Photography has been part of museum practice since the creation of museum institutions in the 19th century and it plays a central role in the production of cultural heritage. Photographs in museum collections have often been acquired passively as gifts and donations, reflecting the society of the time. Nowadays photography is ubiquitous, immediate and widely disseminated on social media. Digital photography differs in content from analogue in that the subject matter is often of an everyday nature and digital photographs are not necessarily intended to serve as souvenirs. Digital photography has become a tool for social interaction, with its intended purpose being immediate communication. A consequence of this paradigm shift in photography is that the content of photographic collections represents society even less accurately than before, making it necessary for museums to change their current collection practices. The practice of collecting must become more democratic, inclusive and relevant to museum visitors and the general public. At Stockholm County Museum we launched Samtidsbild, or Contemporary Images, as our digital platform for collecting. The aim is to collect photographs from amateur photographers living in the Stockholm area. Today's vernacular photography must be collected in collaboration with its creators and at the time it is being created. Museums must engage with people who want to contribute to our cultural heritage, which is an achievable goal thanks to the widespread use of photography and the possibility of disseminating images through digital media. However, this method of collecting raises questions related to authenticity, selection, technical and artistic creativity, copyright and engagement, among others. This article discusses the benefits and drawbacks of engaging with the public in the collecting of our mutual heritage. An analysis of the photographs acquired during the last few years is presented and an attempt is made to answer the question of whether this is a worthwhile method of collecting.