In May 2004 I started the h2g2 friends photo gallery after seeing a thread called Anthropomorphism, started by the inimitable clzoomer, which raised the question "Does anyone else here find themselves automatically assuming that when they 'meet' someone new on the net that they are just like them"? And which went on to ask if this included also looking like them.

Since I'd already had a few photos of h2g2 friends that I had either taken myself or that had been sent to me by email, I thought it might be a nice idea to expand on that small selection of photos and create a special album just for h2g2 researchers.

At the time it started as a small 'word-of-mouth' personal project in a journal entry on my PS and as soon as I had received permission I put up the first photos. Because I wasn't sure if it was going to take off and how much work it would entail I was hesitant to 'promote' it on more general forums like Ask h2g2 or . Meanwhile the gallery grew steadily as a personal project and as the word spread it also came to include lots of researchers that I hadn't previously met.

Now that we are up to over 400 photos in the gallery, and with our third anniversary coming up soon , it seems like a good time to go a bit more 'public' as it were.

At this point I think the main difference would be that, as more of a community project, researchers who don't know me might feel more comfortable about sending in their photos. Especially as I'm not around h2g2 as much as before and don't get a chance to 'meet' as many new researchers as I used to.

And so, if you are interested in viewing the gallery, joining in on the conversation thread or sending in your photo(s) by email ~ azaharh2g2 [at] yahoo [dot] com ~ you can find all the links below. If you'd like a special caption under your photo, please include it in the email. There are only two rules: the photo must actually have you in it and if you want to leave a comment under any of the pics in the gallery your name (or nickname) is required, though you don't need to include your email address in the comment box unless you'd like it as a link for others to contact you.

Welcome to the gallery!