Representação temática no centro de documentação e formação fotográfica de Moçambique

Abstract

This paper focuses on the thematic representation of information at the Mozambique Center for Documentation and Photographic Training focusing on the photographic indexing process as na essential practice for organizing and recovering the country’s visual memory. Photography, due to its informative, symbolic, and documentary nature, requires specific technical procedures to ensure its proper treatment in documentation centers. The overall objective of this study was to analyze the mechanisms used to index photographic materials at the CDFF, understanding how the thematic representation of images occurs in this institutional context. The specific objectives were: (1) to identify the types of photographs in the center’s collection, including analog, digital, historical, and urban images; (2) to describe the processes adopted for indexing the photographs, from image analysis to keyword assignment; and (3) to identify the tools used in indexing, such as the internal thesaurus and PhotoStation software. To achieve these objectives, a qualitative, exploratory, and applied approach was used, allowing for in the understanding of the practices and challenges faced in the institution’s real-world context. Data collection techniques included semi-structured interviews with in the employee of the Imaging Department and unsystematic observations conducted during visits to the center. Content analysis was used to process and interpret the collected data. The results showed that the CDFF performs indexing in a structured manner, following previously established guidelines, with steps involving technical reading of the image, analysis of visual content, and assignment of thematic descriptors based on internal thesaurus.