What Is Unphotographable and How Does the "Pictures I Did Not Take" Project Work?

Unphotographable is a text-based project by Michael David Murphy that records photographs he did not take. Instead of publishing images, each entry describes a scene in words, usually opening with the fixed phrase "This is a picture I did not take." It is best understood as a photoblog in reverse: the subject is the missed image, and the writing is the artifact. The project is associated with San Francisco and Atlanta, and its keywords also connect it to poetry and photoblogging.

What the project actually is

Unphotographable is not a photo gallery. The site's own description calls it "a text account of pictures missed." That distinction matters:

• No image is shown. The photograph exists only as a written description.
• The text is the work. Readers are meant to reconstruct the image in their own minds.
• The format is consistent. Entries begin with the signature line "This is a picture I did not take."

This makes it closer to prose poetry or a daily observation journal than to a conventional photoblog.

Who made it

The project is credited to Michael David Murphy (also written Michael D. Murphy). The site's keywords tie him to San Francisco, Atlanta, photography, and poetry. Beyond that, the available material does not document a detailed biography, so treat claims about his broader career cautiously unless you find them on the site itself.

How an entry works

The About excerpt gives a clear example of the style. In one entry, the missed picture unfolds across several linked moments:

1. A press conference in Philadelphia, next door to an adult book shop and across the street from a crematorium.
2. Days later, walking a dog and a kid on a scooter in a city far away.
3. Tree bark on the sidewalk, the dog sniffing and pulling, the scooter jamming on the bark.
4. Looking up at a neighbor's house getting a tree trimmed, then at the tree-trimmer's truck.
5. The truck parked the wrong way at the curb, driver-side door facing the writer, reading FOUR SEASONS LANDSCAPING.

Notice what the writing does. It does not just name a subject; it builds a chain of small, specific details and lets the "picture" form at the end. The missed shot is often mundane, and the interest comes from the accumulation and the timing.

Why the format is the point

The fixed opening line turns each post into a small ritual. You know immediately that no photo will follow, so you read differently — paying attention to what the writer noticed rather than what a camera would have captured. The constraint is what makes the project recognizable.

How to read and follow it

Because the site is text-first, reading it is straightforward:

• Start with the About page to understand the premise before browsing entries.
• Read entries in sequence if you want the diary effect, or jump around if you just want individual scenes.
• Look for the recurring opening line to confirm you are reading an Unphotographable entry rather than other site text.
• Check for subscription or feed options on the site itself. The available material does not confirm a specific RSS feed, newsletter, or submission process, so verify those directly rather than assuming they exist.

If you want to participate

The input does not document a submission system, so do not assume you can send in your own "pictures I did not take." The safest approach is to check the site for contact or contribution details. If none are listed, the practical alternative is to borrow the format for your own practice: write a short entry beginning "This is a picture I did not take," then describe one scene with concrete, observed details.

How it differs from a normal photoblog

The comparison is the clearest way to explain the project: it uses the habits of photography — framing, timing, noticing — but delivers them through text.

When this project is worth your time

Unphotographable is a good fit if you:

• Enjoy observational writing, prose poetry, or short-form essays.
• Are interested in photography as a way of seeing rather than only as image-making.
• Want a model for a daily creative constraint you can copy.

It is a poor fit if you are looking for a visual portfolio, image downloads, or a social photo-sharing community. For that, a conventional photoblog or image platform is the better choice.