Being an industrial photographer might be difficult sometimes, but there is always a chance by which you can make things go your way and work out for you. Every field has its own beauty.
Industrial photography involves taking pictures of larger objects that might be difficult to fit in the frame sometimes, and this is why industrial photography is a bit more challenging than any other photography. You might wonder what industrial photography is needed for or why is it so difficult?
Well industrial photography is generally of machinery, products, equipment, workers. These things are not very eye-catching by themselves so the photographers are the ones that make them interesting and attractive.
Here are some tips to make your industrial photography look great:
1. Exposure- You should have a thorough understanding and knowledge of the exposure and you should be aware of how to manipulate the site. You should have the accurate angle of the site you are going to shoot prior to that.
2. Lights and adjustments- You should be able to measure the availability of the industrial area and the brightness of it. The reason why this is important is as all of this will take place in an open area so most of the time you will encounter ambient lights which can create lots of variation in your shoot.
The contrast variation should not exceed the limit of that of your digital image and picture sensor.
3. Visit the area prior to your shoot- You should get familiar with the site you are going to work on. You should visit all the objects that are in the surroundings and ask the manager or the person with authority to give you access to the area. You might ask the authority to get the machinery and equipment cleaned so as to get a better picture.
4. Do a preview before the shoot- Having a pre-shoot before the actual one is important, as it will give you the exact idea and measurements of each and every element of the area. Secondly, why having a pre shoot is important is, having a reshoot in an industrial area can be expensive and disturbing for the entire workforce so you might want to have it done in a single shot only.
5. Equipment- Equipment like tripods are must for such shoots. Placing your tripod at the appropriate angle is important so as to get the perfect angle and to make sure that your camera does not shake.
6. Take the shot- You can capture the movement too by recording the artistic blur by slow shutter speed. You can use a reflector to achieve the shot you desired even if there are shadows.
7. Lighting and contrasts- As the industrial area is in a wide area usually there are lots of light resources there that can make the hot very difficult. The main focus of the camera is on the machines and equipment that usually made up of steel and steel obviously reflects the light. So, what you can do here is, taking the shot on an overcast day, when the temperature is apparently cooler. And using the high contrast mode for capturing the industrial picture will definitely help you a lot.
8. Bag of tricks- As the industrial areas are generally located far away from towns and cities, you must be having a bag that has all of your go-to-go equipment and helps you even if you miss something.
9. Be more creative- Try to capture the exact moment and to try to make the scenario look more natural. As in the industrial area, there is always some work going on so focus more on to capture that moment.Don’t forget to take the bigger picture, take your eyes away from the camera for once and look around your surroundings. This will enable you to capture the highlights of the industry and its enormity.
10. Details- Focusing on both small and big pictures is a part of great photography. But in industrial photography, it is easy and much more attractive to get caught up in the momentum. This passes over the intricate details to the viewer making it more attractive and catchier for the eyes. Try to focus more on the details like the rusty bolts and smaller details of the machines. This will give your photograph a story to tell and the viewers will find it catchier.
11. Focus on colors more- Obviously colors bring life and much more attractiveness to the actual scenario. Even on the darker side of the industry and the deeper part, our eyes tend to look at the side where there are more colors. Hence, incorporating more colors to your industrial photography makes your image more dynamic and effective too.
12. Include the workers- Including the actual workers in your photography will make your photograph look more real and natural. Because obviously it is the humans working on that machine that are the heart of the area. This might feel quite odd to ask them having clicked while working but they actually like it. But you have to wear extra protective gears to click the workers.
13. Change your perspective- The best part about industrial photography is people get to see the world that they themselves can never encounter in person.Try placing your camera on the ground in order to get a better and full view of the scene. Or you can place your camera at a high point to get the photographic scene below.
14. Photograph an abandoned site- There are many industrial sites and areas that are now abandoned and are being neglected for years. But these sites still make your photography more fascinating. Although, photographing an abandoned area comes along with some serious caution as there is no safety officer. There would be hazards that you would not even know.
15. Techniques- there are certain techniques that you should follow while capturing industrial photographs. Like try to shoot at night or on the overcast days in order to get the better and best suited light for your pictures.
16. Be spontaneous- as a photographer, you should always be ready, never ever let any opportunity pass you by just because you were not ready. Certainly, there will be many activities going on but that is what makes you a brilliant photographer, capturing the exact and real image.
Being an industrial photographer might be difficult sometimes as compared to any other form of photography but it is one of the best. Capturing workers working so hard and the detailed landscape of the industry can be one of the best things to capture. Isn’t it? It might take you out of your very comfort zone but trust us, it will be all worth it.