A national online project has reached a major milestone. The Geograph Project now comprises over three million photographs of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man: www.geograph.org.uk

From the most northerly point of Shetland to the Scilly Isles and the far southwest of Ireland the site has photographs covering over 80% of the kilometre map squares in between - the work of more than 11,000 volunteer photographers since 2005.

Contributor Thomas Nugent from Inverkip near Glasgow said "I enjoy browsing other people's portfolios. Mountains, canals, fire stations, railways, suburban streets and lots more besides are represented". For many members Geograph is a way of life; they rarely leave home without a camera. "Whether it's a walk to the village shop with my children or a trip to a major city with business colleagues, there is always an opportunity to gather a few photos along the way".

Using Ordnance Survey's online mapping, contributors supply the exact location of their subject often with more information about the place. This makes the Geograph project unique. Its aim is educational in the widest sense. Images are used by many websites, publications, schools and individuals, free, under a Creative Commons licence. The collection is archived by the British Library as a historical resource for generations to come.

Barry Hunter, one of Geograph's founders, still provides much of the technical expertise behind the project. He said "Three million images in just over seven years is a staggering achievement. But we always welcome more photographs and new contributors. Parts of these islands are only thinly represented and, even for heavily covered areas, we value pictures showing how places change over time. Join us!"

Fellow-trustee Robin Stott added "Our site has always been kept free of adverts through our ability to attract sponsorship. We continue to benefit from in-kind support from the Ordnance Survey for the site's mapping, and now Geograph is seeking other sponsors who are keen to reach our audience. The site attracts 75,000 visitors a day and enthusiasm for the collection continues to grow."
 

Three millionth live image is http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3015547
Showcase gallery of images is http://www.geograph.org/gallery.php