The Archive Project

In pre computer days everything had to be managed manually, in all businesses.

Photography was no exception, and The Job Book was king.

Each job was given a number, and that number followed onto everything…film shot, proofs issued, prints ordered and invoices sent. The numbering system was such that, even if we took a print order by phone, we could sometimes tell if the client (or their office) had erred.

When deciding to digitise my files, two things were essential to start: building a light-table, and getting the job books and their contents onto a database.

Only by reconciling the job numbers with the images would allow a starting point.

With this done, the digitising/ photographic side of the project could be considered. Many things were part of the equation: I had shot everything from 4×5 transparency, down through most formats on roll film to 35mm B&W.

A solution was arrived at which is efficient and adaptable to all film sizes and types. All of the images on this web site were digitised this way but I have done only around 30% of the entire archive.

As funds and time allows I will expand on the system I have arrived at.