For three years, Rob Townsend has been making a record of his life: by taking a photograph every day and uploading it to a photo-sharing website, showing the things he’s seen and the places he’s been. He tells STEPHEN LEWIS what he has learnt from the experience

WELCOME to the world as Rob Townsend sees it.

For three years, the 43-year-old website project manager from Pickering has been making a record of his life: by taking a photograph every day and uploading it to photo-sharing website Blipfoto.

The result is an extraordinary collection of 1,000 photographs showing the things he's seen and the places he's been – from sunrise at Nice to the Eiffel Tower at night on he and his wife Ann's 12th wedding anniversary; from the final day of last year's Pickering War Weekend to the Louvre in Paris and a stunning 'Nightscape' of Vienna, looking down the Danube from Schwedenbrucke.

Some are the obvious 'touristy' photos: others – such as a picture of insects on a flower head taken while walking his dog near Pickering, or an image of graffiti on a wall in Vienna – offer a more personal, quirky view. But between them they add up to a visual record of his past three years.

That wasn't initially what he wanted, he admits – he joined Blipfoto to improve his photography. "But it has become a really good visual diary of things that would otherwise have been easy to forget."

Blipfoto is a photo-sharing website where members take a single photograph every day and post it in an online diary.

Other 'Blippers', as they call themselves, include photography enthusiasts, students, young mums, retirees, sea captains, chefs, foodies, birders, journal keepers, singers, authors, media correspondents, charity workers and politicians.

Founder and CEO Joe Tree describes the site as "a unique community where people from all walks of life save and share their lives through pictures and words – one day at a time".

Rob first heard about Blipfoto on the radio. He had a look at the site, liked what he saw and decided to sign up. That was 1,000 days ago and he hasn’t missed a day since.

What he loves about it is that discipline of having to post one – and only one – photo every day.

"Some days I have taken 20 great photos, and you have to choose. Sometimes at the end of the day you haven't even got one photograph, and you have to find something."

But it has never been a burden, he says. It is a great way to make a record of your life – and a great discipline. And it has helped him hone his photographic skills and develop an eye for a good picture.

“My photography skills have improved. You get inspired by others, and just the sheer discipline of the practicing every day makes you better. Now, I’m more observant of tiny details… your photographic eyes are always open. It makes you look at the world a bit differently, and you realise that you are seeing things that you wouldn't otherwise have noticed."

He has no intention of stopping now his BlipJournal has passed 1,000 days. "I've done it every single day, and I hit the thousand a couple of weeks ago, so I'm into my second thousand now," he says. "I want to get to 2000..."

To see more photos from Rob’s Blipfoto journal visit www.blipfoto.com/RobT

To find out more about blipfoto visit blipfoto.com