Good period productions require research. Below is a sample search on a Civil War topic. It is not comprehensive but an example of places to go to research. You may need to visit an historical site or library archive. See my Documentary Workshop guide that contains tips on searching libraries, archives, and open access databases containing an array of media.
Search the library's Catalog for books:
Civil War AND Death (subject fields)
Civil War AND United States AND photo*
Search America History and Life, a history index, for articles
civil war us 1861-1865 AND everyday life
Search historical news such as: Proquest Historical Newspapers: US Major Dailies
Abraham Lincoln . -- Date: prior to 1865
& Library of Congress, Chronicling America soldier and death between 1860-1865
Search military records in Ancestry, Library Edition
Search Military, James Montgomery, Virginia USA, 1837
Search for images in ArtStor
Search online archives such as the Library of Congress Digital Collections
Background
General Articles
Current News ("Ripped from the Headlines")
Historical News
Images
Business
Country Profiles
Browsing library stacks There are sections of the library collection where it might be most efficient simply to browse for illustrations. Below are some likely call number ranges:
GT 500-2370: Costume, Dress, Fashion
GV: Dancing [dance works tend to be lavishly illustrated]
NA: Architecture, including public buildings and domestic architecture
ND: Painting
NK: Decorative Arts
1700-2195: Interior Decoration
2200-2750: Furniture
4700-4890: Costume
TR: Photography
624-835 Applied Photography [books of photographs]
TT: Arts and Crafts, including furniture making, upholstering, dressmaking, hairdressing, and high fashion
For styles from the past 150 years, try browsing some of the Library's bound periodicals (4th floor, Towers side):
Century Magazine (1881-1913): AP2 .C4
Harpers (1850-1916): AP2 .H3
Life (1937-2000): AP2 .L548; Life in Google Books; Life photo Archive (Google)
New Yorker (1948-2000): AP2 .N6763
Sears Catalog (1896-1993) included in Ancestry Library Edition (must access on campus)
Vanity Fair (1913-1936): AP2 .V32+
These are all heavily illustrated with prints, photographs, and/or advertising.
For images in other popular magazines, click here.
I haven't tried these but thought you might be interested:
Have a setting guide you refer to? Let me know: cmichael@ithaca.edu
Location
Maps
You'll need to know the time of sunrise and sunset for the shoot.
Weather:
Documentaries about Productions gone wrong:
Watch Lost in La Mancha to learn about a production gone wrong. It is a documentary about problems on Terry Gilliam's shoot. I also recommend Jodorowsky's Dune. Some of his creativity is now found in graphic novels such as The Incal.
Try these sites for free sound clips:
You can check these out from the library's Multimedia desk (jot down the CD number):