What would history be without the iconic photographs such as: Marines atop Mt. Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima taken by Joe Rosenthal, Neil Armstrong standing on the face of the moon snapped by Buzz Aldrin, or the beauty of creation in our National Parks caught through the lens of the great Ansel Adams. In each case, these simple images on simple paper caught at just the right moments, speak when words were never going to be enough. These images are so burned into the cultural fabric that we carry them forever in our mental wallets. They were intentionally preserved for the inherent enormous value of that moment, that place, that time, with those people. How could history remember, or the world view them if the images didn’t exist? They were preserved! Preservation must be continual. Preservation must be inclusive. Preservation must be intentional.
To preserve community photographic history, National Disaster Photo Rescue has begun the Photo Preservation Project in 2020. The Photo Preservation Project promotes, ‘the clear vision of our future by using the clear images of our past’. Through lessons learned from our Lost Photos Projects, NDPR can now save history before natural and man-made disasters strike. Each community holds historical treasures within their photo albums. NDPR has a process to turn images of the past into digital living history for the future.
Let me frame it for you…
National Disaster Photo Rescue and the Photo Preservation Project seek to encourage community preservation of photographic history. The photos of life, first responders, the old town square, the family café or coffee shop, and local Americana held in our family photo albums. We want to spread this across our great country. We need your help and financial contribution for the next Photo Preservation Project. Please give a gift of any amount or be a monthly ‘Photo Friend’ and bring our team to our next community, even yours! Give for history. Give for community. Give for a clear future with a clear past. Click here to give to the NDPR Photo Preservation Project.