Yesterday there was an article in the Reading Chronicle about my exhibition. Thanks are due to for transcribing it from the paper; here is the text:

Photographer records the year with portfolio of 366 pictures

A photographer with plenty of focus is staging a unique exhibition of the 366 people who occupied a year of his life.

Oliver Godby, of Kennet Walk, is presenting 366 portraits- one taken every day for a year, of friends, family, and chance encounters with strangers.

The project, which is free to view, will be displayed at Blake’s Lock Museum, on the River Kennet from September 13-18.

The 33-year-old said: “My aim was to take an interesting photo of someone I knew or met before midnight every day for a whole year to create a portfolio which would be as much about my life as those I photographed.

“The original challenge was to find 365 ways of taking someone’s portrait that would give some insight into their character and be an interesting photograph.”

The artist and freelance computer programmer started the project on May 10, 2007 on his 32nd birthday and then realised that 2008 is a leap year and he needed an extra picture on February 29.

The pictures feature subjects ranging from babies to pensioners, photographed in Britain and abroad.

Oliver’s love of photography stems from an old school friend, and from his father Clifford Godby, who is still a keen photographer today.

He said “I am interested is all areas of photography, but my primary focus has always been taking pictures of people. I enjoy event photography of all kinds, weddings, parties, gigs as well as fashion and fine art.

“My hope is to advance my art by taking photographs as often as I can, and one day to make my living doing what I love.”

He hopes to present his exhibition in other places in the UK, and to produce a book, based on the stories of his subjects.

Oliver added: “I am hoping that this exhibition will stimulate people to think about the people they meet every day, and to consider taking special portraits of their friends and family”

Last night and tonight, thanks to the help of some friends who have been more than generous with their time and support, I have hung the show, and now I can say that tomorrow evening I will be opening my first exhibition, and I am so proud, thankful, excited, scared and wired.

A whole year of my life is hanging on those walls… Seems like only yesterday that Heppie and I were joking together about how mad one would have to be to attempt to take a portrait of a different person every day for a year.

I look forward to seeing those of you who can make it, we will think of and toast those of you that can’t, and I will let you all know how it all goes.

Night night all 🙂