The Digital Restoration Lab is a project aimed at systematizing, integrating and disseminating contemporary practices of restoration, digitization, digital restoration and exhibition of antique photographs. The most valuable priority of the project is the inclusion of photographic collections in the European Digital Information Fund.
The project aims to address the challenges faced by cultural institutions in preserving and digitising their photographic collections. It seeks to increase competence in the digitisation and preservation of photographs by providing training resources to: archivists and managers in libraries, archives, community centres, museums and monasteries, photographers, teachers/trainers in the field of photography, students. This will ensure the long-term survival of these important cultural and historical artefacts.
The main task of the project is to create accessible resources and training materials for digitization, digital restoration of old photographs for amateur and professional photographers, heads of small photo studios, photo archives, students and teachers in the field of photography, librarians and archivists from libraries, archives, museums, monasteries, teachers involved in lifelong learning, etc., who wish to support smaller institutions in applying new techniques for digitisation and restoration of rare photographs to reach a wider public in an attractive way.
Intended outcomes:
- Production of a film on the process of restoration and conservation of digital photographs;
- Development of a manual for the digitization process/ Training modules;
- Create an open flexible learning system.through the learning modules;
- Six training workshops;
- Multiplier events and peer meetings;
- Creation of an interactive exhibition (3d mapping, photogrammetry, LIDAR (Light Identification Detection and Ranging, VR, etc.) as a demonstration of digital image exposure methods.
Project partners:
- National Vocational School of Polygraphy and Photography - Sofia (Bulgaria);
- Student Society for Computer Art - Sofia (Bulgaria);
- State Technical School - Riga (Latvia);
- Barton University - Barton (Turkey);
- George Baritiu County Library - Brasov (Romania);
- Vocational Training Centre at the University of Library and Information Science and Technology - Sofia (Bulgaria).
- Associated partner is Regional Library "Petko R. Slavejkov - Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria)
- Project duration: 24 months (September 2022-September 2024)