Photogrammetry: from Curious Novelty to Recording Method of Choice (original) (raw)
Related papers
Computer Vision Photogrammetry for Underwater Archaeological Site Recording: A Critical Assessment
Computer Vision Photogrammetry allows users to simply upload a series of overlapping pictures of a scene into dedicated software in order to automatically generate an accurate three-dimensional model of that scene. In this master thesis I explore the potential of this innovative new technology for underwater archaeological site recording. In the introductory chapter I first discuss the importance of archaeological site recording, as well as the importance of exploring new and perhaps better ways of documenting our heritage. I then stress that for a new recording method to see widespread use within the field of maritime archaeology, it must offer distinct advantages over traditional manual recording methods, but it must also be accessible, both in terms of costs and in terms of the technical expertise required to use the method. I believe Computer Vision Photogrammetry could meet these requirements, and as such I think the method is worth investigating further. In the second chapter I then provide readers with the necessary background information in order to understand what photogrammetry actually is, how it works, and how it has evolved from the 19th century to the present day. Special focus is put on the new generation of Computer Vision Photogrammetry techniques, and on explaining what sets these techniques apart from photogrammetry approaches used in the past. Next, in the third chapter I have a closer look at past uses of photogrammetry in underwater archaeology. Photogrammetry has been used for underwater archaeological site recording for several decades now, in some cases as early as the 1960s. Nevertheless, the method has never broken through as a mainstream recording method within our discipline. My literature review demonstrates that while photogrammetry had significant advantages over traditional manual recording methods, in the past the method was too technical, too expensive and too unreliable for most archaeological projects. For the remainder of my dissertation the challenge is therefore to assess whether modern Computer Vision Photogrammetry can successfully overcome these past obstacles. In order to draw some well-founded conclusions, I want to use Computer Vision Photogrammetry software to process a number of archaeological case studies. As a first step, in the fourth chapter I therefore attempt to make an informed decision on which specific photogrammetry software to use to process these case studies. After testing various software packages, and after assessing the relevant scientific literature, my software of choice is Agisoft PhotoScan. In the next chapter PhotoScan is then used to process data from three archaeological shipwreck sites. The intention is to really test the reliability and flexibility of modern photogrammetry and as such, rather than using ‘perfect’ picture sequences, my case studies focus on the use of particularly challenging or unconventional input data. In the first case study a shipwreck is modelled from ‘casual’ video footage that was not originally captured for photogrammetry purposes. In the second case study a three-dimensional model is created using ‘legacy data’; archived pictures originally taken more than 20 years ago. In the final case study a shipwreck is modelled using images captured in a low-visibility environment. In each case study the site is first briefly introduced, the main challenges of the specific dataset are then outlined, next the processing procedure is discussed and finally the results are presented. In the sixth chapter I then discuss the results of these case studies as a whole, and attempt to draw some conclusions regarding the overall impact of new developments in photogrammetry on our discipline over time. I conclude that compared to traditional manual recording methods, Computer Vision Photogrammetry is capable of significantly reducing underwater recording times while simultaneously producing more accurate, more detailed and more objective three-dimensional results. Furthermore, compared to past photogrammetry approaches, today Computer Vision Photogrammetry is more affordable, easier to use, more time-efficient and more reliable. Thanks to the confluence of a) reduced costs and b) increased performance, I believe a ‘tipping point’ has finally been reached. For most underwater archaeological projects the cost of using photogrammetry will now actually be lower than the cost of using manual recording methods. Considering the fact that photogrammetry also produces better results than manual recording methods, we have every reason to believe that Computer Vision Photogrammetry will play an increasingly prominent role in the field of underwater archaeology in the years to come.
Interpreting the Significance of Underwater Archaeological Photogrammetry
Honor Frost Foundation, Short Report Series, 2019
Photogrammetry has long been recognised as one of the most effective methods for documenting, collecting, and processing cultural heritage. This paper aims to study underwater photogrammetry by examining articles and interactive platforms related to this subject. Specifically, it focuses on the case study of the Mazotos shipwreck in order to identify the ways archaeologists use photogrammetry underwater and its importance in maritime archaeology. In this paper, the multiple challenges and limitations of photogrammetry are also presented, along with the actions that can be done to mitigate these problems.
Computer Vision Photogrammetry allows archaeologists to accurately record underwater sites in three dimensions using simple two dimensional picture or video sequences, automatically processed in dedicated software. In this article, I share my experience in working with one such software package, namely PhotoScan, to record a Dutch shipwreck site. In order to demonstrate the method’s reliability and flexibility, the site in question is reconstructed from simple GoPro footage, captured in low-visibility conditions. Based on the results of this case study, Computer Vision Photogrammetry compares very favourably to manual recording methods both in recording efficiency, and in the quality of the final results. In a final section, the significance of Computer Vision Photogrammetry is then assessed from a historical perspective, by placing the current research in the wider context of about half a century of successful use of Analytical and later Digital photogrammetry in the field of underwater archaeology. I conclude that while photogrammetry has been used in our discipline for several decades now, for various reasons the method was only ever used by a relatively small percentage of projects. This is likely to change in the near future since, compared to the ‘traditional’ photogrammetry approaches employed in the past, today Computer Vision Photogrammetry is easier to use, more reliable and more affordable than ever before, while at the same time producing more accurate and more detailed three-dimensional results.
The Asia-Pacific Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage (APConf), 2023
Photogrammetry has rapidly gained attention in the field of underwater archaeology since around 2011, largely due to significant time constraints associated with underwater excavation. Photogrammetry is a technique that utilizes photographs taken with a digital camera to create precise 3D digital models. It has now become possible to replace some of the manual recording tasks with this technique, which offers both speed and high accuracy. As a result, underwater recording work can now be completed in a fraction of the time it once required, while still maintaining accuracy. However, the most significant advantage of photogrammetry lies in the flexibility of the data it generates, which subsequently enhances archaeologists' research and facilitates hypothesis formulation. In this paper, the authors present several case studies where photogrammetry is used not only as a recording tool but also as a support for scientific research, specifically to enhance our understanding of historical ships. The case studies to be discussed in this paper include the Fournoi Shipwreck 15 from Greece (5th century A.D.), the Letavica shipwreck from Croatia (1st century B.C), and the Ses Llumetes shipwreck from Spain (1st century A.D.). In the context of these three case studies, the authors will explore the use of photogrammetry as a research and analysis tool in shipwreck studies.
Journal of Maritime Archaeology, 2014
This article presents a discussion of recent advances in underwater photogrammetric survey, illustrated by case studies in Scotland and Denmark between 2011 and 2013. Results from field trials are discussed with the aim of illustrating practical low-cost solutions for recording underwater archaeological sites in 3D using photogrammetry and using this data to offer enhanced recording, interpretation and analysis. We argue that the availability of integrated multi-image photogrammetry software, highly light-sensitive digital sensors and wide-aperture compact cameras, now allow for simple work flows with minimal equipment and excellent natural colour images even at depths of up to 30 m. This has changed the possibilities for underwater photogrammetric recording, which can now be done on a small scale, through the use of a single camera and automated work flow. The intention of this paper is to demonstrate the quality and versatility of the ‘one camera/ambient light/integrated software’ technique through the case studies presented and the results derived from this process. We also demonstrate how the 3D data generated can be subjected to surface analysis techniques to enhance detail and to generate data-driven fly-throughs and reconstructions, opening the door to new avenues of engagement with both specialists and the wider public.
Photogrammetry as a New Scientific Tool in Archaeology: Worldwide Research Trends
Sustainability
Archaeology has made significant advances in the last 20 years. This can be seen by the remarkable increase in specialised literature on all archaeology-related disciplines. These advances have made it a science with links to many other sciences, both in the field of experimental sciences and in the use of techniques from other disciplines such as engineering. Within this last issue it is important to highlight the great advance that the use of photogrammetry has brought for archaeology. In this research, through a systematic study with bibliometric techniques, the main institutions and countries that are carrying them out and the main interests of the scientific community in archaeology related to photogrammetry have been identified. The main increase in this field has been observed since 2010, especially the contribution of UAVs that have reduced the cost of photogrammetric flights for reduced areas. The main lines of research in photogrammetry applied to archaeology are close-ran...
Establishing Best Practices for Photogrammetric Recording During Archaeological Fieldwork
Journal of Field Archaeology 42.4 (2017): 337-350, 2017
Archaeologists have recently embraced photogrammetry as a low-cost, efficient tool for recording archaeological artifacts, active excavation contexts, and architectural remains. However, no consensus has yet been reached about standard procedures for reliable and metrically accurate photogrammetric recording. The archaeological literature describes diverse equipment and approaches to photogrammetry. The purpose of this article is to open a discussion about when and how photogrammetry should be employed in archaeology in an effort to establish “best practices” for this new method. We focus on the integration of photogrammetry within a comprehensible research plan, the selection of equipment, the appropriate apportionment of labor and time on site, and a rubric for site photography that is conducive to successful and efficient modeling. We conclude that photogrammetric modeling will soon become an indispensable tool in most archaeological applications but should always be implemented in ways that do not place undue burdens on project personnel and budgets and that aid research goals in well-defined ways.