprised by the things I do capture on these days - magic is almost always found.
- Have fun. Think of it as a game - how can you demonstrate your day purely via photos? Even though I generally like to include words along with my images, it's helpful to think about what best captures the hours of my days right now.
- Stop it right now if you are saying to yourself that your day is boring. Your day is what it is. Document it. I don't work in a traditional office environment but I still spend quite a few hours at my desk. Each time I do this project I look for something to capture - often it's something that's the same as I've captured in the past (such as the same angle of my working at the computer) AND something that's different. I challenge myself to capture a new angle of the same stuff - it's a great way to practice and play with your photography skills. And please, please, please remember that what you deem boring today might be just the thing you wished you remembered five years from now. Perspective is key and your story is worth it.
- I generally enjoy using my "big" camera for this project because even though I love the convenience of my phone - and it's what I use most regularly - some of my most favorite everyday life shots have come during this project day and the quality of my bigger camera is really hard to match with the phone. But, as is almost always the case, the best camera is the one you have with you.
- Give thanks. Look around you - there is so much to be thankful for. Use your lens to capture that along with your regular routines.
- If you have trouble remembering, set an alarm on your phone to go off at specific intervals. Even if you stopped what you were doing each hour you were awake and took one photo of what was happening in front of you at that point in time would be so awesome.
- The last few times I've done this project I've liked noting the times of things. The numbers make great embellishments in the finished project.
If you've got tips to share from previous experiences feel free to share them in the comments below.
Enjoy! Use the hashtag #aedayinthelife if you are sharing your images on Instagram.
So, I saw your post on SC about this and marked my calendar. I got up and started documenting and taking pictures, only to realize that I was a week early! So, I went with it and so I should receive my prints this week and put it in my 4x4 album. I ended up with 47 pics for it out of about 250 taken. Not bad. :) Thanks again for sharing this project, Ali. It's definitely one of my favorites!
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I didn't do this last year. I thought I was boring, I had other reasons, too. But I did Week In The Life and it was the best thing I could have done for myself. I discovered that it was exactly what I wanted to remember. It also made a huge impact on my confidence. I didn't finish the album til February, but I finished it and still love the process, and that album. So I'm in, and looking forward to it. I don't know what the end project will be, yet, but I'm thinking a 2 page 12x12 layout with the pictures small. But, I've never done a mini album, and I'm also thinking about that, with a homemade chipboard type album. The finished product will take me a while, and that's ok, that's me, and that's what I have going on. I don't know how to put pictures anywhere, but I'll be looking on Instagram to see everyone's photos.
So please, don't not do this because you do the same thing day in and day out, cause seriously, you don't. I don't work, and I did WITL and loved the end result. If I can do this you guys can, too. It'll be fun.
Thanks, Ali. Michelle t
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Thank you so much for the reminder about capturing daily life despite thinking it is boring:) so true! some day the most boring of moments might seem extraordinary.
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Ali, do you have a printable copy of that timetable sheet that you've used in the past? I'm pretty sure it was for DITL? It had a spot for the hours, and a spot for the longer stories to jot down.
Thanks!
Carlie
Sorry I missed this yesterday. That can be downloaded here: http://aliedwards.com/2011/07/week-in-the-life-thoughts-on-the-process-daily-sheet-pdf.html
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I did WITL last year and never finished. All the writing and photos printed just no motivation to want to do it which is weird for me as I finished DD2015. That was my first of both. Maybe it's not for me. I feel I get enough of our daily and weekly routine in PL and I'm struggling to keep up with that so just don't feel I can take on another project (even if it is one of yours Ali!) But on the bright side Ive just printed off a stack of photos for the TYPE workshop, this weeks lesson was so inspiring! Thank you!
I totally get it! Go with what you're feeling right now!
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I do Week in the Life every year and love it. I've decided to try to do it annually around Mother's Day so this is the week. I'll definitely play along with DITL. Thanks for the great projects.
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We moved to USA there weeks ago and I am definitely in the project. I`ve never done it before, and now I lost all of my everyday life. All of it, from my loved parents, my work, spring changeable weather to my favorite cup and medicines I used to take and flowers on my window - all of it. You never know, how will your life change in a few weeks. And how will you miss all boring details.
I love your project, Ali, and I love your approach to life documentation. Thank you for all of this! Irene.
Best wishes to you in your transition Irene :).
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I tried a week in the life last time around, and despite not finishing the week, it did prompt me to start journaling on a daily basis...something I hadn't done for years. It doesn't feel like much at the time, when most of our days play out with the same old routines, but looking back it's an important snapshot of what life was like for us at that time. Thanks for always inspiring Ali.
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I totally did this! I took loads of photos on my borrowed iPhone (loving that!) and made notes on the template sheet you linked us to, Ali. It worked out to be a great day for me as it was a wonderful mix of the "mundane" (work, twins at nursery, etc.) and the unique (an external Vendor presentation at work and a VERY rare date night for hubby and I to the theatre which was my Christmas present). I loved doing DD last December, and I loved doing this yesterday. Now I just need to get the additional notes jotted down before the thoughts and experience fades, and work out which pics and journalling I want. I aim to do this PL-style, as it is far more likely to get done that way, but it won't be complete until after the weekend as we are going away with our little family and everything needs to be sorted for that (why is that always my job?!). But I have the photos and I have the notes, so thanks, Ali!
Using the iPhone was key for me as it was less obtrusive than my normal camera, plus I could take a few "selfies" with a head actually on them(!) and I took photos of what I was wearing to work and to the theatre and stuff. Might have to "cheat" and take a jammies photo today as that's the only outfit from yesterday I'm missing ;)
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