What is Construction Photography?
Construction documentation photography is the process of taking progress images of a building being built from start to finish. This ground to full development progression can be documented in various ways but, all are used to communicate advancement in construction projects.
Construction is a transformative process that shows the progression of something being built from nothing into a gorgeous structure. This process is not something that happens overnight. All types of buildings, whether it be residential or commercial, are built over an extended period of time through meticulous planning. These careful and demanding projects almost require construction photography. The need and want for professional construction photography comes from the idea that a building is not just a building, it is part of a timeline of planning within a group effort.
A construction photographer needs to have an understanding of how to translate this extensive process through their lens and onto an image. The best construction photographers should understand construction sites in depth. This goes beyond just understanding what looks good on a camera but, the safety of the site, the work environment, and the rules of the individual site operation.
Construction site photography documentation goes beyond providing simple imaging, it shows the extent of a project while giving a timeline of progress. This view of development is an easy way of communication toward clients that shows results while updating all within the process.
What are different types of construction photography services?
Aerial
Aerial photography is the practice of taking images above ground to provide a wider and higher angle of an object. Aerial images are used for construction documentation photography because of the surveilling eye brought with this type of image. Photos taken from these high angles show a larger picture beyond the build happening on the ground, they show a community beyond the site.
Modern technologies have made aerial photos more accessible and popular. The use of drones has risen in popularity due to their small, professional, and high-quality imaging. Drones are easily controllable, effective and they produce a finished image.
Although the simplicity of aerial imaging has fall-backs in the time it takes to capture the images, aerial photography is gorgeous and cost-effective. Throughout the process, it gives a client a high level of precision and an idea of scale to the project being completed. Aerial images give a glimpse into the location of the construction site with regard to the community around it.
Timelapse
Time-lapse photo or video is a progression of images and video that speeds up average processes to make them interesting. The video takes a large number of images and stitches them together to create a condensed video project. These videos portray a long passage of time in a short video. A timelapse of a construction site build provides an accessible way to view the completion of a project.
A timelapse can take something as mundane as a group of workers constructing a wall and make it look like an intriguing event. Events on a construction site like a crane moving or a slab of cement being laid down are aesthetically pleasing images that are beautiful in a timelapse video.
In-Progress Shots
These images are standard photos that are taken throughout the entirety of the construction project that is being built. These images can first be taken on the initial day of construction and last until the completed build. The in-progress shots are another way to provide a visual timeline to a project and the client.
Safety is key as a construction site photographer. While taking images on a construction site, it is necessary for the photographer to understand what areas are safe to shoot in. During these shoots, it is helpful to plan out who and what can be photographed. Understanding restrictions can allow for a shoot to move smoothly and better images to be taken.
Progress shots show the process of different building elements occurring in the build. They give insight into different milestones throughout the process while conveying the work that is being performed. These detailed shots give a completion-based perspective to professional construction photography.
Action-Shots:
One of the most intriguing types of pictures on a construction set is seeing action shots of people working. Construction workers do incredible things every day so it makes a great image to take pictures of them doing their work. This gives appreciation to both the workers while creating marketable images.
Why should I use professional construction photography?
Provides a Timeline
Both residential and commercial buildings take time to complete. The average amount of time a single-family home takes to be built is around six months, so it is easy to understand the desire to document the progress of a project. The start of a build is equally as exciting as the finish of a build, a photographic timeline helps convey this. Professional construction photography for both residential and commercial projects helps provide a visual timeline from the project’s start date to end date.
Communicative
Photography is a great means of communication because the brain functions through understanding imagery. Generally, images allow for someone to feel as if they are in the action of the photo.
Construction photography is wonderful for all aspects of communication, whether it be to a developer, a potential buyer, or a business partner. The communication through images of a construction site lets all people in the various levels of communication rationally understand the progress and potential of a site. Beyond the rational aspect of viewing photography, there is an emotional understanding of pride for those working on the project.
By combining both the rational and emotional feelings through these photos, this makes construction photography documentation a crucial part of the communicative process.
Construction documentation photography is a style of photography that is necessary and beneficial to all aspects of a construction build. Those who utilize professional construction photography can benefit from images for marketing campaigns, clients and so much more.