Client: Smithsonian Photography Initiative
Project: click! photography changes everything

inspiration

Inspired by the Smithsonian’s collection of 13 million images throughout its museums and research centers, the Smithsonian Photography Initiative (SPI) wanted to create an online exhibit that invites the public to consider the ways in which photography changes everything, from momentous events in international history to the basic interactions of life.

narration

SPI staff and guest curator Marvin Heiferman invited as many as 100 project contributors to investigate the ways in which photography has changed the history, progress and practice of a broad spectrum of disciplines, from anthropology to astrophysics, from media to medicine, from philosophy to sports. Contributors were invited to select images and share their viewpoints in the form of personal narratives.

design

Visitors are invited to explore the exhibit’s images, themes, and associated narratives in a compelling, exploratory design that appeals to the SPI’s wide audience. Clean, uncomplicated design emphasizes the photographic image, bringing to life how photography has changed nearly every aspect of our world.

interaction

Phase 2 of the website, launching this fall, will invite the public to contribute their own photographs and commentaries on the power of photography.