How to Take Photographs for Historic Resources Surveys

PhotographsEssential part of survey data

A picture is worth a thousand words

Capture current moment in time

Should be clear, well-composed, and provide accurate visual representation of resource and its significant features

Number of photographs needed depends on type of survey being conducted and type of resource being photographed

PhotographsIf survey is for National Register of Historic Places nomination purposes:

Must follow photographic requirements outlined in NPS National Register Photo Policy FactsheetMaximum or largest pixel dimension camera allowsMinimum: 2000 x 3000 pixels at 300 dpiTIF or RAW formatIf TIF or RAW formats are not available, then JPG is acceptableMust be taken digitally in color8-bit (or larger) color formatDo not modify images in any way

PhotographsIf survey is being conducted for purposes other than National Register of Historic Places nominations

JPG format is acceptableOther digital camera requirements are the same as for NR photo policy on previous slide

Safety in the FieldUse common sense when doing survey work

Carry identificationContact local law enforcementPrepare for weather (sunscreen, hats, water, etc.)Watch out for trafficLook both ways before crossing streetWear brightly colored clothesDont work alone in unfamiliar neighborhoodsDont trespass on private propertyCarry a letter explaining project to show to interested persons (may need Spanish translation)

Photo LogKeep a photo log during the survey process

Helps keep track of what photos were taken of which resourcesReduces confusionMental reminders about the resourcesCoordinate the photo log with survey map to track resource numbers

What should be on a photo log?

Address, brief physical description, site number, and photo number

Photo Log Example

Photograph LabelingPhotographs should be labeled in a logical manner as to be identifiable in isolation from the survey

THC uses a photo labeling protocol

The Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) has abbreviated all of Texas county names into 2 or 3 letters (http://www.utexas.edu/research/tarl/curation/TxCountyAbbreviations2005-01.pdf)

TX-CountyCode-City-Streetname-Streetdesignation-Ordinal-Address#-2digitphoto#.format

THC Photo Labeling ProtocolExamples:

The first photo of a building at 103 East Marshall Street, Pittsburg, Camp County, Texas would be:TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-103-01.jpgIf there is no ordinal, leave it out; there is no need to keep the extra hyphen in there.TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-103-01.jpgIf there is a half address, it can be indicated with a point-five: 103 East MarshallTX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-103.5-01.jpg

THC Photo Labeling ProtocolExamples continued:

A unit number/letter can be added to the end of an address: 103B East MarshallTX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-103B-01.jpg

If the address cannot be verified after research and/or during survey, then a general number of the block can be used: the building is on the 100 block of Marshall Street.TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-100blk-01.jpgIf there is a two-word city or street name, run the words together but distinguish with capital letters. PortArthur, JoeSayers, LiveOak

Photo Labeling ProtocolTHC photo labeling protocol is not required, but something similar should be utilized so that the images can be identified in isolation from the survey

It is not helpful to label photographs as 381.jpg22Main.tif

Primary ImagePrimary image refers to the main photo taken of resource

Seen in survey inventorySeen on survey formShown first if in series of imagesShould show as much of building as possibleProvide accurate visual representation of resourceShould illustrate qualities discussed in description and statement of significance

Primary Image for Stand-alone BuildingTake photograph from angle to show main faade and side elevationPrimary Image

Primary Image for Building in RowTake photograph from front to show main faade as well as some of buildings flanking resource for physical contextPrimary Image

Primary Image for Corner BuildingTake photograph from angle to show main faade and side elevationPrimary Image

Unacceptable as Primary ImagesPrimary Image

Secondary ImagesSecondary images refer to additional images taken of resource

To show other elevations of resourceTo show details not be clearly visible in primary imageTo show historically significant featuresTo show alterations that may affect resources integrityTo illustrate qualities discussed in description and statement of significance

Secondary Images

Look for historical images of resourcesIllustrate changes that occurred over timeAdditionsReplacement materialsPartial demolitionsPhotographs, postcards, sketches, aerial mapsResearch

THC Survey PacketTHC Historic Resources Survey Packet includes:

THC Historic Resources Survey ManualTHC survey formTHC Access databaseTARL Texas County AbbreviationsTHC photo labeling protocol

To receive a THC survey packet, please contactLeslie Wolfenden 512.463.3386leslie.wolfenden@thc.state.tx.us

Source InformationTexas Historical Commission (THC)Historic Resources Survey websitehttp://www.thc.state.tx.us/preserve/projects-and-programs/historic-resources-survey Historic Resources Survey Coordinator: Leslie Wolfenden512.463.3386 leslie.wolfenden@thc.state.tx.us

NPS National Register PublicationsNational Register Photo Policy Factsheethttp://www.nps.gov/history/NR/publications/bulletins/photopolicy/Photo_Policy_update_2013_05_15.pdf Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservationhttp://www.nps.gov/history/NR/publications/bulletins/nrb24/

Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) Abbreviated County Codes http://www.utexas.edu/research/tarl/curation/TxCountyAbbreviations2005-01.pdf

Hello. My name is Leslie Wolfenden and I am the Texas Historical Commissions Historic Resources Survey Coordinator.

*Thank you for joining me today to talk about How to Take Photographs for Historic Resources Surveys.

This presentation will take about 10 minutes.

There is a downloadable pdf of this presentation available that may be helpful to have for taking notes or for future reference.

*Photos are an essential part of survey data.

It is very true that a picture is worth a thousand words.

In the case of a historic resources survey, the photo captures the resource at this current moment in time.

The main image of the resource should be clear and should show as much of the resource as is possible with one image.

The number of photos needed of a resource depends on the type of survey being conducted, as well as the type of resource being photographed.*If the historic resources survey is being conducted for National Register of Historic Places nomination purposes, then the photo requirements need to follow the National Register Photo Policy Factsheet or contact your THC National Register person for more information.

Use the largest pixel dimension that the camera allows, with a minimum of 2000 x 3000 pixels at 300 dpi in TIF or RAW format.

The National Register no longer accepts black and white hardcopy photos; digital and in color only.

Do not modify the images in any way as this decreases the digital quality of the image.*If the survey is being conducted for other reasons than National Register, then JPG format is perfectly fine, but the other requirements should be followed as per the National Register photo policy that we just covered.*Regarding safety in the field: please use common sense when doing the survey work.

Carry identification and contact the local law enforcement to let them know that you are in the area and what you are doing.

Be prepared for the weather.

It is often necessary to leave the sidewalk to take adequate photos of a resource; so watch out for traffic and wear brightly colored clothes. Be careful!

It is a good idea to work in pairs when in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Dont trespass on private property. You are within your rights to take photos from the public right-of-way, such as the street or sidewalk.

It is helpful to carry a letter or flyer that explains the project to the inquiring public. A Spanish translation may be helpful if you are in area with a high Spanish-speaking population.*It is a good idea to keep a photo log during the survey process.

Inevitably, there will be some confusion about what address goes to what resource. Keeping a photo log during the survey process helps to keep the confusion to a minimum and also helps to refresh the memory when the fieldwork is completed and you are back in the office.

Coordinate the photo log with the survey map to keep track of the resource numbers as well as which resources you have not yet documented. The map can be written on while in the field.

At a minimum, the photo log should contain the address, brief physical description, site number, and photo number. Other useful information could include name of the building or business, date of construction, and architectural style.*This is an example of a photo log*The survey photographs need to be labeled in a logical manner as to be identifiable in isolation from the survey. Labeling a photo as 385.jpg is not helpful.

The Texas Historical Commission uses TARLs Texas County Abbreviations as part of the labeling protocol.

The THC photo labeling protocol includes:State,County Code,City,Street name,Street designation such as street, avenue, boulevard,Ordinal direction like north, south, east, and westAddress number,And a 2-digit photo number

*So the first photo of a building at 103 East Marshall Street in Pittsburg in Camp County would be:

TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-103-01.jpg

The second photo of the building would be the same thing but with an 02 at the end, instead of 01 and so on.

I have also included how to address some more unusual address examples such as half numbers, unit letters, or unknown addresses on this slide and the next.

If there is no ordinal, then leave it out; there is no need to keep the extra hyphen or spacing in there.TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-103-01.jpg

If there is a half address, it can be indicated with a point-five: as in TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-103.5-01.jpg*Here are some more examples of unusual address situations.

A unit number or letter can be added to the end of an address:TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-103B-01.jpg

If the address cannot be verified after research or during the survey work, then a general number of the block can be used:TX-CP-Pittsburg-Marshall-St-E-100blk-01.jpg

If there is a two-word city or street name, run the words together but distinguish the two words with capital letters. *The THC photo labeling protocol is not required, but some kind of standardized labeling system should be used.

It is not helpful to keep the original photo label such as 381.jpg or use a simplified label such as 22Main.tif.

If a photo is misplaced from its survey, then the photo with its simplified label becomes useless.*During the survey work, you will probably take multiple photos of an individual resource.

What we refer to as the Primary Image is the main photo of the resource that shows as much as possible of the main faade.

This image is what is used on the survey inventory as a thumbnail image and on the historic resources survey form.

It is also the image that is shown first if there is a series of images of the same resource.

It should show as much as possible of the main faade, should provide accurate visual representation of the resource, and should illustrate the qualities discussed in the description and statement of significance.*This is what a primary image of a stand-alone building should look like. This shows the main faade, or the front of the building, along with one of the side elevations.

It also shows the entire building without cutting off any corners or walls.

Many times it is necessary to cross the street to take these types of photos. Be sure to watch out for traffic.*This is what the primary image of a building in a row should look like.

It shows the entire main faade, as well as some of the buildings on either side for physical context.*This is what the primary image of a corner building should look like.

It should show the main faade and the side elevation.*These are some examples of what are not acceptable as primary images, although they might work as secondary images.

The problems with these examples are that they are mostly partial views of the buildings, have fingers or other objects blocking the view, and do not show any surrounding context.*Secondary images refer to additional images taken of the resource to show other elevations of the building or information such as historically significant details, alterations, or details that may not be clearly visible in the primary image.*Here are some good examples of secondary images. We have close-ups of the entry way, the parapet with name and date plate, and rear elevation.*While doing research, look for historical images of the resources. These are helpful to see changes that have occurred over time, which may have an impact on integrity.*To assist in doing survey work, the THC has revised and updated its survey form, Access database, and manual to be more user-friendly.

The THC Historic Resources Survey packet includes:A manual on how to fill out the form and database,A THC survey form for use in the field and for the database,A THC Access database, which requires Microsoft Access 2007 or newer,And supporting information.

If you would like to receive one of these packets, please contact me. My information is shown here and on the next slide.*Here are some source information links you may find helpful.

If you would like to receive a THC Historic Resources Survey packet, please contact me. My contact information is listed on this slide.

This concludes the presentation on How to Take Photographs for Historic Resources Surveys.

Thank you for your time.**