A photo archivist organizes photographs in a meaningful way, which can include chronological ordering or categorizing by subject or photographer. They establish the meaning of each image and may work with digital photographs. The job can be complex, especially when dealing with large collections.
A photo archivist is usually responsible for organizing a group of photographs in a comprehensive and meaningful way. This can be done in a number of different ways and can include chronological ordering and organizing the photographs into categories based on subject or photographer. Once organization is complete, the archivist is usually responsible for ensuring that the meaning and purpose of the various images are captured by assembling records and notation for each image. A photo archivist may also work in a digital medium, using digital photographs and computer files to organize data in a meaningful and effective way.
The duties and responsibilities of a photographic archivist may vary somewhat depending on the particular needs of the employing organization. In general, however, an archivist’s job usually begins with collecting and organizing the various photographs that form part of a collection. This initial task can be incredibly complex if a group has thousands or even millions of photographs that need to be archived and made accessible.
Proper organization by a photographic archivist often involves not only putting together the various photographs, but also determining the best way to order them. This can depend on how an organization wants photos filed, although chronological order is quite common. Determining the proper chronology for photographs can be difficult, however, so additional methods can be used. Photos can be organized based on the subjects of the images or the person who took the photo, or sorted based on various categories with different levels of importance.
Once images are correctly organized, a photo archivist will usually establish their meaning or purpose. The collected photos, for example, can be accompanied by notes that indicate who took each photo and the subject of each one. Additional information can be provided to expand on this, often providing details about the meaning of a photographed object or its purpose. This ensures that the images in a file remain meaningful in the future.
A photo archivist can also work with digital photographs, organizing and annotating them in a digital medium. This can be done exclusively on a computer, by an archivist adding annotations to digital files, organizing images into various subfolders, and storing the photos on a hard drive. This archiving may also involve external media, however, including the use of additional storage devices or media discs. This ensures that a record of images and annotations is preserved by a photo archivist in a backup and as an original.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
