RTI & "The AIC Guide to Digital Photography and Conservation Documentation, 2nd Edition"

[marlin]

Dear All,

 

If you have not had a chance to check out the "The AIC Guide to Digital Photography and Conservation Documentation, 2nd Edition" you certainly do Not want to give it a miss.

 

This 2nd Edition is professional, technical and well illustrated. Within section 6.2.6, (page 125), is a write up about RTI Image Capture. There's a pretty good summary of information — just enough to get you really interested and wanting to learn more.

 

This publication is pretty much required reading. You can purchase the book and learn about it's professional and overly qualified authors at this link:

 

http://www.conservation-us.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Store.viewProduct&product_ID=19276&prod_cat_ID=13

 

(here's a tiny url in case the long one fumbles)

http://tinyurl.com/cabv42h

 

Go Get it!

 

-marlin.

[Taylor]

I agree, Marlin, the 2nd edition of the AIC Guide is a great resource.  I'll also mention that its production was an all-volunteer effort of thousands of hours, which makes it all the more remarkable for the quality of its content and presentation--a great contribution on the part of the authors and AIC. 

[cdschroer]

I totally agree with Marlin and Taylor - this is a wonderful resource.  

 

I'll note that while RTI is mentioned and has some basics covered, the real value of the guide is in describing a detailed photographic workflow for documenting material objects.  Things are really thoroughly explained and well illustrated.  We adapted the methodology that we recommend for RTI capture (and that we cover in our training classes) to match the AIC approach as much as possible.  This is valuable for  a number of reasons: it makes it easier for art conservators to adopt RTI because the photographic workflow is one they already are familiar with; and it helps those adopting RTI from other disciplines, because it is a well documented and well tested approach.  A real "win-win" situation.

[John Anderson]

Thanks, Marlin, for letting us know about this publication. I've a copy on order.

[John Anderson]

 We ordered a copy of the Guide direct from AIC on the 9th of May, but only after numerous emails and telephone calls yesterday did we learn they hadn't yet shipped a copy. Not good service!

 

if we'd known Amazon stocked the title, we would have bought a copy from them.

 

Caveat emptor, perhaps?

 

 

J.A.

[marlin]

OY. OY. awful purchase experience. disappointing.

 

Heres the Amazon URL - less expensive as well.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+AIC+Guide+to+Digital+Photography+and+Conservation+Documentation%2C+2nd+Edition

[John Anderson]

 I'm sure 'AIC' is an acronym for 'Acutely Indifferent Crowd.' I'm still trying to get a shipping date for an order I placed on the 9th of May. No-one answers emails or telephone calls. Other than a meaningless order number there is no shipping information available on their site.

 

When eventually I received a reply to my multiple emails and voicemails, the guy apologized for the delay - seemingly, the order number disappeared off their system, and they had to carry out a manual search!

 

If I don't recieive the guide by the end of the month I'll be complaining to my bank. Meanwhile, if you want to avoid hassle, order from Amazon. They are efficient and, as Marlin wrote, cheaper.

[cdschroer]

The AIC is actually a really great organization that has done incredibly important work in the area of conservation and preservation of material culture.  They are a membership organization.  While it is clear that John has had a bad purchasing experience with them, I think it is important to understand that selling things is not their primary focus, and that they actually have an extremely positive track record in the professional conservator community.  I'll also note that we had no problem receiving our guide.  We are in the US, and maybe that makes a difference.

 

Carla

[marlin]

John,

 

Certainly a bummer that you ended up on the snail paced side of the fence here. Perhaps your experience is a singular thing? Again, really sorry to hear about your experience.

 

However.

I really really do want to emphasize just how important this guide is, and how qualified, professional, and scientific the authors are in their professional lives AND in their contributions to this book. Many of the authors contributed to that publication for little or no compensation (certainly not what they are really worth).

 

My hope is that the knowledge passed on in the book will be worth your longer wait time. Many of the authors are also participants in this free forum!

 

Marlin

[John Anderson]

Thanks, Marlin, for your reply. What is more worrying is that AIC only charged me $5 for shipping. That might cover postage within the 'States, but it won't pay for UPS or FedEx across the pond.

 

I suppose the Guide, if it ever leaves Snail Central at AIC, will end up on a banana boat to Dublin via North Korea and the Panama and Suez Canals.

 

Ahh, it's too late in the day to get all bitter and twisted!

 

 

Goodnight.

 

 

John.

[John Anderson]

5th of June, God's in his heaven, all's right with the world; except, that is, with my copy of the AIC Guide, ordered on the 9th of May and which, at this very moment, is aboard a tramp steamer flying a North Korean flag of convenience, and making its leisurely (wrong) way along an uncharted and previously unknown tributary of the the Mississippi river.

 

And, to make matters intolerably  worse, I've heard that the good folks at AIC snail central have spent my $60 on cold beer....

 

C'est la vie.

[John Anderson]

Oh Lordy! All Heaven rejoices. My AIC Guide has arrived!

 

You will have read in my previous post of how the good folks at AIC snail central shipped my order by North Korean-registered tramp steamer, the S.S. Escargot, and how the ship, crewed by members of the Mukkinese tribe, was last seen serenely sailing up a long-forgotten and uncharted tributary of the Mississippi River.

 

Well, it just so happens, that an elite squad of Navy Seals managed to get aboard, and threatened the motely crew with a good wash (the very mention of soap and water is anathema to the Mukkinese) to make them divulge the whereabouts of my package.

 

This was quickly located and handed over to a special courier, who transferred it under armed guard to a secret US Air Force base, where it was loaded aboard a B2 and flown over to Ireland, and thence to our office by expedited donkey-delivery , driven by our perpetually-inebriated and frequently-astonished genial postman, Pat.

 

Thank you, good folks at AIC. All is forgiven.

 

 

By the way, did you spend all my $60 on cold beer?

 

 

 

 

Below is an old photograph of postman Pat delivering mail to our office..

 

donkey mail.bmp

[kathrynpiquette]

Sorry to here about your trials and tribulations, but thanks for the chuckles, John! I will make to order the AIC Guide via Amazon.

 

--Kathryn

[Dennis]

In defense of the American Institute for Conservation, to which I belong, it has a very small staff, just a couple people in an office handling all member activities as well as all book orders.  My copy of the popular Guide also arrived a month after I ordered it. Amazon has changed our expectations to a speed that small non-profit staffs can not match.