Strange Photo Project Keeps Daily Tabs on a Vending Machine, Apologizes for It

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We’ve seen some strange photo projects in the past, but they’re typically making a statement or serving some purpose. Haley Morris-Cafiero’s photos of herself getting strange looks turned the tables on judging onlookers. Theron Humphrey’s photos of his dog Maddie balancing on things across America allowed him to document his trip in an interesting way.

But photographer Motomachi’s daily photos of his local vending machine serve no real purpose — in fact, he felt the need to apologize by titling the project/blog: “I take a picture of the vending machine every day (or so). I’m very sorry.

To be completely honest, the blog does serve a purpose, it just has nothing to do with the subject of the photos. Motomachi was looking for a simple project he could get in the habit of updating daily without making much effort. And so, (almost) every day since August 5th, 2005 he’s wandered out, taken a photo of the nearby vending machine, and posted it.

Here are a few examples, each set of three was taken on the same date but different years:

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We share the project because, while Motomachi has turned it into an obsession with noticing slight differences day to day, for us it’s a great example of doing whatever it takes to get in the habit of taking photos every day.

If you want to start a daily photo project, just start — even if that means going out and photographing something random like a vending machine. Sure, once you’ve gotten in the habit, we recommend you move on and select a different subject, but the lesson is all the same. As Chicken Soup for the Soul co-creator Jack Canfield said: “you don’t have to get it perfect, you just have to get it going.”

(via Kotaku)

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