Exploring methods of two-dimensional documentation (1)

Already in Rodin´s time, the medium of photography won great importance in documenting the shape of sculptures and started to dominate over traditional drawings and etchings. Rodin himself engaged photographers like Druet and Bulloz, and later Steichen and Haweis & Coles to document his work and even represent it in public exhibitions. For a database of such historical photos you can visit the Rodin-Web IMAGEBASE.

Since then, the medium has seen a great artistic and technical development. But basically, the carrier of image information has remained a light-sensitive plate or film, in several formats: 
24 x 36 mm, 4½ x 6 cm, 6 x 6 or 6 x 7 cm, 4" x 5" or 8" x 10", etc. The larger the film format, the higher the resolution and the quality of the image. For an overview of different camera systems and their specifications, see the Camera Review Website.

When photos have to be recorded and processed in a digitized form, it is either possible to scan conventional film negatives or slides with a film scanner, or to record the images in digital format right-away. For a discussion of technical advantages/disadvantages, see the Binbooks Forum.