beregningsfotografi

Beregningsfotografi is a niche form of documentary photography focused on capturing the processes, results, and artifacts of mathematical calculation and data analysis. The practice documents calculation steps, charts, tables, and computational instruments to support verification, replication, or archival storage of numerical work. The term is primarily used in Norwegian contexts and helps distinguish this visual documentation from general data photography or computational imaging.

Historically, beregningsfotografi developed alongside the need to preserve laboratory notebooks, calculation sheets, and related outputs in engineering, physics, and architecture. Photographers record calculations by photographing notebooks, schematic diagrams, calculators, computer screens, and printed results, often including calibrated scales to enable measurement from the image.

Techniques involve careful lighting, close-up or macro work, the use of scale markers, and high-resolution capture to ensure legibility of numbers and symbols. In post-processing, metadata may be added, and annotations or overlays may be used to preserve context while maintaining the integrity of the original calculation.

Applications include industrial documentation, support for scientific publications, educational material, and archival projects. Beregningsfotografi can help verify procedures in quality control, reproduce complex derivations for later review, and provide a tangible record of numerical reasoning.

Challenges include ensuring long-term legibility, avoiding misinterpretation of copied data, and respecting privacy or confidentiality when calculations involve sensitive information. The term remains relatively specialized, with related practices often described under broader categories of documentary or archival photography.