eap 737 representing self and family tamil studio portraiture · 2017-05-09 · eap 737...

EAP 737Representing Self and Family

Tamil Studio portraiture

Between July 2015 and June 2016 the EAP 737 team conducted an in-depth survey of photo studios in 14 towns throughout

the state of Tamil Nadu (South India) seeking out endangered photographic archives.

As a result of this pilot project, a comprehensive survey of 100 photo studios accompanied by over 1 000 digital samples of photographic material (glass-plates negatives, film negatives

and prints) have been produced.These images can be viewed here on the British Library website:

http://eap.bl.uk/database/results.a4d?projID=EAP737•

The ambition ofthe pilot project EAP 737 was to explore the feasibility,scope and extent ofcreating an archive offamily portraiture produced in the commercialphoto studiosofTamilNadu, since theirappearance in the second halfof the 19th century up to theintroduction ofmechanised processing ofnegativesand printsin the 1980s.The projectaimed to locate differentproductionsof black and white manually processed studiophotography (prints,negativesand glassplates)which are rapidly disappearing eitherthrough natural degradation but also often voluntary destruction.

This pilot project was designed around two outcomes.Firstly,and most importantly,a writtensurvey ofthe early commercialphoto studiosin 8 targettowns,aiming atidentifyingphotographicmaterialto be digitised in the contextof a major project.Secondly,apreliminary sample and listing of digitized photographs,negatives and glass plates sourcedfrom three differenttypesof locations:photo studios,private homesand second-handmarkets.

The main activity carried out during this pilot project was implementing the survey of photostudios.The team conducted fieldwork in thescheduled 8target towns(Chennai,Coimbatore,Cuddalore,Karaikudi,Kumbakonam,Madurai,Pondicherry,Tirunelveli),aswellas6 other towns(Chidambaram,Jayamkundan,Meencuruti,Pollachi,Tindivanam,Villupuram).In each locality,the oldest photo studios where sought out and in total,100photo studios were approached over the course of the pilot project.

This survey has confirmed that these unique photographic productions are severely endangeredby chemical,climaticand human factorsand theirdigitization isurgent.The teammembershave noted that in most ofthe cases,either the ownershad destroyed wholecollections for lack of interest or lack of space,or the remaining photographic materialis ina state of severe degradation due to poor conservation conditions.

Unrenovated Studios

Babuji Studio (Pondicherry) Ganesh Studio (Madurai)

Unrenovated Studios

Thangam Studio (Madurai) Mathy Kalaikkoodam (Pollachi)

Unrenovated Studios

Aathavan Studio (Madurai) Rasi Studio (Madurai)

Modern(ised) Studios

Vyram Studio (Pondicherry) Studio Vijay (Coimbatore)

Unrenovated Studios

Kalpana Studio (Tirunelveli)

Modern(ised) Studios

Sivaram Studio (Coimbatore)

IAB Photo PVT.LTD.(Coimbatore)

Studio Photographers

Vamana studio (Madurai) Mathi Kalaikkoodam Studio (Pollachi)

Star studio (Pondicherry)

Studio Photographers

Raju’s Electric Studio (Coimbatore) Kumar Studio (Madurai)

Moon Light studio (Madurai) Ganga studio (Madurai)

Studio Photographer Membership Card

Rasi Studio (Madurai)

Studio Opening Invitation

Moon Light Studio (Madurai)

Vijaya Studio (Pondicherry), Thangam and Rasi Studio (Madurai)

Studio Interiors and backdrops

Studio interiors

R.T. Velu studio (Villupuram)

Ganga studio (Chennai)

Saratha studio (Cuddalore)

Dark room equipment

Wall mount enlargerMoonlight Studio (Madurai)

Black & White enlarger Aathavan Studio (Madurai)

Dark room equipment

Black and white enlargerJothi Studio (Tindivanam)

Colour Enlarger

Saratha Studio (Cuddalore)

Darkroom EquipmentMoon light studio (1964) Madurai

Nathan Studio (Jayankondam)

Camera Archives

Rasi studio (Madurai) Annai Studio (Cuddalore)

Camera Archives

Jothi Studio (Tindivanam)Marar Studio (Tirunelveli)

Field Camera

Sen studio (Chennai) G.K. Vale & Co (Chennai)

Field Camera with Lens

Jothi Studio (Tindivanam)

Wooden stand & Field camera

Moon Light Studio (Madurai)

Jothi Studio (Tindivanam)

Studio Archives

Film & glass plates negatives, I.D. photo envellops, cardboard frames

Studio Archives

Film negatives

Studio ArchivesStorage (outside and inside) of negatives

Studio Archives

Film negatives

Studio Archives

Glass plate negatives

Studio Archives

A glass plate negative

Studio Archives

Glass plate negatives

Colour slides

Vignetted portraits(Negative masked with black paper)

Studio Archives

Studio Archives

Photographic prints

Photographic prints on studio doors

Studio Archives

Over painted black & white photographic print

Studio Archives

Studio survey

Crown Studio - Coimbatore

Vijaya Studio - Pondicherry Annai Studio - Cuddalore

Balaji Studio - Chennai

Digitization Process

Vasan Studio - Karaikkudi

Studio Archives

Original film negative Positive obtained in Adobe Lightroom

Studio Archives

Original glass plate negative Positive obtained in Adobe Lightroom

Studio Archives

Original film negative Positive obtained in Adobe Lightroom

Studio Archives

Original glass plate negative Positive obtained in Adobe Lightroom

Studio Archives

Positive obtained in Adobe Lightroom

Original glass plate negative

Digital images of prints

Digital images of photo prints

Digital images of photo prints

Digital images of photo prints

Digital images of photo prints

Digital images of photo prints