A snap-happy dad has chronicled his son’s life from newborn baby to young man with daily photos that have now become an internet sensation.
Ian McLeod has turned more than 7,500 pictures of his 21-year-old son Cory into a time lapse video that shows the Leeds Met student growing up in just six-and-a-half minutes.
In just two weeks, it has notched up more than 600,000 hits on YouTube.
“It was a daft idea really. One I came up with after a drink or two, maybe,” said Ian.
“I was thinking I could do it for two years at most, then knock it on the head. But then you get to the point where you wonder if you’ll regret it if you stop.”
Cory’s first picture was taken at the old Harrogate General Hospital and everything from his first birthday to starting school is documented since.
The reel captures a young life lived to the full – from the sporty boy in his football kit to the footloose student at a festival in Belgium and travelling with friends around South America.
“You can’t say I’ve got a boring life,” said Cory.
Inevitably, a few days are missing. A whole month was once lost when the film would not wind, another time, Ian’s camera was stolen on holiday in Chile and occasionally midnight passed before they realised.
“He’s never cheated,” said Cory. “Even at five minutes past, he wouldn’t take it.”
Ian started scanning the pictures last year and the process took three months.
“We weren’t organised, it’s always been chaotic,” he said.
The pair never expected 21 Years to get such a response.
“When I started this, there was no YouTube,” said Ian.
“I had been a bit wary, my hand hovered over the upload button. But we did it. It was like opening Pandora’s box.”
Cory said he used to find it “awkward” having to take a camera on school trips or to visit friends.
“My dad’s had to drive to a friend’s house before. I got a bit of stick for that,” he said.
But now he has carried on the project by himself at university, where he studies film and television production.
“It was only when I got to 16 or 17 that I started to appreciate it, and realised what it could be. When do you stop? I don’t think I can. We’ve come this far, we may as well carry on,” he said.
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