Getting Started with Construction Photography

[devshot]

Hi! First-time poster here.

I have a background in real estate finance and development and the construction process has always fascinated me. It makes for the perfect subject because you can capture the evolution of a project over time. I'd like to use this passion and combine it with my desire to get more experience with photography.

My first question for the community is: how do I get started with construction/development photography if I'm starting from scratch? I know this is broad, but here's a few specifics:

* Is my gear good enough to get started?
* What should I photograph to start? Just find projects and stand on the sidewalk and shoot them?
* Where should I publish my work for building a portfolio?
* How should I go about getting better access to projects?

I have a Canon T2I w/ 50MM and Tamron 18-270 lens.

THANK YOU!

 

[dunfly]

I am in real estate also and do a lot of consulting, appraisal and construction inspections, so I am always taking pictures of buildings. What you have should work fine. The only lens I would add is a wide angle lens like a Tokina 11-16, 2.8. You will need the wider field of view for interior shots.

If you are shooting residential construction, just carry a clip board and a camera and you could walk on to any site. No one would pay any attention to you. Of course, this is technically trespassing. You are not likely to get into a commercial site without permission. I would just ask for the job site supervisor, tell him what you are doing and ask it you can enter and take photos. He will either say yes or no, but he is unlikely to hit you. Of course, if you are in New York, he is more likely to hit you.

 

[tirediron]

...
* Is my gear good enough to get started?
* What should I photograph to start? Just find projects and stand on the sidewalk and shoot them?
* Where should I publish my work for building a portfolio?
* How should I go about getting better access to projects?

-A cell 'phone is good enough to get started. Is your gear optimal? Perhaps not, but it will get you going and it will also teach you to work within its limits. I'm not a huge fan of using a UWA for interior shots because of the distortion they create, unless you can get into something like a Nikon 14-24. My preference is for panoramic images. This takes more time (sometimes a LOT more) but it produces a much more natural looking result.

-I would look for a project that you could document without site access to start. Something where you could get good exterior views and where you could be sure of setting up at the same place each time. This would allow you to create a time-lapse series which is a great way to document a project.

-Start with social media and an attractive, well SEO'd website.

-Wait until you've got something to show people. Construction sites are usually well controlled and contrary to what @dunfly states above, I suspect in all but the largest jobs, you'd stand out like a sore thumb. As well, it is tresspassing and is likely to get you escorted off the property with direction to never return. The biggest issue, from the construction company's point of view is that you wouldn't wouldn't be covered by insurance/workmen's comp/etc, wouldn't have had required safety briefings and wouldn't have a clue what was going on. In short, walking on to a site without permission is, IMO a really, really, really BAD plan. Once you've got some decent work to show, THEN approach companies, explain what you're doing and ask for permission in exchange for photos.

 

[Jamesaz]

When you reach the place where you feel like looking for work, consider contacting the architect or general engineer/contractor. Try convincing them of the historical value of having a consistent set of photos of the project, archived with descriptions of what is pictured, in engineers language. If a secure location were available, time lapse could be offered.
At construction sites, safety is paramount. Camera gear aside, you'll need to invest in steel toe boots and carhart pants.

 

[devshot]

This is awesome feedback. Given that I live in a dense urban environment in Los Angeles, walking onto job sites is not going to happen for the reasons you mentioned above. I'd be willing to be that even standing on the sidewalk in front a project will draw some attention by the folks in the area, given the contentious nature of development in this city. At least it is public space and I have a right to be there.

I will look into the Tokina 11-16, 2.8. Will this let me get shots like below where I'm fairly close to a vertically tall subject?

Please do post images to which you do not hold rights. You may post links.

Looks like the photographer used a tilt shift lens for this: TS-E17mm f/4L

 

[dennybeall]

I'm retired but do some construction progress shots for builders to get their next draw from a remote finance operation.
I find that if I dress OK, carry my big camera with external flash and wide angle lens, nobody says a word to me. On commercial sites I wear a hard hat and clean boots.
The 11-18mm lens on the crop-sensor camera does the job inside and outside. The external flash works better since the built-in flash throws a shadow off the front of the wide-angle lens.

 

[AlanKlein]

The prescient comments about insurance and workmen's comp mentioned above will keep you off sites by the general contractor and others. Construction sites are dangerous places to wonder about especially not knowing where you're going and what you're doing. You really need to get hired by one of the stakeholders. My suggestion would be to find a company already doing it and see if they would hire you to help out and then learn the ropes from them. Of course they might see you as a future competitor. Another option would be to provide photos for small construction contractors who might be more amenable if you provide photos they could use to sell their construction business. Once you get together a portfolio, you can approach larger architects, and construction companies as well as building owners. How about taking pictures of completed buildings that you can wonder through without permission and take pictures? It would help your portfolio and give you practice..

 

[TCampbell]

One tip about using wide-angle lenses to shoot buildings...

At wide-angles (this isn't noticed at narrow angles), if the lens isn't "level" (front to back ... in other words the lens isn't tilted upward or downward) then any "vertical" lines (corners, posts, windows or door frames, etc.) will appear to pinch/lean inward or spread outward.

If you want parallel vertical lines ... then keep the lens level.

But if the building is tall, this creates a new problem in that you wont be able to get the top of the building in the frame. The lens would need to be pointed upward to capture the top of the building... which means it isn't level anymore and the building's corners will appear to pinch inward as you follow those lines up; creating the illusion that the building is leaning back.

The "shift" feature of tilt-shift lenses fixes that problem... but these are $2k+ lenses. However another way to solve the problem is just shoot with a lot of extra space on the sides of your structure so that you have room to crop the photo. You can then use editing software. The transform feature (lens correction) will let you perform a "keystone" type correction to make the buildings look normal again.

 

[Designer]

* Is my gear good enough to get started?
* What should I photograph to start? Just find projects and stand on the sidewalk and shoot them?
* Where should I publish my work for building a portfolio?
* How should I go about getting better access to projects?

Frankly, I wonder about your goal? This seems to be an odd genre in which to specialize, and to what end? If it is merely something you're interested in, then talking to the job superintendent should make it a lot easier. I do not recommend going onto a construction site without at least talking to someone. You will find that some builders don't want any cameras around recording their every move. It's a good way to get yelled at or get arrested for trespassing.

gear: Got steel-toe boots and a hardhat?
subject: Single-family residential.
publish: Create your own website.
access: Talk and ask. Be ready to give a believable reason why you want to go onto the job site.