Photographic History Consultancy

I can provide research and interpretation, from individual photographs to entire historic photographic collections. I have a PhD in photographic history and extensive practical experience working with historic collections. I can provide the information needed to create specific display labels and cataloguing metadata, as well as more discursive analysis of the images. I can also provide consultancy for photographic cataloguing and digitisation projects, helping institutions to design and implement an digitisation strategy.

As a photographic historian, I have been trained and am experienced in the research, archival processes, and curation of large, historic and contemporary, photographic collections.

I completed my PhD based on such a collection, housed in the British Museum. See here for a summary of my research at the British Museum.

Budgetary constraints or the sheer volume of images means many institutions housing large numbers of photographs are unable to do anything constructive with them.

It is my goal to bridge that gap – to this end I offer a consultancy service for both private and public institutions holding photographic collections.

I am able to:

• Advise and conduct advanced research upon your photographic collection

• Catalogue and preserve the photographs

• Devise curatorial programmes for the images, including exhibition and web resources.

These strategies can provide a number advantages to your collection offer, including:

• Drawing in visitors to your attraction or web resource

• Provide a financial income through image rights, sales and prints

• Act as research objects for future scholarship

The underutilised nature of photographs in many institutions is beginning to be recognised as a serious issue for the heritage and academic industries. Therefore leaving these vital and important resources to be volunteers, no matter how well meaning, or ignoring them is no longer an option. My services can provide you with a road map, individually tailored to you collection and institutional needs, that will see your historic photographic collections well into the 21st century and on a trajectory that will benefit both your institution and visual research at large.

Please feel free to contact me to find out what I can do to help your photographic collection and research needs. All consultancy work is strictly tailored to your needs and budget.