"Unveiling Hidden Layers: Exploring Historical Photography through Synchrotron-Based Infrared Spectroscopy."

“I am a researcher with nearly 17 years of experience at the Research Centre for Conservation of Cultural Relics (RCCCR) in Iran. I am the lab manager of the Fourier transform Infrared Spectroscopy, where I have conducted various analyses on different materials related to historical cultural artifacts, including pigments, fibers, adhesives, resins and more. It is really an interesting field; where science, technology and art meet each other. Over the years, I have utilized infrared spectroscopy analysis to identify and examine these materials, but for about 10 years I am focusing particularly on the historical photographic works, especially those based on glass plates. I have conducted several scientific projects in this field, and done several consulting works in the Golestan Palace photo archive (listed as UNESCO World Heritage), national museum of Iran, The City Photo Museum, and Iranology Foundation library since 2014. Also, I have two books and several papers in the field of historic photography.

This area presented numerous challenges due to the manual nature of many of these works. Moreover, the diversity in chemical materials used, the various stages of production, and the use of multiple techniques for artistic modifications contribute to the varied appearance of similar nature photographic products. Additionally, concerning historical artifacts, it's crucial to consider the various damages they have incurred over time which in many cases definitely causes change in their appearance. Based on the aforementioned reasons the recognition of different types of these artifacts becomes complex, and a non-destructive or micro-destructive analysis is the only reliable method. In this context, synchrotron-based infrared spectroscopy proves to be an excellent and the best choice. Especially in cases where the nature of the chemical used in them is an almost similar protein material, such as albumin and gelatin. SESAME provides a unique opportunity in the region for conducting such studies, offering a platform to unveil the hidden layers of historical photography. The studies conducted can reveal the intricacies concealed in the history of photography, adding valuable insights to each curtain of the historical photographic narrative.”