Content:
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The
digital revolution changed the different processes in the field of press
photography. The needs and demands of the news media have changed a lot. The
costs, possibilities, and methods of taking pictures have changed as well
with the digital revolution. Furthermore, the distribution channels of
press photography and the process of copyright control took new directions.
These developments endanger the cultural heritage of photo archives for
several reasons. Analog photography lost its
economic value, became useless for professional us, and is set to
disposition. The photo press archives are therefore becoming a cultural and
scientific asset. However, the publishing houses and the photo agencies
often don't think about giving these archives to a public archive. This is
mainly due to unresolved copyright issues. Consisting mainly of negatives
and slides, these archives are difficult to conserve and are not very
attractive for general exhibitions. But the main reason why photo press
archives are in danger is their mass character. They usually consist of
more than a million pictures. These dimensions are difficult to handle for
most public institutions. There is a lack of financial, human, and
infrastructural resources. Giving these press photo archives a new home is
a big challenge.
This
contribution shows the different challenges and possible ways to deal with
them by referring to the project Ringier
Photo Archive which contains over 7 million photos. Topics such as
archival appraisal, cataloging, digitalization,
and conservation are being discussed. This paper is an appeal to take care
of this important part of our visual memory and to put it on the political
agenda.
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Scientific contribution:
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Based on
the experiences made during the project Ringier
Photo Archive, the scientific contribution of this paper can be
summarized in two main points: On the one hand, this case study brings up
new aspects in regard to the terms and processes of the photo press
production and economy. A close look on the terms of production showcases the
research possibilities for human sciences in regard to photo press
archives. On the other hand, this paper shows a way how an archival
appraisal of the masses of press photographs can be done while using the Ringier Photo Archive as an example.
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