Cultural Heritage Imaging

08/26/2026

We trained the team at Butrint in Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) in 2024, and we love to se that they are still using the technique for hard-to-read inscriptions on the site.

08/24/2026

At CHI, we love spirals - so this article from MoMA magazine caught our eye...

How did spirals set the art of Robert Smithson, Louise Bourgeois, and Marcel Duchamp in motion?

08/18/2026

August 16th marked the 24th anniversary of the founding of CHI. As we enter our 25th year, we took a moment to look forward and look back - check out our newsletter here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Starting-our-25th-year-with-gratitude.html?soid=1123547438413&aid=V_mvK4e09_Y

08/05/2026

What are those colored lines on Frida?

This image excerpt describes the digital conservation mapping for Diego Rivera’s monumental 1940 fresco, The Marriage of the Artistic Expression of the North and of the South on This Continent (commonly known as Pan American Unity).

The special conservation team, sponsored by SFMOMA, provided a condition information map showing issues present in the mural. This layer contains multi-colored graphics with each color indicating a different condition type. The team worked to simplify and prioritize all of the conservation data into a meaningful presentation for the general public. In consultation with CHI, the conservation team decided to show 4 types of condition information: powdering, cracks, flaking, and delamination. Different levels identified to show the degree of powdering and flaking were collapsed into a single representation for each category to simplify the presentation of condition issues.

View the Condition Map:
https://tinyurl.com/67xkxxs5

Important Image Credits!

Slide 01 (detail of Frida):
Diego Rivera, The Marriage of the Artistic Expression of the North and of the South on This Continent, also known as Pan American Unity, 1940, 6.7 meters tall by 22.47 meters wide (22 X 74 feet); courtesy City College of San Francisco; © 2020 Banco de México Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico City / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Color and Shape Images - © Cultural Heritage Imaging; Giornata and Condition Maps - Courtesy of SFMOMA with special thanks to Site & Studio Conservation.

Slides 02, 03, 04:
Detail from Panel 1, Slide 02: condition information on the Color layer. Slide 03-04: DEM (Shape) of the same area with lines indicating condition map. Image: Cultural Heritage Imaging. Condition Map Courtesy of SFMOMA with special thanks to Site & Studio Conservation

08/03/2026

Exciting times in Mexico City! 🇲🇽

CHI’s Carla and Mark are currently attending IMAGO 2026: Imaging Techniques for Cultural Heritage – Murals. They’ve spent the week diving into advanced mural documentation, connecting with global peers, and taking in legendary artwork—including Diego Rivera’s iconic murals at the Palacio Nacional.

Having previously used photogrammetry to build accurate 3D digital surrogates of two Rivera murals in the US, we're thrilled to share our insights, learn cutting-edge techniques, and help shape the future of mural preservation.

Stay tuned as we bring these new possibilities back home to protect and share cultural heritage!

07/29/2026

Reaching over 100 5-star reviews isn't easy—but doing work that matters makes every bit of effort worth it.
We’re thrilled to be recognized as a 2026 Top-Rated Non-Profit on with 109+ five-star reviews! 🌟

Our mission is simple: equipping photographers, conservators, culture bearers, and researchers with the photographic tools and techniques to preserve history digitally.

To everyone who has trained with us, collaborated with us, supported us, or left a review—thank you for making this possible!

07/24/2026

Diego Rivera's murals aren't just masterpieces—they are vibrant snapshots of the real people, patrons, and creators who built the community around him.
Join Rivera historian Will Maynez for a 9-minute look at the stories woven into this landmark artwork. Preserving and sharing these details is at the heart of what we do.
Special Thanks to Will Maynez, The Mellon Foundation, Stanford Libraries, California Academy of Studio Arts, and the now defunct SF Art Institute.
virtual exhibit on Stanford University Libraries:
exhibits.stanford.edu/rivera-sfai
Video Link to, “ Documenting Diego: Who’s who in the SF Art Institute mural”:
tinyurl.com/Diego-Whos-Who
Special direct tags:maynez







history

07/14/2026

This is a fascinating 10-minute video on the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History collection and how they are applying technology to document, share, and support research.

Keep an eye out for CHI scale bars in some of the turntable imaging work. We've trained many of the folks doing 3D at the Smithsonian in photogrammetry. This video dives into a variety of techniques, including DNA sequencing. It's jam-packed with info.

The importance of these collections for understanding our rapidly changing planet cannot be overstated.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History safeguards 148 m...