Databases are the ultimate archive. They allow for efficient storage and retrieval of information on a simplified level, and provide comprehensive lists of data that can be processed, updated and maintained by a variety of users. Databases serve the purpose of holding data in an organized and highly structured manner for easy search and access actions. Some of the most important documents and data can be found in database-like formats such as encyclopedias and telephone books. As more and more information is accumulated overtime, strategies and formats for organization change. What is important to note, is that although databases come in a variety of formats, the system of order is based on similar relational models and terms in order to create some level of consistency.
Although I enjoy technology and consider myself mildly tech-savvy, the information presented in A Companion to Digital Humanities was quite overwhelming, so I sought to incorporate my passion for photography into my research in order to make it more relatable. The Photography Database provides factual information about photographers, public photographic collections, commercial galleries, photographic exhibitions, and citations to the many published sources used to compile biographical, collections, and exhibitions data. The database contains over 97,000 entries and is updated on a continual basis.
I decided to do some site searching to see what would come up when I entered my favorite photographer, Vivian Maier. The results listed her birth and death dates, her hometown, her nationality, her active photographing years, her website, and a link to the galleries and exhibitions her work has been shown at. Although the website is not as aesthetically pleasing as the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, it serves its purpose as a functioning and organized database.
Through further exploration of the site, I found a significant reoccurring, problem; one that could proposes major challenges for users. The database provides information on galleries and photographers, but only once the user searches for specific gallery titles and names of artists. It doesn’t allow for alternative search options for those not as informed on the happenings of the photography world. Even as an experienced photographer in both academic and photo-technical settings, I minded very much that there weren’t filter options available to search for unfamiliar photographers and exhibition names. That being said, I think it is a useful resource for students, amateur photographers, and professional photographers alike who wish to learn more about an artist and his or her background, all while conveniently providing an external web browser link to conduct further research if desired.