Daniel Boud is part of a new breed of photographer – the photoblogger.

Daniel documents a love of rock ‘n’ roll at www.boudist.com – a photoblog tracking his jaunts around the Sydney music scene.

Photoblogs are websites displaying photos in log form. Where traditional bloggers use text, photobloggers rely on images to get their message across. Visitors can drop in and comment on the images, which are usually sorted chronologically.

“I guess it’s different from a gallery in the sense that a photoblog sort of tells a story”, explains Daniel.

Daniel has long been an avid blog reader, making the move from blog contributor to blog author in 2003.

Initially a text-based blog, Daniel says the site naturally developed into its current photographic form. With no formal photographic training, he has honed his skills before the eyes of a growing fan base.

“For me, with a photo, you’re not really done unless you’ve published it - you haven’t really finished the job.”

“One of the real benefits of publishing things online is that you have an expectant audience who encourage you to keep pushing yourself.”

Encouragement comes primarily from the blog community, but Daniel has also won a few industry pats on the back. This year he won the Best Australian Photoblog in the Australian Blog Awards (www.collectiveapathy.com). He was also a finalist in the 2006 Photobloggies (2006.photobloggies.org) – an international award judged by photography magazine editors.

The 26 year old web producer would love to turn his hobby into a profession, and the photoblog is an important step in that process. Showcasing his work through the site has attracted the interest of what Daniel describes as “legitimate publications”, resulting in a photo shoot with INXS and a two-page spread in American music magazine Spin.

For now, these commissioned projects are a welcome source of extra income but with any luck they’ll end up forming his bread and butter. Until then, check out Daniel’s blog at www.boudist.com – and judge for yourself if this photoblog rates as a “legitimate publication”.