Since the late 1800's Life Magazine has been photographing and publishing some of the most iconic images of the world. Google now brings these to our fingertips.
Over 10 million images from the LIFE photo archives are now on Google Image search. You can search by decade from the 1750's to the latest issue from the Life Photo archive page or by using source:life with your search string in the Google Search box.
Amazing.
Implications - FIRST SENTENCE DOES NOT MAKE SENSE
Of all of these images it is only a very small percentage that has ever been published in the past. All of the rest of the images have been collecting dust in archives.
Retro Archived Images Online
LIFE Magazine Photos Indexed by Google
Trend Themes
1. Archived Images Search - There is a growing demand for search engines to digitize and index archived images that have historical value for research, education or general interest purposes.
2. Visual AI for Image Recognition - As archives continue to digitize and upload images online, there is an opportunity for visual AI technology to develop highly accurate image recognition tools for users to find specific images based on content.
3. Content Partnership for Digital Curation - Some archives and search engines could form partnerships to digitize and curate their image archives, creating new online platforms that offer users access to a wealth of historical and cultural content.
Industry Implications
1. Online Search Engines - Search engines that want to expand their user base and increase customer loyalty can incorporate digitized historical and cultural content into their image search features, opening up a new avenue for user engagement.
2. Academic Libraries - Academic libraries that have extensive image or document archives can digitize their collections and collaborate with search engines to make them publicly accessible for research, education, or general interest purposes.
3. Digital Media Art Preservation - With more digitized archives available, there is an opportunity for new innovation in the area of digital media art preservation, where artists and institutions can collaborate to use these archives to preserve and exhibit their work, unlocking new distribution opportunities and revenue streams.