What Is Construction Photography?
Construction photography is a specialist area of photography, where photographs are taken of a construction project. Construction photography can document any or all of the phases of the construction process, including
Preconstruction
Construction phase
Practical completion
Post construction
Demolition
And also during renovation and refurbishment works.
On my script, it says laughing because I still find it amusing that I'm doing a podcast about construction photography. I can't think that at any point in the past, I expected to be doing this. So it's quite amazing really.
Here I am talking about what I do.
Hi, everybody. Welcome to Episode 34 of the photography explained podcast. In this episode, what is construction photography?
I'm your host Rick and each week I will try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 10 minutes without the irrelevant details. My aim is to explain things in just enough detail to help you and me with our photography and no more.
I'm a professionally qualified photographer based in England with a lifetime of photographic experience, which I share with you on my podcast.
You can listen to the episode here
Or you can read on - it’s entirely up you!
Okay, this is take three cause takes one and two were just complete disasters. It's quite a concern considering that this is my area of specialisation.
Let's get on with it.
So let's go back to these. And I need to stop saying so at the beginning of sentences.
1 - What is construction photography used for?
Now I'd like to go back to them. The bullet points I said before.
Preconstruction
I have photographed plots of land, basically to allow people to add their very clever 3D visualisations of proposed buildings onto them. I photographed existing buildings that are being extended upwards so that clever people can show the visual impact of that development.
I have photographed partially built buildings so people can project forward the impact.
Construction phase
Now photographing major construction sites during the construction phase is just a wonderful thing. The problem is that the demand is getting less and less, it's just that phones are getting so much better now that the photos you can take on a phone are often good enough for a construction company.
Next sentence from the transcript I cannot fathom out “which is was the grind shank is not as good as long as I take a house such as life”.
Practical completion
You have finished a construction project and have a shiny new building being handed over, time to get some photos then. Now this is the same as architectural photography for me. I'm going to make the definition here.
Architectural photography and construction photography.
I don't view architectural photography as photographing the construction process. I view it as photographing the architectural side of things. So that's why I call the two differently. Sure, they are one the same photographing at completion – this is construction photography because you are photographing construction, but you're also photographing the architecture.
But architectural photography for me isn't photographing live construction sites. There you go. Got that one out of the way.
Post podcast episode note – it does not really matter!
Post construction
I put that in there - any time after a building has been completed, all the way up to demolition.
Demolition
Demolition is a great thing to photograph. Demolition is just brill.
Renovation and refurbishment
And then the final little note in this section is during the renovation of a building.
And refurbishment works. Okay, before and after photos of refurbs are great as they make a massive impact, especially if you take photos from the same position. And I mean exactly the same position before and after. I don't always get the chance to do that but when I do, I just love it.
1 What is construction photography used for?
Four minutes and 25 seconds in and I'm on point one - that's a worry, isn't it? It's used for marketing and for record purposes and also for tracking the progress of buildings.
2 Why do I love construction photography?
Well, construction sites are great places to work, hard places to work. It's not easy on construction sites. But it's great. It's different. It's interesting. It varies from day to day and going around construction sites and taking photographs gives a massive variety of work.
So I genuinely, genuinely love doing it.
3 Who do I take photos for?
Main contractors, clients, and product manufacturers. And I'll say architects even though I cover them in the architectural photography episode, which was the last one. If you haven't heard it, check out Episode 33.
Clients and product manufacturers, I tend to work for, mainly because main contractors are quite commercially cut-throat – well they have to be - it's the nature of the business.
4 Can you make a living from construction photography?
If you've got enough work, you can make a living from anything in theory, but yeah, sure. There is less demand for construction photography now than I have ever known. I've explained some of the reasons before.
If you take architectural photography and other photographing of the built environment and you put the bits together then yes there is a full-time job in there.
5 Do you need specialist knowledge?
Yes. And no. It helps if you have specialist knowledge, if you're informed about what's going on, you know what you're looking at. And it will make your life easier on site.
If you've never been to a construction site before, you might be shocked by just what's going on around you. It takes some getting used to. So experience would be good.
And my vast construction experience certainly helps me when I am working on site.
6 Do you need specialist gear?
Yes. This is the one I've made a real mess of last time. So I will get it right this time. You need gear that is suitable for the live construction environment, which is - I was gonna say noisy, but that's not really a thing here is it?
It's dusty. Very dusty. And It's damp, and it's cold. Things are moving around. It's a harsh environment. So your gear has to be able to stand up to that. I have got some very basic gear, but it's pretty much bomb-proof.
Post podcast note – you need spare gear in case someone breaks and stops working – this applies to any commercial photography work.
7 How do you process construction photos?
Exactly the same as for architectural photography, realistically, and technically correct. The one thing I will add here is to make sure there's nobody in the background who's doing something they shouldn't be doing, or is missing some item of PPE. Because those photos are of no use to anybody. Nobody wants to see them. Don't take them.
So it is better if you have knowledge of construction.
8 How do I start as a construction photographer?
Go out and photograph buildings, phone construction firms and ask if you can photograph their site and you'll give them the photos.
That's the best way of getting into it. It'll build your portfolio and you will begin to get contacts. And it gets you up and running.
And I just realised I missed something.
Going back to specialist gear - before you find these people to photograph their sites you need some PPE. You need proper boots, a hard hat, a high vis, possibly gloves, possibly glasses, and probably waterproof clothing.
You need to turn up equipped. Don't just turn up and not have a clue what you need to do. So do a bit of research.
9 Do I need to be qualified?
Well, I'm a Chartered Builder. I'm also professional a photographer. And I'm also a current CSCS card holder, which in the UK is the Construction Skills Certification Scheme that helps me get on sites more quickly than anybody else because I've got a base qualification which is recognised nationally.
So no, but not a bad thing if you are.
10 Not a shameless plug but it's relevant here.
Sorry, I don’t mean for my podcast to be a shameless plug for my website, but this is relevant. Check out my website, Rick McEvoy Photography.
There is lots of info on there which is helpful for not only photographers but also for clients. I've done a lot of work on this, which you'll find on my blog and some specific pages so just head over to my website.
And here is a link to my construction photography portfolio.
Quick recap
Construction photography is a specialist area of photography, taking photos of construction sites, products, construction works and construction people.
What I want you to do now.
1 - Do this one thing for me.
Go out and take some photos of a construction site.
2 Let me know how you got on.
3 Subscribe to my podcast
If you enjoyed this episode - this helps me.
4 Rate and review my podcast
If you enjoyed this episode - this helps me too.
5 Tell someone you know about my podcast.
This also helps.
Next episode
I'm going to continue with my specialisms and talk about industrial photography.
Thank you
Thanks for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast.
A quick plug for me and what I do.
Well, why not? If I can't plug myself on my podcast, where can I?
You have found this podcast, so why not check out my splendid website, where I write blog posts about my photographs of buildings and other good stuff. On my courses page, you will find my course, How to Become A Real Estate Photographer.
You can also find me on YouTube talking about my podcast and my blog - just click here to get straight to my channel.
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This episode was brought to you by the power of optimism and the anticipation of talking about what I do.
I’ve been Rick McEvoy. Thanks again for listening to me and for giving me 10 minutes of your valuable time. I'll see you in the next episode.
Cheers from me, Rick