Summary 2024

In PUL IT’s ongoing efforts to broaden collective research and outreach opportunities by sustainably implementing, showcasing and making available specialized photography opportunities, we have successfully completed the entirety of the approved Phase 01 milestones and deliverables, as was documented in the Scope Summary (also see below) and multi-phased approach document. We have also completed a 2024 shared goal, to establish use cases and workflows for specialized photography requests.

Project Management Highlights

Kim Leaman has managed the project starting in March 2024, collaborating with Specialized Photography and Services team lead Roel Munoz:

Documentation of project status including delivery of digital content and any anomalies encountered.
Completion and publishing of User Stories and Journey Maps reflecting current use cases collected in Airtable automatically via the Specialized Photography Consultation Request Form.
Regular communication with Digital Scholarship colleagues Jen Grayburn and Bryan Winston about all specialized imaging documentation and workflows, equipment selection, and training in specialized software.
Worked with Trey Pendragon and Roel Munoz to test and decide on which 3D viewer to move forward with proposing.
- As part of evaluating viewers for 3D models, we also served as a test case for the IT project proposal process being developed by Esmé Cowles and Stephanie Ayers.

Specialized Photography and Services Highlights

In addition to the quickly evolving Selene photometric stereo system outputs and Photogrammetry (RTI and 3D) in-house capabilities, the digital imaging studio now has the means to do limited multi-spectral imaging with a specially modified camera and recently acquired filters and lighting, allowing for image capture in the near ultraviolet (365n) and near infrared (720nm and 850nm) wavelengths, useful in seeing through stains or revealing underwriting from previously erased parchment. We acquired the filters and strobe thanks to Roel’s networking during the 2D/3D conference in Amsterdam this year. Alexis Hartman with Kolari Vision sent PUL the filters and strobe to test for our purposes which coincides with additional specialized imaging capabilities conducive to research of cultural heritage material. Tools for photogrammetry, including both 3D and reflective transformation imaging, that allow for interacting directly with the image for enhanced digital views are readily available and interact with our existing digital imaging technology. For this reason, we have proposed and are pursuing purchase of the 3D Viewer Online Business Plan (currently in Architecture and Security Review stage).

The studio does not have a multi-spectrum lighting system that would allow for additional examination and spectral analysis of material with our modified camera/filters under a variety of color wavelengths and will continue to collaborate with external specialists, like Mike Toth, for such requests.

Communications and Outreach Successes

A “Where to Start!” Confluence Information Page for researchers interested in Specialized Photography for their projects and research questions.
Informational Outreach DPUL site, including Specialized Imaging Consultation Request form and selected internal and external news items.
Regular check-ins with the Shared Goal Team (Kim Leaman, Roel Muñoz, Stephanie Ayers, and Esmé Cowles). Notes are available in the team's Google Folder, and status updates have been shared monthly via the #Selene_Administration private Slack channel.
Regular check-ins with Factum Foundation, Oxford Bodleian Library and British Museum (see notes).
Airtable with request forms, ability to schedule time with the Digital Studio, and sending emails and Slack notifications in the #selene channel to make all team members aware of activity and provide visibility of use cases.
31 documented unique consultation requests to the digital studio for specialized imaging, focusing almost entirely on PUL Special Collections materials.
Class and researcher visits to Digital Studio throughout the year. Examples include:
- PUAM Staff Research Questions
- External Researcher consultation
- Internal Curatorial Research Questions
- NGA, NARA, CHI Experimentation Request
- HUM346 intro digital humanities studio visit
- Undergraduate Student Class Project for Princeton Writing Program Research Seminar, in collaboration with Eric White and Bryan Winston.
Official kickoff outreach meeting with librarians and public services representatives from PUL Special and Distinctive Collections and Area Studies. From Pilot to Program!
Image delivery testing with current and possible future viewers:
- Slider viewer Examples
- 3DViewer Online Example
- Selene outputs in Library applications Example (Finding Aids)

1:1 Research Consultations and Class Visits Examples

[Photos Removed for Confluence Page]

Student & Professor learning about the photogrammetry & Selene processes for student project.

[Photos Removed for Confluence Page]

Class visit to the Digital Studio, learning about specialized photography in Firestone Library.

Phase 1 (Completed in 2024)

Milestones (see multi-phased-approach)

Document capture process and make content (even if we do not understand what we need to preserve long-term) available for download.
Develop a process for proposing and prioritizing projects and have a “brochure” DPUL site.

Deliverables

Finalized Project Request Form, built in Airtable
Finalized project tracking and prioritization, built in Airtable
In production delivery options for outputs for phase 01 expectations
- Setup and training, with documentation, for RDOS completed for Special Collections Global Mapper workstation
- Set up drive folders and automate email communications in Airtable
Finalized workflows for standard life cycles of research requests, published in Confluence
Finalized Use Cases and User Stories, including examples of success, published in Confluence
Finalized IT Digital Studio photographer training documentation and workflows for IT Digital Studio Capture Processes, published in Confluence
Published DPUL Marketing Site for IT Digital Studio and specialized photography collaborations and capabilities
Confirmed Selene file types for Figgy ingest and preservation
2.5/3D & Slider viewers (exhibit/demonstration scale)
- SketchFab - Reviewed and did not move forward (subsequently purchased by Epic Games)
- 3DViewer Online - Currently reviewing

On the Horizon (2025)

Outreach and Networking Opportunities

Participate in Wintersession 2025 | More than Meets the Eye: Specialized Imaging of Historical Collections*
- *This session sold out and had a wait list within three hours of open enrollment!
- Participants range from undergraduate and graduate students, to staff members from multiple areas across campus including OIT, PUAM, The Office of the Dean for Research, Risk Management, University Procurement, and the Office of the President.
Kickoff Digital Studio Open Houses scheduled in the Spring and Fall semesters (up to 15 individuals per session)
Continue networking at Council on Science and Technology faculty salons “Materials and Art in the Laboratory” series.
Continue to grow collaboration and outreach opportunities with PUL and PU stakeholders by bringing individual researchers and classes to Digital Studio for insight on and inspiration for specialized imaging processes.

Best Practices

Specialized Photography Initiative | 2024 Summary