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Accessioning Software for Photographs
WorldRoutes
Registered Users Posts: 10 Big grins
Hello![
Ten thousand negatives, three hundred original prints, and innumerable contact sheets, and I have yet to find any database software I can buy to start accessioning them all. Can you recommend a good database program to help me out? Here are a few of the details.
My father, Peter Olwyler, started as a photojournalist in the US and continued his work as a public relations manager, photographer, and teacher in central Mexico between 1955 and 1999. He was great at recording the rolls of mostly 2 ¼” X 2 ¼“ film, but since I’ve just transported them back to the US from our town in the Bajio of Mexico, I’ve found no good photographic management program to use for accessioning his work.
If you have any suggestions on a good, reasonably priced accessioning data base program, could you please pass on the information to me. I’d grately appreciate it, as will the public for whom I hope Peter’s work will eventually be of great interest.
Thanks!
Ten thousand negatives, three hundred original prints, and innumerable contact sheets, and I have yet to find any database software I can buy to start accessioning them all. Can you recommend a good database program to help me out? Here are a few of the details.
My father, Peter Olwyler, started as a photojournalist in the US and continued his work as a public relations manager, photographer, and teacher in central Mexico between 1955 and 1999. He was great at recording the rolls of mostly 2 ¼” X 2 ¼“ film, but since I’ve just transported them back to the US from our town in the Bajio of Mexico, I’ve found no good photographic management program to use for accessioning his work.
If you have any suggestions on a good, reasonably priced accessioning data base program, could you please pass on the information to me. I’d grately appreciate it, as will the public for whom I hope Peter’s work will eventually be of great interest.
Thanks!
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Comments
Now to the question. Are you wanting to digitize these images at all? The software I--and probably most of us here--are most familiar with is called Digital Asset Management software or DAM. There are several available ranging from very lightweight free ones to coprorate-strength and priced ones. A little more information is needed. In general how to you want to catalog the images. Also, a criticaly-important bit of information: what copmuter system are you using? In particular, what OS?
http://www.chrislaudermilkphoto.com/
It sounds like a veritable treasure trove of images.
A little overhead first. Some of our members view these links with a black background, which means that your text is invisible to them. Large fonts are not necessary for clarity. I ask that you edit these items in your original post.
Windows or Mac computer systems or other operating systems?
Lightroom or Aperture will accomodate your needs, I believe. Both should easily handle the load.
Have these images - negative, prints, etc been digitized already, or are you planning to digitize them?
Or do you just want a data base program that does not display digital images at all?
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Hi Peter Olwyler's son!
I hope you still check this forum, as I'm interested in accessing your father's photos from San Miguel, ca 1967-69. Peter and I were friends, and I lived in the chapel on his property for some of that time frame. Sorry to hear that he's left us, but, I would be interested in knowing if his archives are available. Is there a webpage with info on Peter's work and/or background?
Please send me a personal response, if possible.
Thanks, Linda Martin
San Miguel Gal
Dedicated accessioning software
1)
http://www.museumsoftware.com/
associated forum
http://www.museumsoftware.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi
2)
http://www.vernonsystems.com/index.php
3) art inventory management
http://www.supershareware.com/info/art--antiques-organizer-deluxe.html
4)
http://www.adlibsoft.com/
5)
http://www.kesoftware.com/content/view/52/100/lang,en/
6)
http://www.artsystems.com/index.htm
I don't even suggest that I can tell you about any of these, but it's a start.
Perhaps also of interest:
Library of Congress Accession Forms
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/tp/Accession%20Form%20Samples.pdf
Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com
...with apology to Archimedies
Hi Linda!
It's great to connect another person who knew my father Peter even though it is unfortunate that we no longer have Peter, his great personality and wonderful photography. My Dad died in 1999, and in February of 2002 I produced a wonderful retrospective exhibit of his work which was a great success, I think. Over 500 people attended the opening, and I was reassured by Carmen Masip de Hawkins, director of the Bellas Artes, that it was one of the best exhibits they'd ever had.
At this point I don't have Dad's photos on a web site, but I am planning on creating one. I've been scanning his negatives at West Coast Imaging which is only a few miles from my house here in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in California. I'm very pleased with what I've gotten from them at and as I slowly scan enough of his images I plan on producing another exhibit of his work here in California. So, far, the costs of scanning the negs and producing the prints has slowed my pace, but now that I'm retired (two days now!!!) I might find more time to dedicate to this effort.
Do please write me again if you wish (notracetravel@hotmail.com). I'm interested to know where I can visit your web site, what type of photogrphy you do, and your history with Peter, and if we may not have met before I left San Miguel in 1968 to head to high school in the US.
My best regards to you!
Michael
Dale!
Thank you so much for your ideas on accessioning software as I have a big job ahead! I really appreciate your response and I intent to visit these sites and see what I might learn.
Maybe some day you'll see one of Peter Olwyler's photographs and know that you helped bring his Mexico period photographs to people!
Again, thanks!
Michael O
Thanks for the tips to improve my communications through this forum. I know that I'm an amateur at forums so any tips are of great use!
I'll certainly be checking out the Digital Asset Management software you mention, and I'll now know it's important to look for a PC operating system until I switch to the new OS system I plan on purchasing in the future. And, "how" I want to catalogue Peter's images is just the question...not having much experience with it, I need to figure out what all information I really need to capture.
Again, thanks for your tips for improving my communications with Forum readers!
Michael O.
Pathfinder!
They've got to see what I'm asking to answer, so I appreciate letting me know that black text isn't very useful with a black background! I'll remember! I'm also new to forums so I'll have to figure out how to edit my original message so others can see it.
At present, I use a Windows system. As far as the system and what it can capture/display, I'm not sure yet, becasue I don't have any experience with these. I don't know what is and is not important in accessioning yet. Any ideas I learn about would help with my education. I'll check out "Lightroom" and "Aperture" and see how they are designed and what they capture and how the data is displayed. Because of the cost of digitizing, it's been a slow go for me, but eventually I'll have enough 100MB scans to do a high quality, but possibly small (maybe 35 images), exhibit at a gallery or museum. I till have a ways to go!
I really want Peter Olwyler's photographs to be shared with people because we can all learn a bit more about the Mexican people from his photographs of the period from 1955 through 1975.
Thank you fro your thoughts and suggestions!
Michael O
http://www.chrislaudermilkphoto.com/