Final Project Report: Preserving Local Identity in Open Source
A comprehensive summary of my contributions, challenges, and learnings in the WP Credits Program
Introduction
I’m Jason Orozco Ruiz, a Systems Engineering student at Universidad Fidélitas in Costa Rica, and this is my final wrap-up report for the WP Credits program. Over the past several weeks, I had the privilege of contributing to the official WordPress Photo Directory Team. My project focused on capturing and documenting the cultural, architectural, and natural heritage of San Rafael de Heredia to build a CC0-licensed visual archive for open source creators worldwide. This report summarizes my journey, the technical challenges I navigated, and how this experience shaped me as a contributor.
Teams and Projects I Contributed To
I officially contributed to the WordPress Photo Directory Team. The core objective of my project, “Preservation of Local Identity: Photographic Catalog of San Rafael de Heredia,” was to shoot, curating, and submit high-quality CC0 photos of local landmarks—such as the Los Ángeles Church, Monte de la Cruz, Laguna de Plata, and the Castillo Country Club—ensuring they met all open-source criteria, including zero commercial logos and clean compositions without identifiable faces.
Learning Resources
To align my contributions with global expectations, I actively relied on official handbooks and community communication channels:
- WordPress Photo Directory Handbook: Studied the official guidelines on image moderation, licensing standards, and composition requirements.
- Making WordPress Slack (#photos): Joined global discussions to introduce my project and understand how volunteer moderators review thousands of submissions daily.
- Learn WordPress Platform: Completed foundational courses, including Beginner WordPress User and How Decisions are Made in the WordPress Project.
Challenges and Solutions
1. Realigning Project Scope: My initial focus was aimed at Core, but feedback from mentors made it clear that a photo directory project offered greater value for local community representation. I embraced the shift and restructured my goals around the Photos team.
2. Navigating Strict Moderation Rules: Avoiding commercial branding and private logos in urban areas of San Rafael was tough. I resolved this by adjusting my camera angles, utilizing shallow depth of field, and scheduling shoots around specific lighting windows to highlight nature and architecture over commercial signage.
My Contributions
Throughout this program, I curated and submitted a rich collection of photos capturing San Rafael de Heredia to the official WordPress Photo Directory under public domain (CC0):
- 📸 Official Photo Directory Submissions: View my published photos on WordPress.org
- 📝 Journal & Documentation: Published 8 weekly journal entries documenting technical obstacles, site setup, and reflections on my personal blog.
Key Learnings & New Skills Gained
This program taught me that open source contribution reaches far beyond writing raw code. It relies heavily on community collaboration, clear documentation, and accessible multimedia.
Technical Skills:
- WordPress Site Building & Block Editor (Gutenberg) management.
- CC0 Public Domain Licensing standards and open content distribution.
- Visual composition rules and technical quality filters for open source assets.
Soft Skills:
- Asynchronous communication in English via international Slack channels.
- Self-directed time management balancing academic deadlines with contribution goals.
- Constructive reflection and adapting to feedback from community leaders.
Personal Reflections & Next Steps
I was genuinely surprised by how welcoming and organized the global WordPress community is toward new contributors. Being able to leave a permanent digital footprint of my hometown on a platform that powers over 40% of the web has been an incredibly rewarding experience. After WP Credits, I plan to continue submitting high-quality photos from Costa Rica to the repository and explore translating content for the Polyglots team.
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