Recording condition: how to photograph what you have

What to take away

• A condition record is a dated description plus photographs. Kept systematically, it shows change over time.
• Survey before you handle. Anything actively flaking or loose can be lost in the act of examining it.
• Raking light across a surface reveals what flat light hides.
• Fixed vocabulary matters more than good writing. Use the same words for the same things every time.

What a condition report is for

The Canadian Conservation Institute's introduction to condition reporting defines it as a written or electronically filed record detailing the condition of an object, based on close examination, and notes that when it is used together with photographs and illustrations it records physical condition clearly at that moment. Kept systematically, such reports document change over time.

Its list of what causes those changes is the reason to bother: natural ageing of sensitive materials, accidental damage, vandalism, infestation, inappropriate display or storage conditions, improper handling, unsuitable packaging for travel, and alterations caused by restoration work.

It describes several report formats for different purposes, from a detailed baseline record made when an object arrives, through purpose-based reports, to shorter cursory inspections and cumulative reports. And it makes a claim worth taking seriously in a house: a systematic, up-to-date condition report system is the foundation of any collection's care, because it lets whoever holds the objects track change and act on it.

For a family collection, the baseline record is the one that pays. Make it once, when the boxes arrive.

Look before you touch

The companion note on examination techniques puts a survey before the examination itself. Get a basic understanding of the object's condition before handling it, by consulting any earlier record and by taking a quick look before anything is moved. Determine whether there is an obvious problem, such as actively flaking paint, compromised surface finishes, or loose decorative elements, any of which could be lost during handling.

It also gives the rule for fragile objects. If a piece is too fragile to move, examine it where it is, vertically if it is hanging or horizontally and face up if it has just been unpacked, and call a conservation professional to stabilize weakened areas rather than proceeding. It warns specifically against placing a framed work face down when either the painting or the frame shows problems.

Read that across to a family collection and the instruction is simple. Look first, in good light, before lifting anything out of a box.

The photographs to take

• One overall shot, square on, whole object in frame including edges.
• One of the reverse, which is where inscriptions, stamps and old repairs live.
• One raking shot, light from the side at a low angle, showing surface texture and damage.
• Close shots of each specific problem, with something for scale.
• One of the storage arrangement before you disturb it.

Date every set. A photograph without a date proves nothing about change.

Writing it down

Use the same words each time. Tear, crease, fold, loss, stain, foxing, cockling, flaking, adhesive residue. A fixed vocabulary makes two reports comparable, which is the whole point; inventive description does not.

Keep the record with the collection rather than only on a phone. Our guide to organizing a family collection covers where it sits in the sequence, and the notes on displaying keepsakes cover what to do with anything you decide to show.

Common questions

Is a phone camera good enough for this? Yes. Consistency of angle, lighting and date matters far more than resolution.

How often should I repeat the record? Every few years, and immediately after any move, leak or loan.

Do I need to report every item? No. Record at group level, with individual reports for anything damaged, valuable or fragile.

What if I find damage I caused? Record it the same way. The purpose is an accurate history, not a clean one.