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Archiving the Digital Image: Today's Best Practices of File Preparation

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Archiving the Digital Image: Today's Best Practices of File Preparation ARCHIVING THE DIGITAL IMAGE: TODAY'S BEST PRACTICES OF FILE PREPARATION Frank Wiewandt A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION December 2005 Committee: Dr. Gene Poor, Advisor Dr. Kathyrn Hoff Dr. Paul Cessarini © 2005 Frank Wiewandt All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Dr. Gene Poor, Advisor Unlike images created with traditional film-based technology, those created in today’s digital environment run the risk of being lost to future generations because there are no universally practiced standards for archiving them. Photographers must make decisions concerning this critical step with few sources of information to guide them. This study is intended to present the current best practices of four professional photographer/educators in an effort to present proven, if only temporary, solutions to this problem. Qualitative research methods were used for this descriptive study. Participant interviews were used to collect the data. Subject matter experts were found by searching moderated Internet forums for candidates demonstrating a high level of experience in the field of digital imaging, the ability to articulate their views, and a willingness to share their knowledge. Additional screening of potential participants was accomplished by visiting individual’s websites to gain further evidence of their professionalism. Four candidates were approached for the study, and all agreed to participate. The participants reported using digital technology almost exclusively to capture their images. Also, every job was delivered digitally to clients. This data demonstrates the pervasiveness of digital technology in today’s photography marketplace. Each participant had his own method of archiving digital image files based upon his business model and workflow. They disagreed about the viability of RAW file formats for archival use. RAW file formats leave the imaging sensor data intact rather iv than converting it in-camera to one of several commonly used file formats. Unfortunately each manufacturer uses proprietary data in the RAW files from its cameras making it unreadable to all but its own imaging software. The majority of images being created today by professional photographers are digital. This ever-expanding body of work needs to be protected from becoming digital technology “orphans.” Until industry standards evolve, it is increasingly important for photographers to take precautions when archiving digital image files. Even though there is no singular method of file preparation for digital image archiving, the practices outlined by the participants of this study are a good place to start. v To Molly, Not a letter, just a start. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The success of this thesis in no small part was due to the visionary notions of Dr. Gene Poor, Dr. Kathryn Hoff's caring dedication to to the details, and the "bleeding-edge" technology expertise of Dr. Paul Cesarini. Thank you for being honorable examples, dedicated instructors, and great friends. vi T h TABLE OF CONTENTS e f Page o ll INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 o w CHAPTER I ........................................................................................................................... 1 i n Context of the Problem.............................................................................................. 2 g p Problem of the Study ................................................................................................. 4 a g Significance of the Study........................................................................................... 4 e s Objectives of the Study.............................................................................................. 5 a r Assumptions............................................................................................................... 6 e f Limitations................................................................................................................. 6 o r Definition of Terms.................................................................................................... 7 m a CHAPTER II ......................................................................................................................... 9 tt e Review of Literature .................................................................................................. 9 d p Historical Context...................................................................................................... 10 r o Relevant Theory......................................................................................................... 12 p e Current Literature....................................................................................................... 13 rl y Summary.................................................................................................................... 14 . P CHAPTER III. ....................................................................................................................... 16 l e Methodology.............................................................................................................. 16 a s Restatement of the Problem....................................................................................... 16 e u Research Design......................................................................................................... 16 s e Data Collection Instrument........................................................................................ 16 t h Participants................................................................................................................. 17 i s a s a g u i d vii Procedure of Data Analysis ....................................................................................... 17 Protection of Human Subjects ................................................................................... 18 Budget........................................................................................................................ 19 Timeline..................................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER IV. ....................................................................................................................... 21 Findings...................................................................................................................... 21 Biographies ................................................................................................................ 21 Digital Usage ............................................................................................................. 22 Capture ...................................................................................................................... 23 Delivery...................................................................................................................... 24 Archiving Practices.................................................................................................... 24 The RAW Format ...................................................................................................... 27 Considerations............................................................................................................ 28 CHAPTER V ........................................................................................................................ 29 Summary.................................................................................................................... 29 Conclusions................................................................................................................ 30 Discussion.................................................................................................................. 31 Recommendations for Future Studies........................................................................ 33 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 34 APPENDIX A. Consent E-mail ............................................................................................ 36 APPENDIX B. Interview Guidelines ................................................................................... 37 APPENDIX C. Verification E-mails .................................................................................... 38 APPENDIX D. Peer Review E-mail ..................................................................................... 42 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Estimated expenses for study..................................................................................... 19 2 Deadlines for the completion of the study ................................................................. 20 1 Chapter I Introduction Photographs have provided generations of grateful viewers with lasting memories by recording important images on film. Photographers have established profitable careers by creating images that can be sold not once but again and again. Neither of these scenarios would be possible without carefully archiving, or preserving, the materials that are needed to successfully reproduce an image (Ostroff, 1976). Over time, archival methods have been established to guarantee the long-term survival of traditional film and printed materials. Even though the various groups
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