General features

Web surfers across the world can get a taste of life in the Toon via the photoblog Newcastle Daily Photo.

The site, which celebrates the diversity of life in the city, was founded by Chris Harrison in February 2006 and is now under the stewardship of Beth Anderson, who works as a PA in Newcastle.

The blog's been going since 2006

Each day a new picture is posted online to show visitors another side to the city, often featuring local landmarks seen from unusual angles.

Though not a Geordie by birth, Beth says she fell in love with Newcastle the first time she visited the city and is relishing the chance to show people across the world why it's such a great place to live.

In 2007 founder Chris Harrison told us how it all started...

How did the website come about?

Newcastle upon Tyne Daily Photo came about due to a letter I read in Amateur Photographer magazine from a guy in London called Ham. He mentioned how much fun a "photoblog" could be.

He was doing one for London and suggested that other people should do one in their town/city.

So that's exactly what I did. It started on 2 February 2006 and I want to show as many different sides to Newcastle as possible. Places, events, people…

Chris took photos all over Newcastle

Sometimes I post "tourist" type images, other times I show something as simple as a fence - as long as it's interesting!

What kind of things do you take pictures of?

For the blog it is important to stay within the boundaries of Newcastle. Having said that though a lot of the quayside pictures are of course on the Gateshead side.

I like to take pictures of pretty much anything that catches my eye, but prefer to take pictures of people - either on the street or portraits (I am setting up a home studio as we speak).

My main love though is probably music and gig photography.

I just want to capture the feel and atmosphere of what is a fantastic, beautiful, wonderful city to live in. I may not be a Geordie by birth but this is definitely home to me.

Chris shared his love for the Toon

Which is your favourite photo in the blog so far?

Favourite photo? That is a really difficult question to answer. It would probably be one of a girl I took at Times Square looking very thoughtful against the yellow wall.

Are there photo blogs similar to yours in other parts of the world?

As I said, I started this because of Ham and his London blog, but it all began with a man called Eric Tennin, who started "Paris daily photo" over 18 months ago.

There are now more than 150 of these around the world covering major cities like Barcelona and Chicago, but also really small places that you have never heard of.

We have our own portal and our own forum. People have been featured in local news and local papers, and some like Paris and London get thousands of hits every day (I wish!)

What's different about the pictures you post on the first day of each month?

On the first day of every month we have a theme day. In the forum we have a vote as to what it is going to be. Then we have to go out and take that picture. It's just a small but interesting challenge that adds to the fun of the blog.