On August 6th of this year, I came up with an idea. I wanted to capture four random moments of each day with a single photograph. My goal was twofold: 1. Show that each day is special and distinct. 2. Make it into something I can look back on and enjoy in my later years.
I've always been fond of the Memories feature on Facebook, albeit it can be very shocking to learn that images you felt you took recently are now actually 5-10 years old. Wait, what??
I have a very good memory when I see a photograph I've taken, whether it be a nature photo or a shot at the local county fair. I can often remember the exact locations, even on a long trail.
Scrapbooking has become a fad again, what with all the ads that pop up on my phone screen for the HP Sprocket printer and such. But purchasing paper and ink and stickers seems very expensive. So I decided to come up with a digital template in PowerPoint that fits (4) 2.5" x 3.5" photos per page. Each page has the date on top. I allowed a two-lined caption to be written for each photo, which I enter every night. To date I have documented 540 photos total.
Because images take up a lot of space, I created separate files for each month. In a few weeks, I will combine the pdf files into one large file for the year, design a 2025 Moments cover, and print out the full book through Barnes & Noble's personal book printing service. The finished size will be 7" x 10". In 2026, I will continue the process with a different background color and pattern for the next book.
What I've discovered so far in this endeavor is that it can often be hard to figure out what moments of the day are worth a lasting image. I have sometimes resorted to a photo of an odd find by the dumpster, a new leaf unfurling on a plant, or even what I looked like at 3:00 a.m. in bed with the common cold (not a pretty sight). There have been some monumental images, though, just the same. Like receiving my first Social Security deposit, discovering nesting wrens in my outdoor rubber tree pot, and some spectacular sunsets.
I'm not certain I will continue this forever. Sometimes it does feel like a chore. But then again, it does push you to take notice of your existence, try to make the most of your life, and at least recognize that you experience more each day than you think you do.
