The image repository comprises 103 series of the 155 that were evaluated. Chronologically, most of the negatives are from the first half of the 1970s. Negatives can be searched either by subject or series. The series titles are derived from those found on the envelopes or accompanying materials and have been loosely translated into English. This provides a glimpse into how Ritopečki approached titling.
When performing a thematic search, users can select multiple series and quickly gain an overview for a given topic. Individual motif groups/images are also categorized according to the Outline of Cultural Materials, which provides an ethnographic classification system for human behavior, social life and needs, material culture, and human-ecological environments that have been developed by Human Relations Area Files, Inc., a community-based member association affiliated with Yale University. Taking this approach helps to diversify access to the source material and enables differentiated search options, while also creating linkages between series
The searchable negative series are organized in groups of motifs. A digital contact print makes it possible to follow the sequence in which shots were taken. In addition, the database shows where individual photographs were published (if at all), such as in newspapers, periodicals, or other media formats. Through reconstructing the usage histories of Ritopečki’s negatives, new insight into the photographs is acquired, encouraging a more comprehensive discussion of his work.


