Houck Medford is from Waynesville, North Carolina, and is a third-generation dentist, conservationist, and photographer. This digital collection contains born-digital photographs created by Houck Medford between 2003 and 2024, depicting his viewpoint of the regional culture and natural surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The finding aid for the Houck Medford papers, which contains prints of analog and born-digital photographs, handbound artists’ books, and self-published booklets, is available online in Special Collections and Archives' finding aid database.

Most born-digital photographs in this collection include three versions: a “raw” file, analogous to a photographic negative; a “print” file used to create inkjet prints; and the final print inscribed with both “print” and “raw” filenames. Users of this collection can follow Medford’s creative process based upon the formats they decide to access.

Most “print” files have been made available online; photographs that depict children have been omitted. A selection of “raw” files have been made available online when a print corollary does not exist and in the case of composite images stitched together from multiple sources. Individuals are identified where possible.

Medford’s personal observations and stories are embedded in the metadata of his photographs. Descriptions include Medford’s explanatory captions contained in quotation marks, followed by the related “raw” filename associated with each “print” file.

This digital collection is ongoing due to Medford's continued artistic practice and discoveries of older works. Check back regularly for new additions.