A Call for Photos

A Call for Photos

CCHS is always looking to add to our photographic collections whether the images are early tintypes or taken by smartphones. The latter images while not considered “historical” are how many are documenting their lives today. These images though too often end up being lost when we switch phones or forget to back up our computers. And then there are locked phones or inaccessible hard drives which seem to crash just before you back them up. Which is why CCHS is investing in multiple backup solutions for all of our digital collections.

Despite helping to oversee the media archives here at the CCHS, I know I have likely lost many digital files before I became aware of the best practices associated with digital archiving. Though this mainly includes some early papers I wrote in high school and college which may be for the best. And while much of CCHS’ early photographic collections exist on mediums such as negatives (glass and film) or prints that can withstand being forgotten or lost for some time this is not the case for most images being taken in the present.

Whether you consider yourself a photographer or like me just have a camera in your pocket, the next time you take a photo of a family event or a selfie in downtown, remember that one day it may end up in the collections of the Cumberland County Historical Society. Because as soon as that image is taken it becomes part of the historical record and the story of Cumberland County. As CCHS tells the story of Cumberland County we need your story, your voice, and your images to tell that story. Side-note: documenting when, where, and who means your image won’t end up on our Gardner ID this Image page (or maybe a Virtual Reality ID gallery in 10 years).

Feel free to contact Blair Williams via email (blwilliams@historicalsociety.com) if you would like to contribute a selection of your photos documenting our County’s history.Selfie with Christmas exhibit

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