Since 2010, the amount of photographs captured around the world has tripled. An estimated 75% of photos taken today are snapped on smartphones and are often easily shared online. With so many of us able to photograph history, we’re changing what the world sees and what lens they see it through. We see images in real time—not just from the official photographer of record, but also from the subjects they’re recording.

Today, Wikimedians aim to document the planet’s transient monuments, nature, and human culture for future use, and to give those photos away under free licenses, available for anyone, anywhere, for any purpose.

In 2016 alone, the number of Wikimedia Commons files increased by about 6 million to 36 million. That’s more than 16,000 new files added every day. Each and every one is free to reuse.