Issues In Object-Level Description Of Press Photography Collections : Toward A Metadata Standard For Photojournalism

The role of photojournalism archives is in a state of reinvention as physical collections move from agencies to cultural institutions. The accessibility of collections is imperative for new research focusing on recognizing the complex nature of the printed page and the various editorial, aesthetic and political forces involved in producing a publication. Researchers are using primary photographic objects along with original press materials to discover new aspects of photojournalism’s history. These collections represent a unique challenge for institutions, where the multiple physical manifestations of a single image each contribute to an understanding of how photography was used by the media. Traditional cataloguing standards for image collections excel at recording image content, but there remains no standard for the description of photojournalism objects. This thesis posits a method of describing photojournalism objects by utilizing existing structural metadata standards in order to improve database browsing capabilities, thus improving research efficiency.

Expanding access to Nickolas Muray's celebrity portraits: cross cataloguing of Richard and Ronay Menschel Library manuscript and photography collections at George Eastman House

This applied thesis project was undertaken to expand access to the photographer Nickolas Muray’s (1892–1965) celebrity portraits by creating intellectual links between the Richard and Ronay Menschel Library Manuscript Collection and the Department of Photography (DOP) Collection held at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester, New York. The project consisted of two phases: (1) to create item-level descriptions for the published examples of Muray’s celebrity portraits in the Library’s Nickolas Muray Manuscript (Mss) Collection Boxes 125-126 Illustrations, and (2) to revise the DOP catalogue records for the corresponding photographic prints and negatives, and their variants from the same photographic sessions within the museum’s collections management system, The Museum System (TMS). This paper outlines the methodologies behind the project and describes decisions made to expand access to Muray’s celebrity materials in both the manuscript and photographic collections.

Adapting to born-digital photographs: a case study of the Canadian Centre for Architecture

As born-digital photography collections grow, so grows the need for a more defined set of guidelines on the best practices of how to acquire, describe and preserve said photographs. This paper is the result of a practical project conducted at the Canadian Centre for Architecture. The project uses the CCA as a case study and asks the question: how is the Centre adapting to the collection of born-digital photographs? During a six-month residency, the author, developed and implemented a description guideline, workflow, and donor guideline for the collection and cataloguing of born-digital photographs. These guidelines are the result of the steady growth in the volume of born-digital photographs coupled with the need for ensuring long term preservation for existing and potential collections. The aim of this paper is to help improve the usefulness and clarity of the guidelines. The case study and paper was conducted in conjunction with the requirements of Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management (FPPCM) master’s at Ryerson University. The title of the guideline is Guidelines for Describing Born-Digital Photograph.

Expanding access to Nickolas Muray's celebrity portraits: cross cataloguing of Richard and Ronay Menschel Library manuscript and photography collections at George Eastman House

This applied thesis project was undertaken to expand access to the photographer Nickolas Muray’s (1892–1965) celebrity portraits by creating intellectual links between the Richard and Ronay Menschel Library Manuscript Collection and the Department of Photography (DOP) Collection held at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester, New York. The project consisted of two phases: (1) to create item-level descriptions for the published examples of Muray’s celebrity portraits in the Library’s Nickolas Muray Manuscript (Mss) Collection Boxes 125-126 Illustrations, and (2) to revise the DOP catalogue records for the corresponding photographic prints and negatives, and their variants from the same photographic sessions within the museum’s collections management system, The Museum System (TMS). This paper outlines the methodologies behind the project and describes decisions made to expand access to Muray’s celebrity materials in both the manuscript and photographic collections.

Issues In Object-Level Description Of Press Photography Collections : Toward A Metadata Standard For Photojournalism

The role of photojournalism archives is in a state of reinvention as physical collections move from agencies to cultural institutions. The accessibility of collections is imperative for new research focusing on recognizing the complex nature of the printed page and the various editorial, aesthetic and political forces involved in producing a publication. Researchers are using primary photographic objects along with original press materials to discover new aspects of photojournalism’s history. These collections represent a unique challenge for institutions, where the multiple physical manifestations of a single image each contribute to an understanding of how photography was used by the media. Traditional cataloguing standards for image collections excel at recording image content, but there remains no standard for the description of photojournalism objects. This thesis posits a method of describing photojournalism objects by utilizing existing structural metadata standards in order to improve database browsing capabilities, thus improving research efficiency.

Adapting to born-digital photographs: a case study of the Canadian Centre for Architecture

As born-digital photography collections grow, so grows the need for a more defined set of guidelines on the best practices of how to acquire, describe and preserve said photographs. This paper is the result of a practical project conducted at the Canadian Centre for Architecture. The project uses the CCA as a case study and asks the question: how is the Centre adapting to the collection of born-digital photographs? During a six-month residency, the author, developed and implemented a description guideline, workflow, and donor guideline for the collection and cataloguing of born-digital photographs. These guidelines are the result of the steady growth in the volume of born-digital photographs coupled with the need for ensuring long term preservation for existing and potential collections. The aim of this paper is to help improve the usefulness and clarity of the guidelines. The case study and paper was conducted in conjunction with the requirements of Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management (FPPCM) master’s at Ryerson University. The title of the guideline is Guidelines for Describing Born-Digital Photograph.

“The many tinted woods”: building online teacher resources with photography collections

This thesis aims to answer the question: how can photography collections be used as interpretative tools to build visual and media literacy skills through creative learning opportunities aligned with the Ontario education curriculum? The project has two components: an analytical paper and a teacher resource – created according to the Art Gallery of Ontario standard – to introduce teachers to teaching with photographs through interdisciplinary lessons in the visual culture of Canada from 1860 to the early 1900s. An analysis of the Ontario curriculum documents, identifying both limitations and benefits, and aims to support grade 7 and 8 teachers in the classroom are included. Using Canadian photographs from the AGO’s collection unites arts education and visual literacy with core academic subjects by prompting students, through a range of activities to engage with the subjects, aesthetic elements, history and materials of photographic media, and thus to interpret daily life at this time.

“The many tinted woods”: building online teacher resources with photography collections

This thesis aims to answer the question: how can photography collections be used as interpretative tools to build visual and media literacy skills through creative learning opportunities aligned with the Ontario education curriculum? The project has two components: an analytical paper and a teacher resource – created according to the Art Gallery of Ontario standard – to introduce teachers to teaching with photographs through interdisciplinary lessons in the visual culture of Canada from 1860 to the early 1900s. An analysis of the Ontario curriculum documents, identifying both limitations and benefits, and aims to support grade 7 and 8 teachers in the classroom are included. Using Canadian photographs from the AGO’s collection unites arts education and visual literacy with core academic subjects by prompting students, through a range of activities to engage with the subjects, aesthetic elements, history and materials of photographic media, and thus to interpret daily life at this time.

Description of war photographs : designing a list of subject headingsDescription of war photographs : designing a list of subject headings

This project is focused on the research and practical design of a list of subject headings which describes topical subjects visually represented in war photographs. To increase access to this type of cultural heritage, this list is a user-friendly tool for the efficient description of war photographs which does not require specialized knowledge in the subject of war for its implementation. Three main strategies are employed to this end: The implementarion of a strictly controlled vocabulary; the use of a streamlined multi-tiered hierarchical arrangement; and the placement of specific subject headings within the hierarchical structure of terminology that function as key access points to war photography collections. The basis of development of this project is the approach to the description of war photographs of three institutions. These are: George Eastman House Museum of Photography and Film, the Canadian War Museum's Military History Research Centre, and Ryerson University's Black Star Historical Black & White Photography Collection.

Description of war photographs : designing a list of subject headingsDescription of war photographs : designing a list of subject headings

This project is focused on the research and practical design of a list of subject headings which describes topical subjects visually represented in war photographs. To increase access to this type of cultural heritage, this list is a user-friendly tool for the efficient description of war photographs which does not require specialized knowledge in the subject of war for its implementation. Three main strategies are employed to this end: The implementarion of a strictly controlled vocabulary; the use of a streamlined multi-tiered hierarchical arrangement; and the placement of specific subject headings within the hierarchical structure of terminology that function as key access points to war photography collections. The basis of development of this project is the approach to the description of war photographs of three institutions. These are: George Eastman House Museum of Photography and Film, the Canadian War Museum's Military History Research Centre, and Ryerson University's Black Star Historical Black & White Photography Collection.