Major archive of modern photography to go online

A story about cultural life, public access and the work of bringing a new audience into the conversation.

The photography archive imagined in this brief is preparing high-resolution scans alongside information about prints, negatives and publication history. Searchable records would help users understand when an image was made and how it has circulated. Digitisation is presented as a research tool, not a substitute for the physical collection.

The project also needs a clear approach to copyright, sensitive material and incomplete descriptions. Publishing uncertain metadata as uncertain allows future researchers to improve the record. A public archive becomes more useful when it offers a way to question a caption as well as to download an image.

Illustrated inaugural edition · Fictional editorial copy