365 Days — 2007 - Breakfast in America

My first complete 365 Days project. An endeavor to take a self-portrait every day for a year. The rules are simple. I must be visible in the picture, and I must take the picture. All I had to help me get into the photos was a 10-second timer. It’s surprising how fast you can get at moving into position!

March 22, 2007

Red Tie Day (365: 75)

Red tie day (365: 75) — After a rough day at work I decided to put on my red tie and take some pictures to cheer myself up. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
March 23, 2007

Friday Night Wine & Movie (365: 76)

Friday Night Wine & Movie (365: 76 ) Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Sin City: Voted our film of the year 2005 and 2006 (Joint winner with Wallace and Grommit). The following day my eldest, my brother and a load of lads took possession of the backroom for beer and football. The remaining sweets disappeared in a flash; at least my brother left me a beer.
March 25, 2007

Under orders; get used to it (365:77)
Under orders; get used to it (365: 77 ). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I have no idea what we are going to do, all I know is:
1. I’ve got to take down the ceilings on the upstairs and downstairs hall – we have a three (American) two (British) story house.
2. Takedown the wall to my workroom
3. Takedown the ceiling in my workroom
4. Knock out the front wall and get a new door and windows fitted
5. Jack-up the first-floor stairs (or replace them) and replace the ground floor floor
6. Re-wire the electrical connections to every floor
7. Re-fit new ceilings and walls
8. Get this lot and the kitchen plastered
9. work out how to replace the crap stairs and banister + do it
10. The whole lot to be completed with minimal sub-contract labour by end August 07.
Oh and still hold down two jobs (and Flickr)

Hindsight: my life was about to change in ways I couldn’t begin to imagine. The work did get done. Fourteen months later it was all finished. By then my life was very different.
March 26, 2007

In the pink (365: 79)

In the pink (365: 79) — For Rafael. A copycat of his copycat. I created so many variants of this picture I didn’t know which one to post to 365 days. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

There’s nothing to beat a bit of gratuitous nippleage.

365:79 options — Just a few of the pictures. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
March 27, 2007

A Miracle In Transit (365: 80)

A Miracle In Transit (365: 80) — That’s it, my shot for the day. It is the first and only picture I’ve taken today. I can now retire. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

That’s it, my shot for the day. It is the first and only picture I’ve taken today. I can now retire.

It has taken me until day bloody 80 to do a 365 days shot in one go. The only picture in the camera, first time, no safety shots, no bracketed exposures just one picture. What am I going to do for the rest of the evening?
March 29, 2007

Thursdays (365: 82)

Thursdays (365: 82). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I recently wrote that I had yet to capture the ‘essence’ of myself. This, I think, might be it, probably my most personal self-portrait to date. Though I doubt most people will be able to ‘see’ it.
March 30, 2007

Boxers (365: 83)

Boxers (365: 83) — It is all done in the best possible taste!! Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

International Underwear Week. Who could resist? I couldn’t; I’m too weak-willed.
March 31, 2007

Bliss (365: 84)

365: 84 Bliss. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Oh the benefits of a sheltered, south facing, garden when there is a cold wind blowing from the north.

I’ve got to think of some picture ideas for the summer otherwise it will be just repeats of this photograph.
April 1, 2007

Annual Returns, Accounts, and Invoicing – Oh My! (365: 85)

Annual Returns, Accounts and Invoicing – Oh My! (365: 85) – Some things never change – Annual Accounts 2007. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Not a lot of time for a considered picture today, the title should be a give-away.

And today’s alternate picture…

365: 85 Alternate: Annual Returns, Accounts and Invoicing – Oh My!Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
April 3, 2007

The Bottom of the Barrel (365: 87)

The Bottom of the Barrel (365: 87) — Possibly a 365 days all-time low. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I took a whole series of these earlier today. They almost all ended up in the recycling bin. I do not have any enthusiasm for trying to start over again now.

Oh well, it’s another day tomorrow!
April 4, 2007

Just Me (365: 88)

Just Me 365:088
April 5, 2007

Outside My Comfort Zone; Combining Retail and Aversion Therapy (365: 89)

Outside My Comfort Zone; Combining Retail and Aversion Therapy (365: 89) — Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I have a really strong aversion to using my camera in public places, so I’m forcing myself to give it a try. While busy this particular aisle in the store was almost empty, yet you can see the look of anxiousness in my face.

I wanted to get the picture over and done with quickly, so I forgot to check the exposure, resulting in some slight blur, which I [almost] sorted out using the Unsharp mask.
April 6, 2007

Break (365: 90)

Break (365: 90). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Work on renovating the hall has begun.

Today we took down the ceilings on the middle and ground landings and my work room. we also took out the wall between the landing and my work room.

There was no way I was letting my camera into the the dust and dirt, so I took this shot during a break after the dust had settled. The light is great here – note to self, paint this wall white!
April 8, 2007

Trapped (365:91)

Trapped (365:91) – No time today. Too busy working on the hall. (re-titled and re-edited). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved

Trapped (colour version) – No time today. Too busy working on the hall. (re-titled and re-edited). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved
April 9, 2007

And why not? (365: 93)

And why not? (365: 93). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

My planned 365 days picture was okay, but too mundane, so I took this.

My planned shot.
April 10, 2007

Tempting (365: 94)

365: 94 Tempting. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

The 365 days project can do this to you…

Normal service will be resumed tomorrow 😉 see below for some more info on this picture.

A Peek Behind The Scenes

365 days can do this to you… – Normal service will be resumed tomorrow 😉

This is how the picture actually looked when I took it. I was using a bedroom for most of my pictures, and because of the skirting board and the shadow the bed cast, I was limited to standing on a box to get my lower body away from the distraction and into the light.
April 12, 2007

What a Difference a Beer Makes – Product Placement (365: 96)

What a Difference a Beer Makes – Product Placement (365: 96). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Today Thursdays and the 365 days project conspired to really get me down.

I’ve not had a decent self portrait idea for what seems like weeks, it’s all been the luck of the draw on the day (well night mostly, and late night at that). After deleting a whole series of shots I considered awful, I resorted to what turned out to be a very depressing picture taken at my desk, which summed up how I felt.

At the PM‘s suggestion – because I was so grumpy – I had a beer, returned to the camera with a second, and all of a sudden the world seems a happier place!