Printing for HABS Digital

[schafphoto]

Has anyone submitted digital photo-mount card prints to the Library of Congress for the HABS, HAER, HALS program using the new digital printing standards yet? I am submitting a documentation of a building and was going to output on the Epson 5-star Matt paper which worked just fine for the three CEQA mitigation documentations I have already done with digital mount cards. This is my first official LOC digital transmittal since the new specs came out in 2010. Just wondering if anyone else has had experience with other archival matt ink-jet papers.
Thanks,

[bgh]

Has anyone submitted digital photo-mount card prints to the Library of Congress for the HABS, HAER, HALS program using the new digital printing standards yet? I am submitting a documentation of a building and was going to output on the Epson 5-star Matt paper which worked just fine for the three CEQA mitigation documentations I have already done with digital mount cards. This is my first official LOC digital transmittal since the new specs came out in 2010. Just wondering if anyone else has had experience with other archival matt ink-jet papers.
Thanks,

Stephen--

Alas, no, I haven't. Do you print onto photo paper and then mount it on the standard cards, or do you print directly onto the mount cards?

I'm not sure when, or if, I'll go the digital printing route, but I'll look forward to hearing of your impressions when you get the chance.

Bruce

[Drew Bedo]

Can anyone explain this thread to those of us who still shoot with film?

Seriusly—I have very little idea of what this thread is about and would like to know.

[Sal Santamaura]

Can anyone explain this thread...

Sure. Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) are collections of the Library of Congress (LOC). Complete information here:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/

Among the long-standing submission requirements was that prints be on single-weight Azo. When Kodak discontinued black and white paper production, something had to give. Those now doing this work are able to supply digital prints to go with their large format negatives, which are the primary artifact held by the LOC.

[bgh]

Can anyone explain this thread to those of us who still shoot with film?

Seriusly—I have very little idea of what this thread is about and would like to know.

In addition to what Sol mentioned above, HABS and HAER are also programs administered by the National Park Service. In addition to fostering collections at the Library of Congress, the National Park Service uses HABS and HAER to set standards for the formal documentation of historic buildings, engineering structures, objects, and landscapes. These standards generally include large-format black and white negatives, contact prints on fiber paper, a historic narrative, and copy photographs of old plans, drawings, photos, etc.

This comes into play most often when the environmental review of federally funded, licensed, or permitted projects finds that the action will adversely impact a significant historic resource; documentation according to the HABS and HAER standards is one of the ways that most agencies mitigate for that adverse effect.

I don't know of any photographer who finds enough HABS/HAER work to do it full-time, but these projects do make for a particularly enjoyable component of my business.

Bruce

[schafphoto]

Well said, I was in Yosemite last week HABS documenting The Ahwahnee - National Historic Landmark Hotel. So I was not tuned-in for a quick reply... I'll add...

There are three documentation programs, (I call them H3):
HABS, Historic American Buildings Survey, established 1933.
HAER, Historic American Engineering Record, established 1969.
HALS, Historic American Landscape Survey, established 2000.

These programs document the historic American built environment and manmade cultural landscapes, from a log cabin to the Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Mines, Tunnels, and landscapes like Central Park, Arlington Cemetery, etc...

All these film artifacts (silver halide on polyester film) are stored to last an estimated 500 years (LE-500) at the Library of Congress. The have been digitized for easy access: [Google: American Memory HABS Collection]

HAER was one of the first Library of Congress collections digitized because of its huge K-12 educational value. It gets approximately 50,000 visitors per month and 800,000 page views per month. Its free to use and all images are in the public domain and can be used anywhere.

[schafphoto]

Stephen--

Alas, no, I haven't. Do you print onto photo paper and then mount it on the standard cards, or do you print directly onto the mount cards?

Bruce

Hi Bruce, The digital specs are deliberately vague, I think so that people call HABS and talk with them about the process. However the basic principal is that the negatives are processed, numbered, and then scanned to include the clear edges and numbers. The digital scan is then inverted in Photoshop into a positive, tones adjusted, and printed at 100% in the middle of a 8.5x11" sheet of archival, matte, heavyweight paper with the HABS number in the upper right hand corner. Using a pigment black ink-jet printer of course. This gives a "contact-like" print with a 100+ year LE. The neg can always be rescanned if the digital print fades after 100 years.

I am donating a small 5x7 documentation of a 1947 Post-war, Hot Dog stand soon. Since it's a HABS donation to Heritage Documentation Programs, at the LOC, I'm going to do it on "digital mount cards." If there is an issue I have the double-weigt fiber prints as well and can send those.

[Drew Bedo]

Ok, I'm still not clear on some of this.

1. I gather that HABS and the other programs are documentary image archives of historical sites and are maintained by the US Government . . .is that irght?

2. All submitted work is a pro-bono donation by the photographer . . .is that right?

3. How is a potential subject determined to be worth documenting?

4. Is any recognition given to the donating photographer?

4. Does the donating photographer retaine any copyright or license to the images?

5. Is there any tax benefit to the photographer for donating to these archives?

[jnantz]

hi drew

there is a set of guidelines for HABS/HAER/HALS documentations
http://www.nps.gov/hdp/standards/habsguidelines.htm

often times the need is determined by the SHPO ( State Historic Preservation Office )
and typically has to do with what the historic significance a site or structure has
... is it associated with a historic event, a historic designer/builder,
does it show craftsmanship and integrity and has it remained "intact" and not grossly modified ...

often times habs/haer photographs are done for mitigation, because there is a federally ( or state )
designed, paid for , or carried out project which is going impact whatever the site or structure is ..
if a structure is 50years old or is "national register eligible" a review process starts ...
this sort of things also happens if a "viewshed" will be impacted ( pristine landscape will be marred by a
cellphone tower, or windmills, or highrise building, or ... ) or roadway is being changed, buildings are torn down,
or sometimes if a building or site is a great example of a site/structure &C that might have been misunderstood
in previous years and now has come into its own ( like roadside architecture ).
sometimes these projects are mandated by the SHPO office so down the road
someone will be able to learn from the images/report and see what a certain place was like ...
and to see examples of great american engineering, architectural and landscapes.
other times it is a dilapidated/run down place that has historic significance and the habs images are like last rites ...

with a habs submission there is usually a large written component submitted with the photographs
that is like an architectural history paper detailing why the site &C is significant, details of construction
where it fits in to american architectural or engineering history. in addition to archival negatives+prints,
there might be historic photographs, measured drawings, historic blueprints &C.
in this sort of case the photographer ( and architectural / landscape historian / cultural resource management professional )
are paid for their submission because it is part of a big project and environmental review ( environmental impact statement ) / section 106 review ( historic resources )
and maybe they are employees at a big engineering or cultural resources management firm, or they are freelancers.
the report and images become part of the federal collection and the historian + photographer are given credit for the submission.

other submissions are done on spec and donated to the collection.
you can call the HABS office if you want and ask them questions about potential submissions where you live.
sometimes they have a list of sites they wish they had photographs of. they love streetscape views and the 5x7 format ...
you can ask them other specific question about donating.

a lot of states have their own image collection similar to the HABS/HAER/HALS and it related to local significance, maybe not national significance.
while most of the states had the same requirements as the federal program ( large format, black and white, processed/printed archivally &C )
nowadays many states do not require large format ( 35mm is ok ) and they have accept digital files and ink jet prints ....
so you might also call your SHPO and get a list of things that might have state - significance, and submissions guidelines to your states ...

good luck !
john

[Bill Burk]

Hi John,

Considering your stream-of-consciousness productivity, I never pegged you as a HABS-HAER photographer.

Stephen,

I am in awe of the holy robot.

Meanwhile, I'm downloading a 132 mb Ansel Adams tiff from the site...