MAN’S MISSION TO TAKE A PHOTO A
DAY TURNED INTO A LIFELONG
LESSON ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER
PICTURE.
HERE IS JOE FRYER.
>> Reporter: ON A FARM IN RURAL
MINNESOTA, MICHAEL DEERING IS
HARVESTING MEMORIES, MOMENTS
IMMORTALIZED ON 4 x 6 SCRAPS OF
PHOTO PAPER.
>> THIS IS A LIFELONG PURSUIT,
REALLY IS.
>> Reporter: EVERY DAY, HE TAKES
A SINGLE PHOTO WITH A POINT AND
SHOOT CAMERA.
HIS PICTURE OF THE DAY.
>> 11-1-1996 WITH MY PARENTS
HAVING DINNER.
>> Reporter: IT STARTED 26 YEARS
AGO.
HE CAPTURED MORE THAN 9,000
IMAGES, STORED IN A FIREPROOF
SAFE.
>> BESIDES MY FAMILY, THIS IS
PROBABLY THE MOST VALUABLE THING
IN MY LIFE.
>> Reporter: HE DOCUMENTS
EVERYTHING FROM MUNDANE TO
MILESTONES, LIKE THE BIRTH OF
HIS SON, HIS FATHER’S FUNERAL.
>> THIS IS LIKE AN AUTO
BIOGRAPHY.
>> YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU’RE
GOING, LOOK BACK, RIGHT?
I THINK OF THE PICTURE OF THE
DAY PROJECT LEAVING BREAD CRUMBS
ON THE TRAIL.
>> Reporter: ON THE DAY WE WERE
WITH HIM, THAT TRAIL LED TO THE
SIDE OF A COUNTRY ROAD.
HERE IT COMES, HERE IT COMES.
WHERE DEERING PATIENTLY WAITED
FOR HIS ONE SHOT.
>> LOW AND BEHOLD, THERE HE
COMES OVER THE HORIZON LOOKING
AT US.
HE WILL NEVER KNOW HE IS PART OF
MY LIFE.
>> Reporter: ONCE A MONTH HE
SWINGS BY THE LAB TO GET THE
LATEST BATCH OF PRINTS.
>> I LOVE THAT SHOT.
>> Reporter: IN A WORLD OF
INSTANT DIGITAL GRATIFICATION
THIS HE SAYS IS FAR MORE
FULFILLING.
>> MY SON GETTING FITTED FOR HIS
FIRST SUIT EVER, THAT’S A
SPECIAL THING FOR A FATHER.
I CAN’T EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH.
THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD DO THIS.
TAKE INVENTORY IN YOUR LIFE.
SLOW IT DOWN AND NOTICE THE
LITTLE THINGS THAT LIFE SHOWS
YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY.