Gen Z Man Takes Photo Everyday for 4 Years: 'Watch Myself Age in Real Time'

What started as a personal project for Ethan Palazzo quickly gained viral attention, after his video gained more than 12 million views. The 25-year-old artist and entrepreneur took a photo of himself every day in 2021, compiling the images into a viral time-lapse video. Palazzo, inspired by a similar project he had seen online, embarked on the challenge with two goals in mind: to document the process of aging in real time and to create engaging content. "That concept always stuck with me, and I thought it would be a fun project to replicate," Palazzo told Newsweek. "On the personal side, I thought it would be interesting to look back and watch myself age in real time year after year. On the content side, I thought the concept would make for an engaging post with the potential to go viral and drive more traffic to my profiles."

The results exceeded his expectations. His initial 2021 compilation amassed over 21 million views across TikTok and Instagram, and each year since, updated versions of the project have continued to attract millions of viewers. His latest was posted on December 31, 2024, including every day since his first photo in 2021. "I'm very happy with the result! It's been so awesome to see how much people have enjoyed the post," Palazzo, from Louisville, Kentucky, said. One of the most surprising aspects for Palazzo has been the level of scrutiny his video receives. Viewers analyze minute details, including changes in his surroundings, his choice of outfits, and even a cleverly edited frame where he appears to take a mirror selfie without a phone in hand. "I was so surprised by how many people have caught this frame and commented about how I was able to do it," he said. "People turn into detectives trying to decide if I got a new phone, if I moved to a new house or just painted my bathroom, if I repeated an outfit—it's been so funny to see everyone debating over so many things."

"Wait so you never went on vacation?" said one commenter, pointing out how the background was almost always the same. While Jacob said: "The best video I've ever seen!" Others were impressed by even the simpler things. One commenter wrote: "So you just get dressed everyday??????" Palazzo said he finds joy in seeing how each new version of the video captures fresh attention. This year's edition featured a special guest, a detail that delighted viewers. "This year's version featured my wife several times, so it was really fun to see all the comments about her popping in and out of the frame," he said.

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