Archival Photography

Overview

During my time as Principal Photographer at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center, I photographed museum collections, artwork, historic artifacts, documents, and other collection materials for documentation, digitization, exhibitions, publications, marketing, and digital use. The work required balancing technical accuracy with careful handling and a strong understanding of how photographic documentation serves the long-term preservation and accessibility of a collection.

My Role

I was responsible for photographing a wide range of two-dimensional and three-dimensional collection materials and producing high-quality digital images that accurately represented each object. I worked independently to plan and execute photography projects, determine appropriate lighting and camera setups, capture and review images, and prepare final files for their intended use.

Approach

• Photographed paintings, historic artifacts, documents, photographs, and other museum collection materials.
  
• Developed photography setups based on each object's size, shape, material, texture, and surface characteristics.
  
• Used controlled lighting to accurately reproduce color, texture, fine detail, and overall appearance.
  
• Utilized diffusers, reflectors, flags, and gobos to shape and control light and minimize glare and unwanted reflections.
  
• Carefully positioned camera and lighting equipment to maintain consistent framing, perspective, and exposure.
  
• Reviewed images at high magnification to identify focus, exposure, color, reflection, and other technical issues.
  
• Prepared and organized high-resolution digital files for documentation, digitization, publications, exhibitions, and digital applications.
  

Results

• Created accurate, high-quality photographic records of museum collection materials
  

• Supported the museum's artifact digitization efforts and expanded access to collection materials through digital imagery

• Produced images suitable for both archival documentation and public-facing applications

Tools Used

• Adobe Lightroom
• Adobe Photoshop
• Capture One
• Diffusers, reflectors, flags, and gobos
  
• Color management and high-resolution digital imaging workflows