historic preservation projects
Resort Photo Collection Restoration
CLIENT: Private
LOCATION: Dallas, TX
WORK PERFORMED: Image Digitization and Restoration
Seeking to make better use of a collection of some thirty selected historic photos dating from circa 1900 to 1960, the client wanted the collection duplicated for display. With this goal I scanned each image at a resolution of 800dpi and performed the necessary restoration work to images needing such work as cleaning, scratch removal, and recreating missing parts. The collection was than burned to disks for eventual printing and framing.
Graceland Cemetery Photo-Documentation
CLIENT: Eifler & Associates, Graceland Cemetery
LOCATION: Chicago, IL
WORK PERFORMED: Photo-documentation, Cataloguing, Preservation Consultation
I conducted an assessment survey of landscape condition via photo-documentation of historic Graceland Cemetery, which was established in 1860. Graceland is home to the remains of many notable people such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Daniel Burnham, William Kimball and Marshall Field. The Cemetery’s plan was laid out in the 1870’s by noted landscape architect Horace William Shaler Cleveland. His Victorian park-like setting was soon after enhanced by landscape architect Ossian Cole Simonds’ installation of many native plants in a designed pastoral landscape. Over the following one hundred years this historic landscape had undergone many changes and much degradation. The project began with the identification of seventy critical character defining historical views out of a collection of 159 images. Contemporary photos were paired to the selected 70 images to assist future landscape restoration work. This was especially important for locations where no planting plans exist. Post photo-documentation the entire collection was re-catalogued to simplify its use and allow for future additions. I made a final proposal for a professional photo studio to digitize the historic part of the collection by photographing the existing prints and scanning the negatives.
