Saturday, March 20, 2010

Polaroid of the Week: The Legacy of Jamie Livingston


Jamie Livingston was a man who shot a polaroid a day from 1979 until his death in 1997. His legacy of photos has been made available online, and the overall effect is staggering. His final days are documented in heart-rending detail - truly touching and moving stuff. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

From Accidental Mysteries:

I DO NOT KNOW JAMIE LIVINGSTON. I WISH I HAD KNOWN HIM. When I discovered his site I was super excited. On the last day of March 1979 he began a project he called “Photo of the Day.” Then, I noticed that the project ended in 1997. I thought that perhaps the project ended, things happen. But as I dug into his luscious and wonderful images, I noticed that the last photograph was dated October 21, 1997. With a little more research, backing up from that date, I noticed that Jamie had contracted cancer. His last day on earth was his last photograph.

Check out his web site yourself, and follow the project here. And think about each day we have on this earth. Jamie Livingston, thanks for your visual diary. Farewell.