Images have always been an integral part of articles at The Gazelle. They are the first thing a reader sees, forming an initial impression in their mind about what the article will be about, and subsequently, how much time the reader should spend on it.

Crafting a good image that captures the essence of an article is not an easy task. Whether through a photograph, graphic or illustration, the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words definitely holds true when it comes to the amount of work and thought that is put into the genesis of such visual work. Yet, it is only today, with the rise of the infographic, that the power of a strong, impactful graphic is slowly being appreciated by publishing houses everywhere.

At The Gazelle, we’re passionate about experiments, not only with the style and format of articles, but also with our function as a platform for expression for the NYU Abu Dhabi community. Now we are continuing the trend started by the creation of the new Creative Desk and Video Desk, with an experiment to become a better platform for our contributors — who are not only writers — to share their stories with the world.

The Gazelle Photo Library is that experiment. From today onwards, every photo taken by a staff photographer of The Gazelle, whether it is published for an article or not, will be available on our Photo Library under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license. This means that anyone will be able to use these high-resolution images in any work commercial or otherwise, as long as the source is attributed. In addition, we envision the photo library eventually becoming a visual history of NYU Abu Dhabi, and potentially Abu Dhabi, as both The Gazelle and the community we operate within grow and flourish.

We will also be endeavouring to include as much of our past photography as possible and create individual photography showcase pages that The Gazelle staff photographers will be able to cite if asked for samples of their work. We hope this will encourage both better sharing of the images we currently take as a community and create a rich tapestry of images that can be accessed by all who come hence, for historical, promotional or any other purpose.

With the creation of this photo library comes the need to populate it as well. This letter is an open call to all aspiring photographers. Let’s work together to create this history, so that everyone can experience and enjoy the stories that are told, and use these images to tell stories of their own.