Industrial
This is kind of niche, but it sure was a lot of fun. Everyone was wearing masks—but not because of COVID, It’s just something you do in a dairy plant where there’s lots of bacteria and stuff to keep out even without a pandemic. Learning about things that other people do is what makes this job fun.
I had a project earlier this year photographing in a factory that produced Bush Hogs, among other things. Everything seemed to flow through the factory as if in a choreographed dance. It was a busy day. We had to wear shoes with metatarsal protection because of all the heavy things moving around in the plant. We were busy and made quite a few photographs. I am always interested in your thoughts.
These parts are made for Harley motorcycles. They get machined in the next production step, which makes them shiny and more photogenic. Nonetheless, even at this stage they are way prettier than when they come out of the press. I like the perspective and texture. What do you think?
Detroit Industrial Photographer
Without forktrucks, industry would grind to a halt. Since the early 20th century forktrucks have been the way things get moved around a warehouse, and trucks and railroad cars get loaded. Like everything else, technology has made them faster and safer. In my client’s case, industrial designers have made them easier to use and nicer to look at. My job is to find interesting angles and light that flatter the design. I am always interested in your thoughts and comments.
Ugly might be a little harsh. They are a long way from beautiful. Unless perhaps you are looking exclusively from a practical point of view. They do what needs to be done. I had to make them look interesting; give them a little visual flair. I put them on the board we ordinarily put under the jack to protect the floor when we jack up a car. I added a little contrast, and a little blue. What do you think?
When telling a story, sometimes you need to see below the surface. It’s sometimes done with a saw, if it is going to be displayed there is little choice. A display company would be able to find someone with all the necessary skills, but it would be expensive. If it is just for photography, then it can often be considerably more affordable. This image is part of a brochure for a backup emergency lighting system. On the outside it appears to be an attractive red box. The story is inside. Shooting multiple images and assembling them in PhotoShop is how it was done. Let me know what you think.
It may look like this was shot in a gritty, dimly lit industrial warehouse, but in fact, it was shot in the relative comfort of our studio. I found a floor to shoot at a factory nearby, and stripped that in under the lift truck. I love that photography can portray an alternate reality. In fact, that’s the core of our business, to make things look better than they actually do. In this case, few industrial warehouses with this lift truck would be quite so gritty. These are high-end lift trucks and more likely to be found in a modern commercial warehouse that is clean and well lit. I like the tough gritty feel though, as it does communicate that it’s a durable, well built machine. As always, I’m interested in your thoughts.