I Took A Photo Every Day For A Year, And Here Are The 33 Best Ones

Bored Panda has reached out to Alessio to find out more about his 365 Project. We wanted to know about the process of choosing the subject matter for his daily photographs. He told us, "Well, my work is usually focused on urban photography and street photography, so it was natural for me to choose daily life and candid pictures of the people around me as a mirror of the year I lived. It wasn't easy to take a photo every day with all the restrictions that there were in Italy in some weeks of 2021, but it was a nice challenge. Most of the photos are taken in Rome, but I had the chance to travel a bit, so there are also photos of Monopoli (Southern Italy), Sicily, Naples, and Barcelona."

Next, we asked him how he kept himself motivated to take a photo every day for a whole year. Alessio answered: "It wasn't easy actually, but after 2020, I really needed to leave my comfort zone - my couch, my room - and feel like a photographer again. The funny thing is, I didn't decide to start a 365 Project until January 1st. I took a photo that day and thought, 'Well, I'm going to do this every day until December 31st!' I began to post photos every day on my blog, so my biggest motivation was to finish what I started. I didn't want to disappoint myself and be seen as a quitter."

We were interested in the challenges or obstacles Alessio faced during the 365 Project. He told us: "Some days it was quite easy to take photos, but other days were really hard because I wanted to maintain the quality of my work and didn't want to post a bad photo. Some days were frustrating because I couldn't find anything good to photograph, and on a few occasions, it was tough because I was sick and could only take photos from my window. But looking back now, I can see that every obstacle was a learning experience and something useful. So I'm very satisfied with the results of the project."

Next, Alessio told us about particularly inspiring or memorable events from the year he got to photograph. He said: "Yes, there were a lot, actually! First of all, I think about the Euro Cup that Italy won. They played a lot of games in Rome, so I took many pictures of football fans and celebrations for the win. Then, I spent a good part of my summer in Southern Italy, so the sea was an important subject of the project. Finally, I tried to highlight the passing of time, so there is a photo of Santa during the Christmas holidays and fireworks in the last photo of the project on New Year's Eve. I was definitely influenced by the days I was living, of course."

We were also wondering if the photographer is planning to start another 365 Project. He said: "I don't think so. I'm not planning to start another daily practice like that for now. I have beautiful memories of this project, but I think it's so special to me because I did it once. If I still took a photo every day, maybe it would become boring or just pointless. I need to know where the finish line is to keep my motivation alive. By the way, I still go out to take photos quite often, but I also enjoy those days with no photos. I have less pressure and can focus on what I really want to photograph. It's important. If I had to do a 365 Project again, I'd try to do something different like taking a portrait of a stranger every day or explore a different photographic genre to experience something new or different."

Lastly, we wanted to know what the biggest lesson or takeaway from the project was. Alessio said: "After the pandemic and all the restrictions, I found a new kind of connection with people, human beings, and the marvelous treasures of daily life. I learned to see my city as a space where human stories intersect. Through street photography, I tried to capture the soul of life around me and the beauty of everyday experiences. I learned how life can be surprising and wonderful, even in the most common situations. We are often so focused on our 'big plan' that we forget the details, the little things that make life beautiful. Thanks to the 365 Project, I learned to savor those small moments of joy in a day with no great highlights. It's like a new way to pursue happiness, not easy to walk, but when your feelings are aligned with all the beautiful moments of life around you, it's really a gift."