Photography for the construction industry takes on several forms, and I’ve shot all of them.
Tracking a build from the ground being broken, through the installation of foundations, drainage, erection of a frame, to fit out and final completion takes a long time, and I’ve occasionally had the privilege and pleasure of being asked to record the entire build. Obviously, that means several visits onsite over the course of a few months, but the end result is a great record of the construction of a building, something to cherish as an archive in itself, as well as being a historical record of a process, and a useful set of images to show how meticulous you are during the build process.
Sometimes I’m invited to take photos at key moments. In a single visit, I’ve recorded installation of key components (such as a roof trusses, giving the building its shape), or the work being carried out by the painters and decorators to ensure the final rooms are as beautiful as can be. Often I’ve been asked to record the finished show home, dressed immaculately, for marketing brochure shots.
Of course, there may be visits by dignitaries or Board members to mark the finish of a project. Whatever the reason, I’m there to take photos of the occasion.
No matter the specific reason I’m visiting though, the intention is the same. It’s to show the care, quality, skill and craftsmanship that goes into each build. I’ve been commissioned by the suppliers of components, by building companies and by designers and architects, who wll want the same thing – images that show the very best of what they do.
Also, and let’s be honest here, building sites are messy places. They’re full of clutter, people, dirt, tools, materials, rubbish. Like an ant colony, they’re a bit of organised chaos. I love the challenge of finding order in them, or making something look different to how you would expect it to look. That might be capturing a small detail that stands out, or a moment as work is carried out. If I can inject some artisty into photos in such an environment, then I’m at my happiest.
Here are a few personal favourites from construction projects I’ve photographed over the past few years.
