Keep the evidence
in view.
A registration procedure for visual material, with a place for uncertainty at every stage.
Identify the source.
Record where the image or object came from, who supplied it and what permission accompanied it. Keep an original file with its context. A filename is not a verified creator credit.
Here: all plates are generated references. No historical acquisition or physical object is claimed.
Describe before interpreting.
Start with outline, placement, color and visible relationships. Separate observation from a proposed purpose, material identification or story.
“Amber rectangle over a dark block” describes the image. “Protective optical filter” requires other evidence.
Record the unknowns.
Keep maker, date, dimensions and material specification unverified until a source supports them. An empty field with a reason is more useful than a plausible invention.
A metallic-looking line is not a measurement of composition or strength.
Keep permission separate.
Ask about intended use, format, context and credit requirements. A visible image is not an automatic reproduction grant. Keep the actual permission decision with its source and conditions.
Prepare a permission questionDocument your actual practice.
This work-photograph space is separate from the fictional collection.
Supply your own real archive or documentation-work photograph, with the owner's and identifiable people's permission. Exclude confidential or unpublished client records unless explicitly authorized. Generated plates and stock images cannot evidence completed client work.
Alt text field: Sample: Describe the actual work photograph and its useful context.