Photo collections
The photo collection of the Konsti Museum Centre in Varkaus is one of the largest, containing over a million photos. The photo archive of the Konsti Museum Centre consists of four larger collections: the Konsti photo collection, the A. Ahlström Osakeyhtiö photo collection, the Jänis photographic Collection, and the Warkauden Lehti -magazine collection. In addition to photos, negatives, and slides, the collections also include films.
Discover the photography collections of the Varkaus Museum Centre Konsti in Finna
Varkaus Museum Center Konsti digitization practices
We digitize all material from negatives to paper objects using computer-controlled reprographic imaging, the advantage of which is the speed and the significantly lower susceptibility of sensitive materials to damage, e.g. from the heat of the light source. To photograph negatives, we use a light table equipped with fluorescent tubes and the negatives are photographed with the emulsion side up, which avoids damaging the sensitive emulsion surface. Paper objects are photographed using flash lights. In both cases, the exposure times are short and thus the exposure of the materials to light is minimal compared to scanning. The entire imaging process is computer-controlled after the material to be photographed has been placed in place. To speed up the work and ensure consistent quality, holders are used for negatives and a separate imaging platform with glass for paper objects. Various controllers are used to speed up positioning. The files are automatically transferred to the photographer's desired media and also automatically receive an ID and the necessary metadata. Post-processing of images is also largely automated. For prints and other paper materials, the files usually do not need to be processed at all, but the lighting is structured so that the image file is automatically correctly exposed. The speed is remarkable when processing, for example, photographic prints, but due to the short exposure time and highly automated image processing, the shooting of negatives is also very smooth.