Magnum Photos is working closely with Fujifilm and MPP (Heritage and Photography Library of Paris / Médiathèque du Patrimoine et de la Photographie) to digitize Magnum’s massive color library archive in Paris. The collection contains approximately 650,000 color slides that have remained mostly untouched and unseen for over 20 years.
The digitization effort, dubbed “A World in Color,” is underway with the aid of Magnum’s Archive and Production Teams, Fujifilm, and MPP. For Fujifilm’s part, the digitization experts are using the Fujifilm GFX 100 II medium-format digital camera to digitize the color slides. The 650,000 slides, preserved on over 43,000 slide sheets, comprise photos captured from the 1950s until the early 2000s.
Besides capturing essential moments in time, these images are historically significant because they reflect the shift in photography from black and white to color. The colorful photos are a portal back to when the world was primarily documented in monochrome.
“I’m hoping to see and rediscover iconic moments of history that made Magnum what Magnum is known for around the world,” says Pierre Mohamed-Petit, Magnum’s Digital Production Manager in Paris.
The “A World in Color” project has three primary goals: to preserve vital photographic archives, provide a modern audience with a chance to see the old archived photos and provide cultural, historical, and educational resources to a broader audience.
“[…] This project transforms the archive into a wellspring of opportunity — enhancing its value across press, editorial publications, and cultural partnerships. By uncovering unseen material, we open new doors for storytelling, collaboration, and creative exploration,” says Marine Merindol, Chief Operating Officer at Magnum Photos. “Our commitment to preserving this unique photographic heritage ensures it remains an invaluable resource, honoring the past while inspiring future generations to learn from and build upon this vibrant visual history.”
It is a massive undertaking, and Magnum will be sharing new behind-the-scenes looks and digitized unseen photos from its Paris color library archive each month throughout 2025. Each “drop” of new photos will focus on a specific place. The first one is Czechia, with additional image reveals slated to showcase photos from Italy, Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and more.
The Czechia connection is timely, given that Magnum’s partner on the project, Fujifilm, is hosting its next Fujifilm X Summit this week in Prague. There will be an associated Fujikina event in Prague, which will include live exhibitions and talks with Magnum photographers.
“This new collaborative series with Magnum Photos is key to our mission. […] By using our GFX technology to digitize Magnum’s color library archive, we feel that we are helping to record a moment of history before it is lost — both the history of the countries we will be visiting with our Fujikina global events, and the history of photography itself,” says Kunio Aoyama, General Manager of Fujifilm Europe.
“We are very excited to know that some of the 650,000 images will now be brought to light and available to the public. This opens up an incredible window into the world and into our past — helping us understand our present. We would like to thank our partners for their interest and support, as well as for their solid contribution to our visual archive, which belongs to all of us,” explains Emin Özmen, vice president of Magnum’s longstanding Paris office.
Image credits: Magnum Photos. Individual photographers are credited in the captions.
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