Rhode Island School of Design. Photography Department records (08.01)

Series I. Portfolios
The bulk of the collection consists of thesis portfolios created by senior and graduate Photography students. Arranged chronologically, the student portfolios may contain a thesis statement, mounted or unmounted prints (black and white, color, silver and other formats), slides, videotapes and film, negatives, contact sheets, computer compact disks, acetates, artifacts, or a portfolio database worksheet. The Archives holds few senior portfolios for 1966-1976 and none for 1977-1983.

The Group portfolios, 1966-1981, consist of boxed sets created by RISD students, alumni, and faculty or non-RISD photographers. Included are the Photographic Education Society portfolios (1966-1981), RISD Traveling Show (1966, 1970, and 1980), Private Parts (1978), RISD Alumni Show (1978, 1979), and Interlaken Designer Award (1970).

The Miscellaneous Work consists of RISD student material collected by the Photography Department. Though identified by student, much of the material is not dated. The type of materials is similar to the student portfolios.

Sub-series I, II, and III are entered into the Photography Resource Center database, a copy of which is maintained at the RISD Archives. The database is searchable under all fields including: call number, name, date, format, type, size, subject, topic, materials, and print process.

Subseries I. Individual Portfolios - BFA

Subseries II. Individual Portfolios - MFA

Subseries III. Group Portfolios

Subseries IV. Miscellaneous Work

Series II. Photography Center Resource Center database
Created by the Photography Department and maintained by the Archives, the database contains records for all Photography BFA and MFA thesis portfolios and group portfolios transferred to the Archives. The Individual Portfolio database records portfolio call number, name of student, type of degree, date, type and format of material, quantity, dimensions, subject/style, topic/issue, materials, print process, and dates created and entered. The Group Portfolio database records the call number, group name, year, dimensions, number of prints, descriptive comments, and names of photographers with title and print process. Both databases are searchable by any field.