Shell (aka Robert Hensleigh) – Associate Director of Photography
Responsibilities: documenting collection for external/internal uses. ( Not involved in conservation photography, which is a specialized area. ). Common tasks: taking photos of artifacts, making archives of images, scanning images.
Most museums photograph using large format cameras. A problem with transparencies (e.g. 8.5 or 4.5) used in photography are that they fade. So the move to digital photography is good - artifacts are photographed using digital cameras. Old images have to be scanned.
Archiving - includes burning 2 dvd copies of every image.
IT used:
There are many FileMaker image databases. The main FileMaker DB is used as the archive of images. Accession # is primary key It syncs with TMS and is very similar to a relational database. It uses SQL queries to access TMS. Updates with TMS are done manually - Shell has to trigger scripts. Curators use TMS to get images. If they need a higher quality print they do it with the photography department. TMS has a checkbox for "web ready" images.
File format of main images DB:
- when a photograph is taken, up to 5 different files can then be created for varying purposes from the master image. Eg. 16 bit, JPG for TMS, JPG for thumb, JPG for PPT, 8 bit for printing/publication needs. For handheld devices another image/size would be created...
Some other the databases used:
1. Work order DB – e.g. request: "photograph this object". Handles request, who requested it reprints, purpose (for event or exhibit), object file, art storage log.
2. an address database to keep track of customers for right & reproduction, payment, sales. But their rights & reproduction person has just been layed off
3. transparency inventory
4. db for candid photos. Images of things that don't have accession #'s. A place where Digital Asset Management software would be good.
What is a DAM (Digital Asset Management) system?
Contains images - can be reproduced as needed. E.g. could convert file formats on the fly, for example if a tiff or a jpeg. Wishes he had one because this would reduce his workload.
What other department do you work with ?
Conservation, publications, curatorial.
Most time is spent on archiving/color correcting images. He handles transfer & creation of records for images created. Since reinstallation a lot of photog. Slowed down.
Don't have in-house resources to change to open source digital asset management software. They have 120 filemaker databases.
It is possible to make the File Maker image databases internet accessible.