Industrial Photography

In this blog, I’ll look at my considerations for getting the most out of an industrial photography shoot. Much of my work as an industrial photographer has been capturing functioning work environments. This makes it hard to have any say in simple things like the placement of vehicles or bunting. It also means, some prime photogenic locations require special permissions to access them or they are just no-go zones. The other primary difficulty is having access to people or being able to place them where I want them to land the photograph I’m trying to make.

Torrens Island batteries and inverters

Preparation is key to getting the best chance of coming away with a strong group of photographs. I make sure that I have a handle on what I’ll need to wear to get on site and be safe once I’m there. Steel-cap boots and other PPE like hard hats or safety glasses, may be required depending on the site. In advance, I’ll make sure the client has the right PPE for anyone organised to be in the photographs. There is nothing more frustrating than landing the perfect photograph to be told it’s unusable because the talent was wearing the wrong glasses. People need to present well, dressed in current, correct and clean uniforms. If possible I’ll arrive early, to minimise the induction and signing-in process eating into our time on site.

Flavour creation factory

Even for the stakeholders it can be hard to get permissions to access certain industrial worksites. So once I am in the position to get on site, I am eager to maximise that opportunity. It’s very important that my photographs are able to pass the scrutiny of someone familiar with the processes and environment I’m photographing. I’ll start by asking what the key processes are, followed by leading questions to gather a more in-depth understanding. Partly because I’m interested in how stuff works but also, so I can translate what I am told into strong photographs. This lets the client know that I am genuinely interested in what they are doing and also, that I want to make images that are an accurate representation of good practice on a high-functioning work site.

I do everything within my power to make working with me as easy as possible. I’m highly reliant on the cooperation and goodwill of whoever is chaperoning me on-site and potentially anyone I meet there. I’ll be friendly to every person I get eye contact with and have a brief chat if the opportunity presents itself. Any person on site might be in a position to help me do a better job if they feel welcomed. Everybody is important, and often a person passing through where I am working will either end up in front of the camera or helping me to facilitate an idea.

I’m quite open about my process and if the person I am with offers a plausible idea that sits with the brief, I’ll willingly give it a try. A by-product of getting people involved and talking about their field of interest is that they become emotionally invested in the shoot and together, we are making special photographs. As the conversation unfolds, people open up more deeply about their work, offering suggestions that lead to other opportunities. It’s not uncommon for me to be granted access to areas that were absolutely out of bounds at the beginning of the day.

Mining rig

I’m not interested in taking unnecessary physical risks to do my job. Generally, the people I am with are paying real attention to my safety, but ultimately most of the responsibility rests with me. As with a lot of my on-site work in other fields, spacial awareness is really important, even when I have my face buried in the camera. It's my decision-making and ability to assess the risks directly associated with where I am situated to take photographs, that will get me home safely.

My industrial photography work often involves a number of companies working together to operate or establish the site. This is especially true in large industrial complexes. Branding is a simple way to tell the story of each relevant stakeholder and give context within the work site. A branded vehicle, hi-vis vest or hard hat in a specific context can show the companies involved and how they might work together, making a broader statement from a simple image.

High-voltage junction yard

I am fascinated by how things work, so I have really enjoyed the opportunities I have had to get insight into how large-scale industry functions. My industrial photography has taken me on numerous trips to remote mining facilities, water treatment plants across Australia and New Zealand, the desalination plant, Torrens Island power station and a significant number of smaller factory operations. Places that I would never have been privy to without a camera in my hands.

It’s a style of photography that involves any number of skillsets from architectural photography, landscape photography, portraiture and studio photography. All blending creativity and technique to make strong images on location in situations where I have little or no real control.