Amateur photographers are taking the initiative to address a longstanding problem on Wikipedia: the presence of subpar images, particularly those featuring celebrities. Acknowledging the ubiquitous yet poor representation of notable personalities, the WikiPortraits project was founded with the aim of sourcing volunteer photographers worldwide.
Wikipedia, being a volunteer-driven platform, often lacks the budget to pay for professional images that are typically copyrighted and prohibitively expensive for the project's needs. Consequently, it has resulted in a collection of outdated or unflattering photos of notable individuals.
WikiPortraits founders, Kevin Payravi and Jennifer Lee, highlighted their motivation for this initiative during the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. They established a photo booth to capture high-quality portraits of attendees, hoping to ameliorate the visual presentation of Wikipedia entries. Many contributors are driven by an ambition to replace the current 'terrible' images, with some even describing the poor-quality photos as amusing in their incompetence.
Wikipedia’s strict regulations mandate that any uploaded images must either be taken by the contributor, be freely licensed, or belong to the public domain. This restriction has led to contributions from amateur photographers, resulting in a mix of mediocre and occasionally horrendous images. High-profile examples of inadequate images have spread across social media, drawing attention to this critical issue.
Since its launch in early 2024, WikiPortraits has registered 55 volunteer photographers from various countries, predominantly based in the U.S. While they do not receive payment, they share a passion for Wikipedia and photography, establishing a network of enthusiasts eager to lend their skills. Some, like Bryan Berlin, a high school photography teacher and comedian, find fulfillment in enhancing Wikipedia’s offerings while simultaneously building their portfolios.
Key events like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Sundance, and Cannes have already benefitted from WikiPortraits’ endeavors. Their photographs collectively receive up to 100 million views monthly, significantly enhancing the overall quality of online representation. High-profile individuals such as Florence Pugh and Kieran Culkin have had their images upgraded through this initiative.
Looking ahead, WikiPortraits aspires to recruit even more global photographers, especially to cover events unique to various countries. While sports photography is currently a focus, the project has no intentions of venturing into video. The founders expressed a strong desire to gain credentials for prestigious events such as the Met Gala and the Oscars, indicating their ambition to reach new heights in improving Wikipedia's visual content.
