Series I: here is new york Images
Scope and Contents note
This series contains images of or related to 9/11 that were submitted to here is new york by amateur and professional photographers. Here is new york scanned each image (unless it was already in digital format), created corrected low (jpg) and high (tif) resolution digital versions, assigned image numbers, and (in most cases) returned the originals to the contributors. They then created prints, which were displayed in the Soho location (and later in exhibitions throughout the U.S., Europe, and Japan) and sold for charity. The digital images (low-res jpgs) were put on a website in December 2001. Here is new york published a book of selected images in September 2002.
The bulk of the images are of New York City, especially of initial damage to the World Trade Center, the collapse of the towers, environmental damage and victims in lower Manhattan, Ground Zero, firefighters, police and rescue workers, missing persons fliers, memorials throughout the city, and the WTC before 9/11. There are also numerous images of the Pentagon and Washington, D.C. Also depicted are the Towers of Light in 2002, memorial services, the crash site of Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA, and reactions to 9/11 in various cities. In 2002, here is new york solicited images of the effects of 9/11 and related issues, including the war in Afghanistan, other sites of terrorism, and world events.
Professional photographers in this collection represent the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Associated Press, Reuters, Magnum, Getty, Corbis, and other photo agencies. There are also images taken by freelance professional photographers. Here is new york did not distinguish between professionals and amateurs when selecting and inputting photographs.
A number of photographers participated in here is new york's Voices of 9.11 oral history project--see Series II for their testimonies.
Although this collection contains a number of well-known images of 9/11, it does not include some of the iconic photographs, such as three firefighters raising an American flag at Ground Zero or the image known as "the falling man."
The sets of prints in this series were displayed at the original Prince Street location and the Corcoran Gallery exhibition. The Corcoran set was partially composed of images that had been displayed in the Chicago exhibition earlier in 2002.
The numbering system that here is new york used has a number of gaps where no image was assigned, especially a large one from 3556 to 4999. Therefore, although there are 6,254 digital images in the collection, image numbers go up to 8860.
Subseries I: Digital Images
Scope and Contents note
This subseries contains the low-resolution digital files created by here is new york from original submissions in various formats. Public access to these images is through a searchable database on the HINY computer terminal in the Library Reading Room. This database was created by N-YHS using here is new york's information and access points. The digital images can be searched or browsed by image number, contributor, or category. Categories were originally created and assigned to images by here is new york (note: not all images were assigned a category or categories). Some images also have information on original format and/or contextual information on the photograph provided by the photographer (or, in a few instances, presumably by here is new york).
There are 6,254 digital images in the database, submitted by over 2,600 contributors. Images were scanned by here is new york using iMac computers and Adobe Photoshop software.
Access to database on HINY computer terminal.
Subseries II: Printed Images
Scope and Contents note
This subseries contains printed image sets that were displayed at the original Prince Street location and at the Corcoran Gallery exhibition in Washington, D.C. The Corcoran set was partially composed of images that had been displayed in the Chicago exhibition earlier in 2002. There is some duplication of images between and within the print sets.
The images were not framed for exhibition; instead they were clipped to wires that were strung across the walls and ceiling, with image numbers but without captions or photographer information. See the Hanging Instructions video in Production Dept. files and gallery images in Exhibition Documentation and Staff Photographs for a sense of how the prints were exhibited. The images were printed on Epson paper using Epson printers. The set used for the Corcoran exhibit was primarily created using pigmented inks and higher-quality paper ("Archival Matte Paper").
There are 2,123 prints, arranged by exhibition location, image number, and release status. (When the collection was donated to N-YHS in 2004, all photographers were contacted and asked to sign an additional release. Printed images were then sorted by photographers who signed this release and those who did not respond.) See Printed Images Database for image numbers, photographers, and box location.
This subseries also contains the original image number tags used in the Prince Street exhibition.
Prince Street prints, [2001-2002]
Corcoran prints, [2002]
Image number tags (Prince Street), [2001-2002]
Subseries III: Unreturned Photographs
Scope and Contents note
This subseries contains original photographs submitted to here is new york that were not returned to contributing photographers. In some cases, notation indicates reasons why the images were not returned. A number of these photos were submitted to here is new york during the Corcoran Gallery exhibition in Washington, D.C.
Access to files on CDs, zip disks, and floppy disks in this subseries is on HINY computer terminal at: HINY Collection Series I, III-V/Series I/Subseries 3
8.5 x 11 or Smaller [Alpha], 2001-2002, undated
8.5 x 11 or Smaller [Alpha], 2001-2002, undated
Corcoran Submissions, 2002, undated
Corcoran Submissions, 2002, undated
Unreturned Photographs, 2001-2002, undated
Missing Photographs [Empty Envelopes], 2001, undated
Oversize: Separated from 8.5 x11 or smaller, 2001, undated
Oversize: Separated from Box 46, fols 4-7, 2001-2002, undated
Oversize: 11x14 and larger, 2001-2002, undated
Oversize: 11x14 and larger, 2001-2002, undated
Oversize: Oversize Originals, 2001-2002,undated
Oversize: Oversize Originals, 2001-2002, undated
Oversize: Oversize Originals, 2001-2002, undated
Separated CDs, 2001-2002
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note
Access to files on CDs in this subseries is on HINY computer terminal at: HINY Collection Series I, III-V/Series I/Subseries 3
Separated Zip/Floppy Disks, [2001-2002]
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note
Access to files on zip disks and floppy disks in this subseries is on HINY computer terminal at: HINY Collection Series I, III-V/Series I/Subseries 3