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photography

Postcards from the field: Studying the Neolithic figurines from Koutroulou Magoula, Greece

Clay Neolithic figurines are some of the most enigmatic archaeological objects, which depict in a miniature form humans, animals, other anthropomorphic or zoomorphic beings, and often hybrid or indeterminate entities. Figurines have excited scholarly and public imagination, and have given rise to diverse interpretations. The assemblage from Koutroulou Magoula, a Middle Neolithic site – 5800-5300 BC – in central Greece (excavated under the co-direction of Prof. Continue reading →

Portraits of Diggers

As per last year, part way through the season I became fascinated by the physicalness of digging. I’m always struck by the way that excavators manipulate their bodies whilst digging, fitting themselves into tiny gaps, like those internet meme photos of cats in glass bowls. The angles necessary to really get your trowel into the corners of a Tudor drain, and the flicking of the wrist needed to excavate the bottom of a 17th century trench, all results in yoga-like positions. Continue reading →

Night with Gertrude. And Victor.

Updated Dec 9th: Video added. Gertrude with high altar behind Gertrude is an old lady. About 600 years old. She is one of the wooden statues at the high altar in St. Nicholas’ Church, Tallinn. Gertrude is reviled to the public three times a year. Rest of the time she and other status are hidden behind the massive altar wings. Those altar wings are covered with medieval comic strip about life of St. Nicholas and St. Victor. Continue reading →

Photographing Portus

Photography has been extremely important to the Portus Project. The photographic record which has been created as we have been working on the site allows us to re-visit and interpret the excavations at many levels. As well as a vast archive of photographs depicting excavated contexts, sections and objects we also have a substantial collection of images which depict the day to day life of an archaeological excavation. Continue reading →

Photographing Portus

Working underground presents a unique photographic challenge: Here we can see myself and James Miles laser scanning a subterranean corridor in the Imperial Palace. The long exposures required to capture a dimly lit scene mean that light and movement take on the form of blurs and shadows. Photography has been extremely important to the Portus Project. Continue reading →

Infrared RTI

Last night i took the artwork from my wall and did my first infrared RTI. I would say it is even more exiting than normal RTI as you will see things you are not able to see with naked eye. Artwork I was taking photos of was not maybe the best to show the potential of IR RTI but I hope to try it it again with bigger light-source (I used converted Maglite Mini) and more challenging art-piece. Click on image to switch in between normal photo and IR RTI with specular enhancement filter. Continue reading →

Multispectral world

Last weekend I spend some time with ACRG multispectral camera (converted Nikon D700). I got Hoya R72 infrared filter and walked on the fields of Western Estonia. I am very happy with results (see below). When it became dark outside I took the soldering iron and made two-led IR torch. This will be used for RTI testing later this week. One thing I found out already, you need quite long exposure time for a sharp image or/and much brighter light source. Continue reading →