Introduction
There is an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words although the individual who originally stated this very true fact is unknown. The modern photo archive has evolved over time since photo archives were first conceived. This brief study will examine the evolution of the modern photo archive. Swartz and Cook (2002) write “Archives, records, power: three words which now resonate across a range of academic disciplines and professional pursuits. Individually, these terms are often flashpoints for lively debates on social values, cultural identities, and institutional accountability.” (p. 1)

I. Importance of Photo Archives
The importance of photo archives within the country, state or community cannot be overstated. Swartz and Cook (2002) report that photo archives have a “powerful impact…on collective memory and human identity…’ (p.1) The archive while having been examined in terms of the metaphorical and philosophical importance has been examined “without even a rudimentary understanding of archives as real institutions, as a real profession and as a real discipline with its own set of theories, methodologies, and practices”. (Schwartz and Cook, 2002, p. 3)

II. Project SAVE Archives
Project SAVE Archives was founded by Ruth Thomasian in 1975 and is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. The focus of Project SAVE is preserving what is a “fragmented heritage of the dispersed Armenian people” and this is accomplished through the saving of photographs and their accompanying memories of “life in historic Armenia”. (Project SAVE, 2014, p. 1) Specifically, Project SAVE “chronicles the life and culture of the Armenian people during the Ottoman, Russian, and Persian empires, in the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia, as well as in today’s Republic of Armenia, in the Armenian Diaspora created in the wake of the Genocide, with particular emphasis on the Armenian-American community”. (Project Save, 2014, p. 1) Thomasian and her staff spend many hours in interviews with those who donate photographs conducting interviews and documented the photographs with stories that include details about the culture and ancestors that lived in Armenia.

III. The PALMM Collections
The Publication of Archival Library and Museum Materials (PALMM) Collection at the State University Libraries of Florida includes the collection ‘Archives Florida’ which is a collection of photographs and other items documenting the history of Florida. PALMM’s ‘Aerial Photography Florida’ is a photo archive of aerial photographs taken in Florida between 1930 and 2000 which documents land use in the state of Florida. The ‘Coral Gables Memory’ is a photo archive of homes and business structures in the 1940s of buildings constructed in the previous two decades. The ‘Mile Markers’ photo archive is a community photo archive which documents the “diverse cultural history and economic development of the Florida Keys 1880 to the present. Depicted in the archive are such as early industries including “sponging, shark fishing, turtle canning, and cigar manufacturing” along with the “unique architecture, sea, sun, fishing and fun often associated with Keys vacations”. (PALMM, 2014, p. 1)

The ‘Ringling Collection’ is formed by “cabinet card, postcards and photographs of 19th Century American and British actors and actresses”. (PALMM, 2014, p.1) This archive includes approximately 6,000 pictures that depict in excess of 3,000 actors and actresses and comprises a collection that is cited as important for the pictures of idols in eras past and the depictions of hair styles, clothing and other period-specific information concerning the social attitudes and mores of the past. This collection is reported to have been originally housed in the Belknap Collection for the Performing Arts in the Smathers Libraries’ Department of Special Collections at the University of Florida.

The ‘Ringling Museum Digital Collections’ located at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art of Florida is reported to document the legacy of John and Mable Ringling, circus entrepreneurs and collectors of art. Included in this collection are photographs of Historic Asolo Theater and the Circus Museums of Art, Ca’d’Zan mansion and its historic grounds and gardens. The ‘Ringling Museum Circus Herald’ was the first collection included in the PALMM digital library which contains 1200 digital photographs. The collection can be viewed via full-text which is searchable or viewed individually and can also be browsed by the title of circus shows which are listed on the website.

The PALMM digital photo archive is inclusive of the ‘Sanborn® Fire Insurance Company Maps of Florida’ which is a collection featuring more than 300 units and 3000 map sheets. These maps were originally designed for the purpose of assisting fire insurance agents in making their determination of the degree of damage to a property and to display information that is accurate for fire stations, water facilities, sprinklers, hydrants, cisterns, and alarm boxes. Also depicted are such as firewalls, doors, windows, chimneys and elevators as well as depicting the types of roofs on structures. The maps show the names of streets in addition to displaying property boundaries and lot lines along with house and block numbers.

IV. Photograph Archives and Galleries of London
The photo archives in the city of London include the ‘Atlas Gallery’ which was started in 1994 in Hoxton and moved into Central London in 2001. This gallery is touted as one of the leading galleries for fine art photography in London’s capital. The gallery’s specialties are inclusive of classic and modern 20th-centry vintage photography as well as photojournalism and fashion. Chris Beetles Fine Photographs is also located in London and includes the specialties of photographic prints by the world’s most famous photographs with a focus on British masters in the 20th century. Getty Images Gallery is the largest independent photographic gallery in London and is reported to showcase photographs that were derived from London’s contemporary libraries and the Hulton Archive. The Michael Hoppen Gallery is reported to house contemporary black and white photographs and vintage photographs. Finally, among London’s photo gallery archives is the V&A Photography Collection. The Victoria and Albert Museum first began its acquisition of photographs in 1952 and presently house in excess of one-half million photographs by classic photographers as well as those by contemporary photographers.

Summary and Conclusion
The photo archive contains photographs that document history and development and while it was started many decades ago when photographers were snapping photographs, the World Wide Web has enabled the mass gathering of photographs into archives that serve to entertain and inform those who wish to take the time to view the feast of pictures available. Not only did photo archives begin with mere entertainment or information provision for pleasure, but instead the photograph archive had intentions to assist city planner and workers in performing their duties. Photo archives historically and traditionally were formulated for various purposes included a focus on specific type of photography, a focus on a specific population or world region, or simply to document past events and the evolution of individuals, groups, populations or a specific geographical area.