dkthompson
@dkt-1.bsky.social
Photographer working in history, cultural heritage and folklife documentation. Opinions are my own and not those of my employers.
#Small face on a wall, downtown Raleigh NC during the Covid shutdown and BLM protests, June 1, 2020. #BlueSkyArtShow DK Thompson Collection/Southern Folklife Collection/UNC-CH
November 22, 2025 at 11:15 PM
#Small face on a wall, downtown Raleigh NC during the Covid shutdown and BLM protests, June 1, 2020. #BlueSkyArtShow DK Thompson Collection/Southern Folklife Collection/UNC-CH
looking thru some film I inherited from the museum move this summer. this chrome of the governor’s mansion has not aged well. that would be “dark fading”. this was an outtake from the book that came out in 80s. the move unearthed a lot of loose files that wound up on my doorstep
November 22, 2025 at 12:14 AM
looking thru some film I inherited from the museum move this summer. this chrome of the governor’s mansion has not aged well. that would be “dark fading”. this was an outtake from the book that came out in 80s. the move unearthed a lot of loose files that wound up on my doorstep
always had one of these in my office and domke bag
November 21, 2025 at 3:32 PM
always had one of these in my office and domke bag
tomorrow is the 30th American Indian Heritage Celebration (AIHC)- one of the largest annual events for the museum. I have covered more than I can remember including the first year. There are so many feature pix I can't even bring myself to choose a few to share. I keep collateral in my office file
November 21, 2025 at 2:46 PM
tomorrow is the 30th American Indian Heritage Celebration (AIHC)- one of the largest annual events for the museum. I have covered more than I can remember including the first year. There are so many feature pix I can't even bring myself to choose a few to share. I keep collateral in my office file
if you're into graphics, the Grafmatic has a distinctive sound. add the focal plane shutter for the total package. second thru fourth image shows the sequence. next to the film pack, this is closest to a motor you'll get with press cameras.
November 21, 2025 at 2:50 AM
if you're into graphics, the Grafmatic has a distinctive sound. add the focal plane shutter for the total package. second thru fourth image shows the sequence. next to the film pack, this is closest to a motor you'll get with press cameras.
typical setups that show the types of lighting used for the above. at the MOH we have always tended to use a "hard" Main light off to the side with softer light for fill. I often use the hard light as a 3/4 in back. we typically use 2-3 lights. sometimes more. multiple shadows need to be avoided.
November 20, 2025 at 3:52 PM
typical setups that show the types of lighting used for the above. at the MOH we have always tended to use a "hard" Main light off to the side with softer light for fill. I often use the hard light as a 3/4 in back. we typically use 2-3 lights. sometimes more. multiple shadows need to be avoided.
Uniform day this time back in 2019. I usually do 3-4 views and a couple details of each. That coat incidentally belonged to R. Greg Cherry who would become governor of NC in 1945. No set snaps for these, uniforms & costumes are among our most frequent visitors to the studio. below are typical sets
November 20, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Uniform day this time back in 2019. I usually do 3-4 views and a couple details of each. That coat incidentally belonged to R. Greg Cherry who would become governor of NC in 1945. No set snaps for these, uniforms & costumes are among our most frequent visitors to the studio. below are typical sets
Facebook is reminding me that 12 years ago was my 20th year at museum, I had a year as a temp on top of that so I'm closing out 33 years as a photographer. which is quite a stretch. my career path was in news photography, I needed a job and was a good printer and assistant. That was pretty much it.
November 19, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Facebook is reminding me that 12 years ago was my 20th year at museum, I had a year as a temp on top of that so I'm closing out 33 years as a photographer. which is quite a stretch. my career path was in news photography, I needed a job and was a good printer and assistant. That was pretty much it.
This is a great book if you’re into news history like I am
November 19, 2025 at 2:52 PM
This is a great book if you’re into news history like I am
Working with watches this day back in 2015. once in a blue moon I have to break out the light tent, this was such an occasion. incidentally, the late Dwane Powell, editorial cartoonist for the N&O did these caricatures. The Jesse Helms watch runs backwards.
November 17, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Working with watches this day back in 2015. once in a blue moon I have to break out the light tent, this was such an occasion. incidentally, the late Dwane Powell, editorial cartoonist for the N&O did these caricatures. The Jesse Helms watch runs backwards.
tabletop sets from the sword, using soft light and white cards to light the metal. a Matthews "matthelini" clamp, fun noodle scrap and bean bag filled with artsorb beads makes up the artifact mount. Matthelini clamps are incredibly versatile tools
November 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
tabletop sets from the sword, using soft light and white cards to light the metal. a Matthews "matthelini" clamp, fun noodle scrap and bean bag filled with artsorb beads makes up the artifact mount. Matthelini clamps are incredibly versatile tools
A few years earlier I had photographed a daguerreotype and a portrait miniature of Richard Caswell Gatlin, the latter I shot on 4x5 film. years later I was copying a tintype of his daughter and realized she was wearing the portrait miniature. Like most tintypes the original is quite dark
November 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
A few years earlier I had photographed a daguerreotype and a portrait miniature of Richard Caswell Gatlin, the latter I shot on 4x5 film. years later I was copying a tintype of his daughter and realized she was wearing the portrait miniature. Like most tintypes the original is quite dark
More museum work from the day job, this time the 16th 2021 in the studio. It was military items, starting with a sword assoc. w/ Richard Caswell Gatlin, who was grandson of Richard Caswell, first governor of NC, West Point grad who served on Frontier, Mex-Am War and then was Brig. Gen CSA.
November 16, 2025 at 6:10 PM
More museum work from the day job, this time the 16th 2021 in the studio. It was military items, starting with a sword assoc. w/ Richard Caswell Gatlin, who was grandson of Richard Caswell, first governor of NC, West Point grad who served on Frontier, Mex-Am War and then was Brig. Gen CSA.
I can see you with one of these. rare beast.
November 16, 2025 at 5:23 PM
I can see you with one of these. rare beast.
MOH photo staff did the furniture work for this book along with some of the architectural photos but the bulk of those were done by Tim Buchman. we as well as him, started with 4x5 film and by the end of the project had begun using digital. it took years to complete this book
November 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
MOH photo staff did the furniture work for this book along with some of the architectural photos but the bulk of those were done by Tim Buchman. we as well as him, started with 4x5 film and by the end of the project had begun using digital. it took years to complete this book
Busy day or two in studio back in 2021, on 15th-16th. First up was trying to squeeze a Thomas Day bureau into the small studio. the set snap is from the frontal view, but lighting was same. I had spent the better part of a decade working with my boss on TD furniture for the UNC book. never ends
November 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Busy day or two in studio back in 2021, on 15th-16th. First up was trying to squeeze a Thomas Day bureau into the small studio. the set snap is from the frontal view, but lighting was same. I had spent the better part of a decade working with my boss on TD furniture for the UNC book. never ends
Rick Miller, frontman for the band Southern Culture on the Skids, silhouetted by #Bright stage lights, at Under the Street club, Durham NC, 1991. Shot with Rollei 35S, TMZ 3200 and scanned from print #BlueSkyArtShow. DK Thompson Collection/Southern Folklife Collection/UNC-CH
November 15, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Rick Miller, frontman for the band Southern Culture on the Skids, silhouetted by #Bright stage lights, at Under the Street club, Durham NC, 1991. Shot with Rollei 35S, TMZ 3200 and scanned from print #BlueSkyArtShow. DK Thompson Collection/Southern Folklife Collection/UNC-CH
I hoarded stainless steel racks & tanks, intending to have a 3.5 gallon tank line eventually, but I never did. this year I gave it all to a community darkroom run by old timers whose eyes lit up at first sight of all the racks. I had them from 2x3 through 8x10 with several obsolete formats.
November 15, 2025 at 3:46 PM
I hoarded stainless steel racks & tanks, intending to have a 3.5 gallon tank line eventually, but I never did. this year I gave it all to a community darkroom run by old timers whose eyes lit up at first sight of all the racks. I had them from 2x3 through 8x10 with several obsolete formats.
I was old school. rack & tanks. if you can work in the dark, hard to beat the versatility of a replenished line. you can do reels too. I used to run two lift rods. at the lab in the Archives they had a 3.5 gallon line that used 4-up racks and a basket for reels. they used to run 100 sheets at a time
November 15, 2025 at 3:44 PM
I was old school. rack & tanks. if you can work in the dark, hard to beat the versatility of a replenished line. you can do reels too. I used to run two lift rods. at the lab in the Archives they had a 3.5 gallon line that used 4-up racks and a basket for reels. they used to run 100 sheets at a time
this style can also be used with colored gels on the background. It helps to think of the set as two planes. the front with the object, the back. light each separately and use cards to keep that light separate. Rosco Cal Color gels used here.
November 14, 2025 at 4:34 PM
this style can also be used with colored gels on the background. It helps to think of the set as two planes. the front with the object, the back. light each separately and use cards to keep that light separate. Rosco Cal Color gels used here.
Here's a basic artifact shot I was working on in the studio this day back in 2019. To get a clean white background, you need to light it at about a stop more than the object, but you don't want to blow it out. that's the thing about print repro, you're not looking to clip the highlights.
November 14, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Here's a basic artifact shot I was working on in the studio this day back in 2019. To get a clean white background, you need to light it at about a stop more than the object, but you don't want to blow it out. that's the thing about print repro, you're not looking to clip the highlights.