Ruth Orkin Photo Archive
For all inquiries regarding reproduction, licensing rights, exhibitions, print sales, and information about the archive, please contact:
Mary Engel
Director of the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive
[email protected]
What Are The Goals of the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive?
The Ruth Orkin Photo Archive has been handled exclusively by her daughter, Mary Engel since Ruth’s death at the age of 63 in 1985. It then became the Orkin/Engel Film and Photo Archive, after her father Morris’ death in 2005. Mary’s mission is to keep the photos in the public eye so people can appreciate their lifetime of photography and film! There are many photos that have not been seen that Mary is discovering, and will continue to post on the websites, and on Facebook and Instagram.
How Do I Get Permission To Reproduce Ruth Orkin Photographs In A Book, Blog, Newspaper, Magazine Or Catalog?
Mary Engel owns the copyright to all Ruth Orkin photographs. Any request must be put in writing and approved by Mary Engel. Title of photograph and copyright Ruth Orkin must accompany all usage.
Do You Loan Photographs For Museum Or Gallery Exhibitions?
Yes, but please provide the archive with the answers to the questions below:
MUSEUMS:
What is the photo or photos you would like to include?
What is the title of the exhibition?
How many other photographers will be included?
Do you need to borrow the photo, or is it already in the museum’s collection?
What is the location of the museum?
What is the length of the exhibition?
Are there additional locations?
Will there be an exhibition catalog?
Do you want a license for educational usage on the museum’s website?
Is there any other usage requested?
If I want to license a Ruth Orkin photograph, what do you need to know?
Image use and sizeWhere credit? (same page on which photo appears, or photo credits page)License feeCropping (not allowed)TitleAuthorPublisherPublication datePrint runHow many photos in bookDigital rightsNorth American or InternationalTime frame or perpetuityPrice of bookWhere printed
What Are The Primary Formats Of Ruth Orkin’s Photographs?
There are several categories of Ruth Orkin’s photographs available, please see below for the descriptions of each type. If you have a question about a photo you are considering purchasing, or a print you currently own, please take a photo of it and send to Mary Engel, and she will try to help identify it.
(All print sales are for display purposes only, all rights reserved.)
Signatures and Stamps: Ruth Orkin’s vintage prints are marked in different ways, and it is not consistent. Sometimes they are signed, titled and include an address stamp. Sometimes they only have a stamp, or are titled in Ruth’s hand, or don’t include any writing. All vintage prints are authenticated by Mary Engel. There is also a lifetime stamp for unmarked photos that are in the archive collection.
Vintage: Vintage prints were printed around the time they were taken, and are mostly smaller, and mounted flush on board. Generally they are 8 x 10, or 11 x 14.
Lifetime: Modern signed lifetime prints are newer silver gelatin exhibition prints made in the 70’s and 80s that were for exhibition, and are generally 11 x 14 and 16 x 20’s. These are all signed.
Posthumous: Posthumous prints are silver gelatin prints made from the original negative. They include a blind embossed signature stamp on the front, and are titled and signed on the back by Mary Engel who is the photographer’s daughter, and director of the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive. These are not editioned.
Mary Engel
Mary Engel is an award winning filmmaker, the director of the Orkin/Engel Film and Photo Archive, and the founder and president of the American Photography Archives Group.
Engel has been the director of the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive since its inception in 1985. Engel is responsible for all aspects of running the archiving including sales, licensing, marketing, legal issues, and many other areas. She works with photography galleries, museums and auction houses throughout the United States and abroad. She has published four catalogs of photography.
Engel’s first film “Ruth Orkin: Frames of Life” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1996, and went on to screen at many other festivals. The film was selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of the “Outstanding Documentaries of 1996.” Her film “Morris Engel: The Independent” premiered on Turner Classic Movies in 2009. Engel is a contributing producer on the feature length documentary, “Ordinary Miracles: The Photo League’s New York” 2011.
She has been published in The New York Times, the American Society of Media Photographers magazine, Photo District News and Film Comment. She has lectured at Harvard University, New York University, Brooklyn Historical Society, St. Louis Art Museum, Central Park Conservancy, and has appeared at the Avon Theater, (Stamford, CT), Loews Jersey (Jersey City, NJ) Film Forum (New York, NY) and the Egyptian Theater (Park City, Utah) and others.
Consulting
I have consulted with over 25 photographers and archives to assist them with various questions about managing a privately held photography archive, whether it is about how to begin, how much they should do, when to jump into markets they aren’t involved with, copyright and legal issues and many other relevant matters for archives.
I work directly with a photographer or archive on whatever they need assistance with. Whether it is a specific request, copyright, preservation, database issues etc. Or, a desire to create a book, have an exhibit, meet a curator, find a dealer, get into the auction market, or work on a comprehensive strategic one, three or five year plan. It is important to begin legacy planning while a photographer is alive, as there are 10 tips I suggest to do immediately, which includes signing every single print in an archive.
My work is evident by the sucess with my mother’s Ruth Orkin’s archive. We have had a major NYC show for her centennial, and now have three exhibitions in Europe, and four new books this year. I work with curators at many major museums, dealers all over the country, auction houses, do licensing and promote the work in many other ways.
Archive and Legacy Planning Assistance:
Licensing Guidance: To generate revenue and promote the archive, I will provide licensing advice. This will include identifying potential clients for commercial use, establishing licensing agreements and negotiating fair terms on behalf a photographer’s work.
Galleries, Museums, and Auctions: To generate revenue and promote the archive, I will provide advice and collaborate with reputable galleries and art institutions to facilitate exhibitions featuring works from the photographer’s collection. Since a key objective is to secure placements within prestigious museums and cultural institutions. I will also work with curators and museum professionals to place photos in their collections.
Legal and Appraisal Advice: Navigating legal matters and getting fair appraisals are paramount in protecting the archive and getting the most value out of it. I will refer attorneys who can ensure the archive’s rights are safeguarded, licensing agreements are correct, and copyright issues are addressed.
Exhibition Planning: Work on a exhibition proposal, and review possible museums and institutions that might be appropriate.
Book Publishing: Will review the book industry and assist with targeting a specific book project and possible publishers. Review distribution and explain how to study the market.
Social Media and Promotion: Develop a social media presence on the top social media sites including Instagram to promote the work, facilitate sales, and cement a legacy in the online world. It is also essential to have a current and relevant website to showcase all the work, bio and press.
Inventory Analysis: Create an inventory analysis of the archive. This analysis will involve cataloging and assessing the quality, historical significance, condition, and value of the most important photographs we find. It can be a summary, or more detailed master list. However, generally it never needs to include everything in an archive.
Ephemera: Reviewing and deciding what to keep and what to scan or throw away.
Creation of a Database: This database will allow for easy access, organization, and retrieval of photographs, by labeling them in the standard format. It will also give us the ability to track licensing agreements and revenue generated from each image.