The ‘KISS’ & ‘KICK’ Approach to Digitisation A review of Simple & Cheap Digitisation With Ed I Bremner www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Introductions Who I am & what I do Ed I Bremner www.bremweb.co.uk www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Who I am & what I do

Ed I Bremner

www.bremweb.co.uk

Going to look at... A quick history of Digitisation Setting Kiss & Kick Standards The Hardware The Image Management The Workflow In Practice www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

A quick history of Digitisation

Setting Kiss & Kick Standards

The Hardware

The Image Management

The Workflow

In Practice

A Timeline for Digitisation Pre-digital Systems: Photographic Collections Printed Catalogues High contrast B&W microfiche Full colour Microfilm www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Pre-digital Systems:

Photographic Collections

Printed Catalogues

High contrast B&W microfiche

Full colour Microfilm

A Timeline for Digitisation Early Digital Systems: Normally based on Scanners High quality possible, but slow And possible conservation issues Viable Digital Cameras by mid 90s www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Early Digital Systems:

Normally based on Scanners

High quality possible, but slow

And possible conservation issues

Viable Digital Cameras by mid 90s

A Timeline for Digitisation Early Small Digital Cameras were low in: Image Quality Image Size - consumer cameras <1Mpix But high in: Time taken – they were slow! Difficulty to use www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Early Small Digital Cameras were low in:

Image Quality

Image Size - consumer cameras <1Mpix

But high in:

Time taken – they were slow!

Difficulty to use

A Timeline for Digitisation Studio Cameras became available by the mid 90s Leaf DCBII camera back needed RGB filter wheel & built colour in 3 shots, so slow 4 Mpx £25,000 for back www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Studio Cameras became available by the mid 90s

Leaf DCBII camera back needed RGB filter wheel & built colour in 3 shots, so slow

4 Mpx £25,000 for back

A Timeline for Digitisation They got a lot better by the late 90s Leaf Volare & Cantare camera back 6 Mpx £18,000 for back £25,000 for system www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

They got a lot better by the late 90s

Leaf Volare & Cantare camera back

6 Mpx £18,000 for back

£25,000 for system

A Timeline for Digitisation They got a lot better by the late 90s Scanning Backs Bigger file-size but slow 30-40 Mpx £16-18,000 for back www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

They got a lot better by the late 90s

Scanning Backs

Bigger file-size but slow

30-40 Mpx £16-18,000 for back

A Timeline for Digitisation But could we trust DSLRs? Was colour quality an issue 6Mpx £1,500 upwards for body <£5,000 for whole system possible www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

But could we trust DSLRs?

Was colour quality an issue

6Mpx £1,500 upwards for body <£5,000 for whole system possible

A Timeline for Digitisation We found we could! RAW capture helped But are there data -preservation issues? >12Mpx £500 upwards for body <£2,000 for whole system possible www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

We found we could!

RAW capture helped

But are there data -preservation issues?

>12Mpx £500 upwards for body <£2,000 for whole system possible

A Timeline for Digitisation But could we go further...and cheaper? Could we use a small consumer compact? >12Mpx £500 upwards for body <£2,000 for whole system possible www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media Maybe....Sometimes!

But could we go further...and cheaper?

Could we use a small consumer compact?

>12Mpx £500 upwards for body <£2,000 for whole system possible

A Timeline for Digitisation What holds us back? Camera Res? Lens quality? Ease of use? Speed? Only JPEG? Not consistent on manual control? www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

What holds us back?

Camera Res?

Lens quality?

Ease of use?

Speed?

Only JPEG?

Not consistent on manual control?

A Timeline for Digitisation www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media Digitisation at Tyntesfield House - NT

A Timeline for Digitisation Is a camera the only way? Scanners still possible – for right job Automatic Scanners may fit high-volume work But: Cameras are now cheaper & faster Better for conservation Much more versatile www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Is a camera the only way?

Scanners still possible – for right job

Automatic Scanners may fit high-volume work

But:

Cameras are now cheaper & faster

Better for conservation

Much more versatile

Rational Standards If a job is worth doing.... ...is it worth doing badly? www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

If a job is worth doing....

...is it worth doing badly?

Rational Standards Once the advice was: “ Doing it once? Do it right!” But now it is often: “ Make it good enough for now....we will come back if/when we have to” www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Once the advice was:

“ Doing it once? Do it right!”

But now it is often:

“ Make it good enough for now....we will come back if/when we have to”

Rational Standards What size images do we really need? 95% of images used in print under A5 Most images for web use can be small Often use may be internal only Full Accuracy or Intellectual content Only small part of collection frequently viewed www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

What size images do we really need?

95% of images used in print under A5

Most images for web use can be small

Often use may be internal only

Full Accuracy or Intellectual content

Only small part of collection frequently viewed

Rational Standards We know TIFF is best... But Jpeg Is remarkably good at high quality Largest support Still small, easy to use & wide-support And RAW (DNG) Offers better quality Non-destructive editing Fast workflow & smaller files www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

We know TIFF is best...

But Jpeg

Is remarkably good at high quality

Largest support

Still small, easy to use & wide-support

And RAW (DNG)

Offers better quality

Non-destructive editing

Fast workflow & smaller files

Image Management OK...Capturing the images can or may be cheap... But, collecting data is still Expensive! What do you really need? What do you already have? www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

OK...Capturing the images can or may be cheap...

But, collecting data is still Expensive!

What do you really need?

What do you already have?

Image Management So lets be pragmatic: Collection is often indexed anyway... Technical Imaging needs ‘may’ be minimal? What we need is a link or bridge Image Tagging - Are EXIF, IPTC & XMP enough? What can’t be done with keywords? www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

So lets be pragmatic:

Collection is often indexed anyway...

Technical Imaging needs ‘may’ be minimal?

What we need is a link or bridge

Image Tagging - Are EXIF, IPTC & XMP enough?

What can’t be done with keywords?

Image Management Consumer image management is now based on Image Tags & keywords. Can we finally trust them? What can you not do with a simple ‘Keywords’ approach? www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Consumer image management is now based on Image Tags & keywords.

Can we finally trust them?

What can you not do with a simple ‘Keywords’ approach?

Image Management Consumer image management is now based on keywords and tags. Can we finally trust them? PC Power allows a brute-force approach to finding material www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Consumer image management is now based on keywords and tags.

Can we finally trust them?

PC Power allows a brute-force approach to finding material

IMS Timeline 1988-1996 Access, Filemaker etc 1994-2002 Bespoke Client-Server IMS e.g. – iBase, Index + 2000-2008 Off-the-Shelf IMS e.g. – Portfolio, Cumulus 2007 - ? Tag Based IMS e.g. – Adobe Lightroom www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

1988-1996 Access, Filemaker etc

1994-2002 Bespoke Client-Server IMS e.g. – iBase, Index +

2000-2008 Off-the-Shelf IMS e.g. – Portfolio, Cumulus

2007 - ? Tag Based IMS

e.g. – Adobe Lightroom

Image Management What other methods are there: Image Recognition systems Dirty-data systems OCR Community Based indexing www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

What other methods are there:

Image Recognition systems

Dirty-data systems

OCR

Community Based indexing

Image Management Do we need a separate IMS at all? Collection Management Systems getting much better Could file-name or UID provide a simple bridge to CMS Could Image Tags work alone? www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Do we need a separate IMS at all?

Collection Management Systems getting much better

Could file-name or UID provide a simple bridge to CMS

Could Image Tags work alone?

Image Management Workflow now becoming more integrated into the IMS Particularly important with RAW capture Some IMS even sold as ‘Workflow tools’ www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Workflow now becoming more integrated into the IMS

Particularly important with RAW capture

Some IMS even sold as ‘Workflow tools’

Workflow Fast is cheap! Efficient workflow supports quality Bottleneck should be governed by safe handling of items, not technical limitations www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Fast is cheap!

Efficient workflow supports quality

Bottleneck should be governed by safe handling of items, not technical limitations

Workflow Encourage speed...but: Check ALL work Provide easy system to re-shoot Keep the camera working Keep safety of work & staff as paramount www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Encourage speed...but:

Check ALL work

Provide easy system to re-shoot

Keep the camera working

Keep safety of work & staff as paramount

RAW in the Workflow There are pros & cons to working with RAW But RAW is here to stay Makes for simplest workflow Is therefore fast....and cheap But also provides best quality www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

There are pros & cons to working with RAW

But RAW is here to stay

Makes for simplest workflow

Is therefore fast....and cheap

But also provides best quality

RAW in the Workflow The ‘Pros’ include: Keeps ‘all’ original image data Highest possible quality Non-destructive editing Easier storage - smaller image sizes Integrates well with image tagging Support for ‘Open’ file type - DNG www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

The ‘Pros’ include:

Keeps ‘all’ original image data

Highest possible quality

Non-destructive editing

Easier storage - smaller image sizes

Integrates well with image tagging

Support for ‘Open’ file type - DNG

RAW in the Workflow The ‘Cons’ include: Harder to view – need specific plug-in Can’t view in a browser Digital Preservation issues: Original RAW files are ‘proprietary’ Isn’t DNG an ‘Adobe’ file-type? Patchy support from Funders www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

The ‘Cons’ include:

Harder to view – need specific plug-in

Can’t view in a browser

Digital Preservation issues:

Original RAW files are ‘proprietary’

Isn’t DNG an ‘Adobe’ file-type?

Patchy support from Funders

In Practice Build a team: Volunteers are cheaper Encourage interest in the subject Digitisation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea Disperse the knowledge in wider group Keep the kit working Record Progress Visually & allow competition Don’t allow operators to get bored www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Build a team:

Volunteers are cheaper

Encourage interest in the subject

Digitisation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea

Disperse the knowledge in wider group

Keep the kit working

Record Progress Visually & allow competition

Don’t allow operators to get bored

In Practice Cost is comparative on size of project Aim for small cost per image The biggest expense is ‘time’ ‘ Quick’ normally equals ‘cheap’ The capture is the ‘cheap’ part Indexing, Copyright clearance etc is where the money can go www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Cost is comparative on size of project

Aim for small cost per image

The biggest expense is ‘time’

‘ Quick’ normally equals ‘cheap’

The capture is the ‘cheap’ part

Indexing, Copyright clearance etc is where the money can go

In Practice Project Management still important Every thing must be written up Project Standards Capture Manual Project Scope Good Reporting is vital Have realistic goals, but challenge them www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Project Management still important

Every thing must be written up

Project Standards

Capture Manual

Project Scope

Good Reporting is vital

Have realistic goals, but challenge them

The Caveats... The Kiss & Kick approach is not for all! Kiss & Kick is about being realistic, not about low quality aspirations Some projects have specific needs & requirements – Stick to them Fast is cheap, but may need some investment These projects often need more documentation rather than less www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

The Kiss & Kick approach is not for all!

Kiss & Kick is about being realistic, not about low quality aspirations

Some projects have specific needs & requirements – Stick to them

Fast is cheap, but may need some investment

These projects often need more documentation rather than less

Finally These approaches are becoming mainstream Money for digitisation is tight! So... Kiss & Kick! www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

These approaches are becoming mainstream

Money for digitisation is tight!

So...

Kiss & Kick!

Any Questions? Ed I Bremner [email_address] www.bremweb.co.uk www.bremweb.co.uk – Training and Consultancy in New Media

Ed I Bremner

[email_address]

www.bremweb.co.uk