DOCUMENTATION

Why is it important to make good documentation of your work?

When we look at a photograph of a piece of work, we can’t pick up that form or look at it from all sides. Your photographs need to embody all the complexity of craft and content that exist in your work. They must convey what is important for the viewer to know about your form. Each form you build holds and transmits energy - your photographs need to transmit some of this energy too.

Show me what matters to you!

What is expected for this class?

Each time you complete a project, you will take three photographs:

• 2 different views of the entire form

• 1 detail shot (close-up)

These photos need to have:

• A solid, clean background - to achieve this, you need to use a backdrop and crop your photo.

• Good lighting that illuminates your work with focus and clarity

• An easy to understand file name

  • Images must be .jpg or .png files and the file names should follow this format:

FIRSTNAME-LASTNAME-PROJECT-TITLE.jpg

For example:

eli-neuman-hammond-contour-study.jpg

How should I document my work for this class?

Document your work AS YOU COMPLETE IT throughout the semester. I suggest you also take photos of preliminary drawings, iterations, processes, and/or notes that are relevant to the project.

Here are the 6 guidelines for documenting work in my classes

1. Use your smartphone’s camera, and edit your photos on your phone or computer.

2. Shoot your photos wider than your work. Crop after shooting.

   • You ALWAYS need to crop your photos.

3. Use a clean, solid, colored backdrop – unless your work is flat and rectangular.

   • A wall is generally not sufficient. For a solid colored backdrop, brown or white paper tacked to the wall works great. 

   • There is also a documentation room in the DMC! To make a reservation in D317 please review the calendar and email Kyle Brock: kyle.brock@massart.edu with your preferred date and time. More info here: https://massart.edu/facilities/universal-tools

4. Use indirect, natural light to photograph your work. 

   • Harsh direct light can result in distracting shadows and reflections on the uneven surfaces of your work.

5. Take your photographs HEAD-ON

   • If you are documenting flat work, your camera should be perfectly parallel to your paper.

   • To check this, make sure that your corners appear in your photo as near-perfect 90 degree angles

   • If you are documenting 3D work, your camera should be perfectly parallel to your backdrop.

6. After shooting and editing documentation, change the filenames and email the photos to me.

Can I see examples of good documentation?

Above is an example of what good documentation looks like with a found object. Below are examples of student projects that have been well-documented.