BC Professor's Daily Photo Chronicle Makes Him The Original Selfie King
CHESTNUT HILL (CBS) -- Karl Baden was taking pictures of himself long before the term selfie hit the Oxford Dictionary.
When he started there were no cellphone cameras or social media for posting the photos.
The Boston College professor has been taking the same photo of himself every day for the past 27 years, documenting his aging process.
"I started on February 23, 1987," Baden recalled. "I said, gee, wouldn't it be an interesting thing if I took a picture of my face every day for the rest of my life."
Baden takes his project called "Every Day" very seriously. In fact, since the age of 34 he's dedicated every single day of his life to it.
To keep his photos as consistent as possible, Baden has used the same camera for the past 27 years with the same backdrop and no fancy lighting, just a flash.
He also has no facial expressions in his pictures.
"I'm not smiling because I want to convey a neutral expression," Baden said.
The biggest change in Baden's photos appeared when he battled cancer in 2000.
He lost his hair then but it has now grown back.
While his is the only face in the photos, Baden said this project is not about him. "It's about what happens to me in terms of my aging process that day."
At 61, Baden is proud of his accomplishment.
"People have told me I am a slow ager," he said. "I'm certainly happy that I've gotten to 27 years."
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