Big Picture

Yearly Global Photography Competition

Project Overview

Big Picture is an annual natural world photography competition hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. In 2020, I was tasked with enhancing how visitors connected with the photographs—not just visually, but spatially and contextually. The goal was to transform the exhibit from a static photo gallery into a deeper storytelling experience that highlighted the geographic diversity and global relevance of the winning images.

My Goal

I set out to create an infographic experience that made the global reach of the competition clear and engaging. I designed a large-format world map connecting each winning photo to its location, then extended it into an interactive web-based version for deeper storytelling. To bring the digital experience into the gallery, I also developed a kiosk where visitors could explore the Big Picture website, including the interactive map, right in the exhibit space.

The main challenge was to create a system that helped visitors quickly understand the global scope of the exhibit, while also encouraging deeper exploration. The map needed to show spatial relationships clearly without overwhelming the viewer, and the digital experience needed to feel connected to the physical one. We also wanted to make the experience accessible for a wide range of users, both in-person and online.

I began by gathering metadata from each winning photograph, including coordinates, category, and subject matter. After cleaning and organizing the data, I designed a modular map layout that could function at both exhibit scale and screen size. For the digital version, I built out an interactive experience using rollover points and popups that revealed photo details. I then worked with internal teams to install a touchscreen kiosk that allowed visitors to explore the full website while inside the gallery, effectively bridging the physical and digital components of the experience.

Big Picture

Infographic Map Design Interactive Web Development
Data Visualization

Outcome

The map quickly became one of the most talked-about parts of the exhibit. Visitors were drawn in by the visual clarity and stayed to explore the individual stories behind each photo. The interactive version made the content more accessible beyond the museum walls, supporting remote exploration through the Big Picture website. The custom kiosk in the gallery helped bridge the physical and digital experiences, giving museum-goers a way to explore additional content on the spot.

What I learned

This project reinforced how powerful a single, well-designed visual system can be when it connects people to ideas across space and context. Building both the print and interactive map challenged me to think about clarity, responsiveness, and accessibility in different formats. It also deepened my interest in creating design systems that translate seamlessly across mediums.