Case Study: Industrial Photography Gloucester

Industrial Photography Brief

Client: Poeton Industries Ltd, Gloucester Site

Location: Gloucester, United Kingdom

The brief for this industrial photography assignment in Gloucester was to provide updated images for a new website, internal communications and printed material – brochures, banners etc.

Poeton Industries have three sites, located in Gloucester, Cardiff and Poland. I’d be shooting at the Gloucester site where a number of different surface treatment processes are carried out.

This was a particularly interesting shoot for me, because I would see first hand some of the surface treatments I’d been specifying for years as an aerospace engineer. I think part of the reason I became disillusioned with my job in aerospace engineering was the fact that it became so theoretical. We’d rarely get out to the manufacturing areas of the sites to see components being produced. I was very much behind the computer, analysing parts without a real appreciation for the scale and processes that were involved.

If I could provide one piece of feedback to the engineering industry I was working for, it would be to give the engineers more exposure to the manufacturing side of things. When I did get the chance to see things in action, there was usually a moment of inspiration or realisation about what could be done to solve a certain problem.

The Gloucester Site

Poeton has a long history, having been located in Gloucester for 120 years! They began with enamel plating bicycle components, helped the wartime efforts by processing key components and have since developed advanced problem-solving composite coatings. They’re truly at the forefront of surface engineering innovation (yes, I did lift that section from their website!).

A few weeks before the shoot date, I had a meeting with their head marketing co-ordinator and he gave me a tour of the impressive Gloucester facility.

As I’ve written about previously, it’s common for my clients to think we may struggle to find a great photo in an industrial facility. I love the challenge of this. Being interested in what’s going on at the industrial plants I shoot at helps me hone in on the details and pick out interesting images.

This was certainly the case at Poeton. My client was used to seeing the facility every day and as such, was unsure if we’d find anything interesting to photograph. With a fresh pair of eyes and a keen interest in the subject matter, I saw a wealth of photographic opportunities on the initial visit. We discussed a number of different ideas for images.

As you’d expect of an industrial site such as this, the facility is split up into different areas, each performing a certain task. In this case, there were areas for the different surface treatments being applied, as well as an NDT (non-destructive testing) department and preparation areas.

The Shoot – Getting Started

On the day of the shoot, I arrived bright and early at 8am ready to begin. As with most industrial facilities, I was required to have a safety briefing and of course, had to have the appropriate PPE (personal protection equipment) – in this case, steel toe caps and safety goggles.

We had a plan for the day, working our way around the entire facility and photographing different processes being carried out. The people at Poeton were all super-helpful and friendly.

My contact there, who was with me throughout the day, had prepared well and had a list of shots that were definitely needed for the new website. We ticked these off as we went through the day.

Timing

As with photography, timing is critical when you’re carrying out surface treatments. For example, the time the components are left in the various fluids, or the timing of one process in relation to another.

Therefore, moving through the Gloucester site, we spoke to the technicians to find out when certain things would be happening and made sure we were there at the right time. Many of the processes had to happen at certain times and could not necessarily be repeated for a photograph.

A lot of the time this is the case when doing industrial photography. I can’t expect the site to come to a standstill in order to get the shot I need. So often, I have to work around what’s going on at the time.

This is another reason to make sure your photographer has the experience needed to take on an industrial photography shoot.

Genres of Photography

Within the scope of ‘industrial photography’, there’s a broad range of different genres of photography. For example, you may be photographing people at work – portrait photography, components on a workbench – product photography, the inside of an industrial facility – interiors photography.

Although it’s taken me a while to find my niche in photography, I’m pleased that I’ve done a broad range of work. It all seems to come together when I undertake an industrial photography shoot. I require the skills of many different types of photography to successfully capture an industrial setting.

This also means that from a photography perspective, there’s a lot of interesting challenges that keep industrial photography fresh and interesting. This is in addition to the actual subject matter which, for me, is also very interesting to see!

Your Industrial Photography Shoot

If you’re planning an industrial photography shoot, or would simply like to find out more, I’m always happy to have a chat. There’s absolutely no obligation to book, so please contact me to discuss your ideas.