Gail,
I thought I would share my two cents with you! I should preface my
comments that I worked in the museum field for many years before going
back to school to become an art librarian/VR professional. When visually
documenting a museum collection item there is one key point to keep in
mind: "What is the purpose of the photograph?"
Is the image for museum users/visitors? For example: it could be for
some on-line component of an exhibit or used in an on-line collection
database that users can search.
Is the image to be used by the museum's PR department -- posters,
postcards, etc.
Is the image to be used by the registrar's office in a museum collection
database?
Or will this image part of a larger conservation assessment? When I
worked as a curator in the museum field we documented all items prior to
any conservation treatments (and this included overall shots, close-ups
of areas needing treatment (foxing, crazing, tears, etc.), close-ups of
maker's marks/artist signatures, etc. Paintings were generally
photographed with a raking light to show where the paint was lifting
from the canvas, etc.). We then photographed all of those same shots
AFTER the treatments were completed. We also asked the conservators to
document their treatments with photographs -- and these images were kept
by the Registrar with the object's accession record.
Obviously your answer to these questions dictates how the item will be
photographed (color? black and white? at what resolution? and the number
and types of views needed -- "beauty shots" for exhibit promotional
materials, documentary shots of maker's marks and signatures for a
database, etc.). Soooooo, as you think about the image's use you can
start to see that a set of photographs might make sense. A well-lit
"beauty shot" for postcards and a visitor database might be necessary in
addition to the conservation documentation photographs.... or a single
nice black and white image might be all that is necessary for an
internal-use museum collection database.
Another important consideration: most museum staff will try to limit the
number of times a fragile, vulnerable collection item has to be handled
(so take more images than you think you need!). Remember: the item has
been moved from collection storage to your photography area, the lights
are on, you've got your gloves on, you are using collection staff to
properly move and handle the item, so you should try and anticipate some
future photography needs. Go ahead and take that close-up of the
artist's signature on that painting. Go ahead and take that close-up of
that teapot handle that needs to be repaired down the line.
And a final thought, the collection object will "tell" you if more than
one shot is necessary. Obviously, paintings and prints COULD be captured
with single images (if you aren't interested in details or images of the
frames, etc.). But anything in 3D is going to need more images
(sculpture being an obvious example). Also, think multiple images when
you get into the world of multi-part items (think tea sets, sewing
boxes, tool chests, altar pieces, etc.)
As you get into your project, you can start to develop your
institutional guidelines/criteria. Hope this helps - and forgive me if
my comments are overly obvious!
-Greta
--
Greta Bahnemann
Curator
Knight Visual Resources Facility
College of Architecture, Art and Planning
B-56 Sibley Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Telephone: 607-255-8655
FAX: 607-255-1900
Gail R Gilbert wrote:
> This question is for a colleague in special collections:
>
> When capturing an object digitally, do you photograph multiple sides
> to get a complete view?
> Is there a standard you follow or do you develop your own criteria?
>
> Thanks.
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--
Greta Bahnemann
Curator
Knight Visual Resources Facility
College of Architecture, Art and Planning
B-56 Sibley Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Telephone: 607-255-8655
FAX: 607-255-1900
__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
For information about joining ARLIS/NA see:
http://www.arlisna.org/join.html
Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
to [log in to unmask]
ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask]
