We hit the road recently to photograph the manufacturing and fulfillment process for an industrial client. This company creates bolts and other products that manufacturers use.
With supply chain issues in the news, here’s a group of dedicated workers who are getting it done. Our photos tell that story for the company and the brand.
Over two days, we captured images with motion, color, and authenticity.
From workers spray-painting bolts and testing the bolt threads for accuracy to a wide shot of a warehouse, stocked with products ready for shipping.
Some people assume manufacturing photography or industrial product photography is always boring. We say…are you kidding?
We know it’s possible to bring artistry to a realm of dirty metal and messy paint. That artistry will help your clients connect with your brand and understand what you’re all about.
As Steve Jobs said, it’s all about focusing on the small things to make a big impact.
“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.”— Peter Adams
As an industrial photographer, I’m not just capturing machines and materials; I’m chronicling the symphony of human ingenuity played out on factory floors and construction sites.It’s a world of grit and grace, where sparks fly alongside quiet determination, and the rhythmic clang of metal meets the focused hum of concentration.
OK, well, let’s tell it like it really is. These people work where it’s dirty, grimy, loud and smelly. Here are 5 recent images from different projects that showcase what they do and where they do it.
1. Laser-Focused (Western NC): She stands in a maze of pipes and valves, hard hat and safety goggles ready, clipboard clutched in hand, laser-focused on the task at hand. In that single frame, I saw someone unconcerned with the noise and distractions around her.
2. The Glass Dance (Greensboro, NC): A ballet of brawn and precision. Making it looks easy as he maneuvers a glass panel, its surface reflecting the world around it in distorted fragments. Care in handling is one of the cornerstones of this client’s business, and a lifestyle shot like this helps demonstrate it clearly.
3. The Catwalk King (NC): On the catwalk, bathed in the eerie glow of industrial lights, he walked. A lone figure in a vibrant yellow t-shirt, a stark contrast to the steel and shadows that surrounded him. By showing a member of the team in relation to the equipment, I can show the scale of this company’s manufacturing process.
4. The Spark of Creation (Wisconsin): It is always a fleeting moment, captured in a fraction of a second, but one of my favorite images to capture. A grinder’s wheel spits fiery orange and yellow. This image shows a raw energy that fuels industry, a reminder that beauty can be found even in the most primal forms of creation. Action shots like this are one of the best ways to capture attention of your website or marketing materials.
5. The Warehouse Waltz (Charlotte, NC): A dance of steel and rubber. A forklift, its driver focused on the path, conducting this silent symphony, orchestrating the flow of materials with practiced ease and constant motion. Clean lines and a neat, organized warehouse highlight the efficiency of this client’s supply chain.
These five images are just a glimpse into the vast world of commercial industrial photography. They are windows into progress and the human spirit. After more than 30 years in this business , it’s still an honor to be a storyteller in this world, to capture the beauty and the power that often go unseen. 2023 was filled with moments like these across the US. I can’t wait to see where 2024 brings me.
More later…
Michael
https://www.mlobiondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/lobiondo-industrial-technology-manufacturing-9085.jpg9601200Michael LoBiondohttps://www.mlobiondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/lobiondo-whitelogo-20220516-NEW.pngMichael LoBiondo2024-02-12 11:45:102024-02-12 11:45:11Hard Hats & Hustle: The Story of Industry in 5 Recent Photos
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent Van Gogh
They’re everywhere. And they’re often invisible.
We’re talking about polymers. Manufacturers use these natural or synthetic substances to create thousands of products, including small parts essential to the function of big products. Polymers are in everything from cars to artificial joints to pool pumps.
Clients often call us when they need to show their polymer capabilities to potential buyers. As experienced industrial photographers, we’re often shooting on the manufacturing floor and these assignments never fail to fascinate.
Our goal? Create visually exciting photos that help build our clients’ businesses.
Our images reveal the expertise of the people doing the work. From the beginning stage of polymers in pellet form, ready to be shipped in 1,000-pound bags….
or melted into barrels….
or to be manufactured into something new.
We’ve captured every step of the process, from production of polymers themselves, to products made with polymers, to tests on the results.
Michael LoBiondo Industrial Photography Portfolio – Worker in quality control of paper coating lab
Though we aren’t manufacturers, we appreciate the complexity of what manufacturers do. Our curiosity can help us see visual opportunities that others might miss.
On any industrial shoot, we take time to understand the process we’re witnessing. That deep interest is essential to capturing meaningful photos. It’s the difference between grabbing a snapshot versus crafting an image.
We’ve photographed everything from sweeping panoramas of manufacturing floors to workers with sharp eyes on the inspection line.
From checking coated paper to be used in brochures, stickers and other applications….
to studying a sheet for any imperfections, as no detail goes unnoticed.
Our process begins with conversations about a client’s goals and creating a preferred shot list. On site, we make discoveries and capture unexpected images to fulfill the client’s vision.
We’re grateful to have received referrals from industrial clients. Every manufacturing job deepens our knowledge and respect for the field. It’s fascinating to learn how clients are solving problems for their customers.
Click here to see more of our commercial industrial photography portfolio. And give a little thanks today for polymers that make our lives easier.
More later…
Michael
https://www.mlobiondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lobiondo-industrial-paper-blogheader-0296.jpeg10001500Michael LoBiondohttps://www.mlobiondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/lobiondo-whitelogo-20220516-NEW.pngMichael LoBiondo2022-01-03 12:56:402022-01-05 10:01:28Industrial Photography – Behind the Scenes with Polymers
The problem with shooting glass is the glass can act like a mirror; it sees everything in the background, plus all of my production lights and sometimes me, behind the camera.
The cool thing about shooting glass is it can create fabulous reflections of your subject. It’s all a matter of angle or “perspective,” as I like to say.
This client makes glass windshields for trucks and huge window panels for skyscrapers. Both production locations afforded the opportunity to play off of the reflections of the surroundings and of the people working in the plant.
We also got to photograph glass processes in a large plant in Texas where, as you know, everything is bigger (big plant, big sky, etc, etc!!)
This project involved mixed lighting and both interiors and exteriors. They had just finished a major upgrade so all the spaces were very clean. This helps because you don’t spend a lot of time trying to hide backgrounds, trash, and other things.
We also had both hands on work and lots of technical items to punctuate the high-tech lab environment.
So we ended with some great imagery accentuated with lots of color.
