Found is a curated collection of photography from the National Geographic archives. Started in 2013 to honor our 125th anniversary, the blog showcases photographs that reveal cultures and moments from our past.

Some of these photos have never been published before, others were in the magazine years ago but since then have rarely been seen by the public. Their beauty has been lost to the outside world. 

We hope to bring new life to these images and the history they represent by sharing them with audiences far and wide. Many of the images are missing their original date or location, but each represents a story, captured in time yet in many ways timeless.

If you’d like explore the entire magazine archive since 1888, please join us by becoming a member of National Geographic.

The FOUND Logo

The typeface used in the FOUND logo is Ludwig Light, designed by National Geographic cartographer Charles E. Riddiford in the 1930s and 40s. A humanist serif typeface, Ludwig’s calligraphic sensibilities offer a nod to the behind-the-scenes work of FOUND’s curators and editors. Its deep connection to National Geographic’s rich history make it a great choice for FOUND’s logo.

For more on National Geographic’s cartographic typefaces, read this piece by geographer Juan Valdes.

For professional photo licensing, please contact natgeocreative@ngs.org or visit http://www.natgeocreative.com

Curator

Janna Dotschkal edits photography for National Geographic’s website and helps direct the voice of FOUND. With a photographer’s love for aesthetics, composition and film grain, Janna sifts through our digitized files to find just the right formula.

Photograph by Janna Dotschkal