Cambridge Manuscript Photography
Budget: £20 – £250 GBP
I require an experienced photographer to digitise a bound manuscript of musical scores held in the library of Cambridge University. The volume is classified as fragile, so each photograph must be taken with the kind of careful and conservation-friendly handling normally reserved for rare books. Clear photos can be taken with a good mobile phone camera, without flash.
The instructions are simple: capture each page of the exclusive choir and orchestra parts, not the solo parts, arias, etc.
You will need to go to the Manuscripts Departmental Reading Room, so you will need to contact the staff to schedule a quiet time and follow their rules regarding equipment and handling.
Deliverables
• Lossless, full-resolution image files (preferably TIFF) of each page, with logical names and sequencing.
• Same-day delivery of a backup copy via a secure cloud link.
Acceptance criteria: all pages are legible from edge to edge, the colour tone is neutral compared to the included greyscale.
If you have previous experience photographing rare books or archival music scores, especially in UK libraries, I would love to hear how you managed lighting, mounting, and file management. Please let me know your earliest availability in Cambridge and the approximate time you think you will need for 270 pages photographed.
The instructions are simple: capture each page of the exclusive choir and orchestra parts, not the solo parts, arias, etc.
You will need to go to the Manuscripts Departmental Reading Room, so you will need to contact the staff to schedule a quiet time and follow their rules regarding equipment and handling.
Deliverables
• Lossless, full-resolution image files (preferably TIFF) of each page, with logical names and sequencing.
• Same-day delivery of a backup copy via a secure cloud link.
Acceptance criteria: all pages are legible from edge to edge, the colour tone is neutral compared to the included greyscale.
If you have previous experience photographing rare books or archival music scores, especially in UK libraries, I would love to hear how you managed lighting, mounting, and file management. Please let me know your earliest availability in Cambridge and the approximate time you think you will need for 270 pages photographed.