Industrial Images (Large Format)

[guyatou]

Industrial processes and facilities have always fascinated me. I just started a project making 4x5 images at local factories, and my first day of shooting was this week. (I'm trying to get access to a water treatment plant and a gas-fired electric plant, among other sites.)

Has anybody else shot industrial sites (interior or exterior) as either a commercial job, or from a fine art perspective? I've seen some great exterior night shots on here, but not many daytime or interior shots at all!

I'll post a few of mine from this week to get started. Let's see what you've got!

[guyatou]

131300
This factory in Oklahoma City currently makes pressure tanks for the natural gas industry. But they've made lots of things since 1910, including fire trucks!

[guyatou]

131301
The sense of scale and age of this factory is why I started the project here.

[guyatou]

131302
This image shows the age of the building. There's a lot of character!

[guyatou]

...comments and critiques of my work are welcome! Go easy on me, my comfort zone is typically photojournalism -- I'm still trying to get comfortable with fine art and large format.

[Tin Can]

Looks great, but some factories like the one I worked in for 30 years allowed no photography, ever. We had huge machines also. It would have been very cool...

Keep at at it, you have a rare window.

[guyatou]

Thanks, Randy! I used to sell memberships at a country club, I signed up one of the owners of the factory. That proved to be a perfect connection for a no-restrictions photo shoot!

[Tin Can]

Thanks, Randy! I used to sell memberships at a country club, I signed up one of the owners of the factory. That proved to be a perfect connection for a no-restrictions photo shoot!

It's who you know!

:)

[Gary Nylander]

http://www.garynylander.com/511-Razu-Welding.jpg

Razu Welding shop, Sooke, BC, Vancouver Island, Canada, Image #511 ( 2013 ) one of a series that I made from inside this machine shop.

[AtlantaTerry]

I have permission from a shop that refurbishes railroad steam engines. But the location is over 100 miles away and my car has been giving me transmission problems. So until the repairs are done, I don't want to risk a long drive then getting stuck somewhere along the way.

The idea is that I am going to try to create photographs in the style of a 1930s industrial photographer. The only difference is that I will be using strobes in place of flashbulbs.

Another idea I have is to photograph steam engines as well as railroad workers in the style of O. Winston Link. Again, I will be using strobes, not flashbulbs. I know a fellow at a major railroad who works in their media department. He has been trying to get me permission to do this but the higher-ups at corporate are (for now) not going along with my ideas because I don't yet have enough large format railroad action photos. A classic Catch-22.

When I have something to show, I will add them to this group.

[guyatou]

Gary -- Such wonderful natural light in these places. I've really enjoyed your work on Instagram, it's great to see it larger on the computer screen!

Terry -- I hope you are able to shoot at the steam engine shop. That sounds like a great project! I love old industrial photos from that era. Will look forward to seeing your images!

[johnmsanderson]

Some favorites from over the years...

http://www.john-sanderson.com/files/gimgs/28_untitled-project-john-sanderson-houses-and-steel-mill-buffalo-new-york.jpg

RVP 50, Nikon 300mm

http://www.john-sanderson.com/files/gimgs/28_untitled-project-john-sanderson-alden-house-road-flag-tank.jpg

Portra 160, Fujinon CM W 210

http://www.john-sanderson.com/files/gimgs/28_untitled-project-john-sanderson-willets-point-from-7-train.jpg

Provia 100F, Nikon 300mm

[guyatou]

Thanks for the post, John! The factory looming over a normal neighborhood is definitely my favorite. The roof peaks echo the round vents on the factory. Is the car repair area in NYC? I've seen photos from a place like that before, it's ripe with possibilities.

In other industrial photo news, my Nov/Dec 2014 copy of View Camera magazine just came in. There's a nice feature on Darren Clark's work at the Idaho National Laboratory. The images are now housed in the Library of Congress. Great photography, and an interesting subject.

[Vaughn]

Here are a couple that might qualify.

Pulp Mill, Humboldt Bay (16x20 silver gelatin from 4x5)
Round House, Samoa, CA (Silver gelatin contact from 11x14)

Took a tour of a new brewery facility here in Humboldt County on Tuesday. Might ask if I can take the 8x10 or 1114 in to photograph all the stainless steel in the place!

[Old-N-Feeble]

Vaughn... I like both of those but the second one really draws in the viewer with the receding lines/shapes/tones and the smoke going out to the corner is a wonderful anchor. I don't usually like the main subject centered but it definitely works for that image.

Have you considered doing some corner-burning with a bit more emphasis on the top corners and/or some feathered top edge (sky) burning? Perhaps a tiny bit of feathered bottom edge burning too?

[koraks]

Both would make gorgeous carbon transfers....

[johnmsanderson]

http://www.john-sanderson.com/files/gimgs/39_cleveland-mill.jpg

Cleveland Ohio

[D-tach]

http://www.john-sanderson.com/files/gimgs/39_cleveland-mill.jpg

Cleveland Ohio

I like the lighting and composition very much in this one, reminds me of Burtynsky!

[johnmsanderson]

Thanks Tom. Seeing Burt's Manufactured Landscapes prints in 2005 was a huge to me

[fishbulb]

Cleveland Ohio

Very nice! Great muted tones and colors. What film was this? Portra?

You might try cropping out the stop sign in the lower left, maybe the vertical light pole too, see how it looks.

[johnmsanderson]

Very nice! Great muted tones and colors. What film was this? Portra?

You might try cropping out the stop sign in the lower left, maybe the vertical light pole too, see how it looks.

Adam,

I tried cropping it but I hated losing some of the building. I actually like the crossing sign for where this fits in with my railroad landscapes.

This was on Kodak E100G chrome -- on the 8x10 camera with the Fujinon 600mm C. I have been trying to use this lens more and more since it has such a unique depth.

[AtlantaTerry]

Has anybody else shot industrial sites (interior or exterior) as either a commercial job ... ?

Yes.

Back in the '70s I had a commercial photography studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA, which is/was a large industrial area. One of my clients was an advertising agency which had a client (Harbison-Walker) that made what are called "refractory materials". A refractory is a special brick or clay-like substance that lines (for example) a steel mill blast furnace. The refractory absorbs the heat and abuse protecting the outer walls. I photographed steel mill electric arc furnaces, aluminum smelters, rotary kilns in cement plants and paper mills, carbon factories, etc. The work environment was often dirty, freezing cold or boiling hot (sometimes both on the same day), messy, etc. but I really enjoyed it. Of course, I was in my early 30s back then. LOL!!

Due to the needs of the client, I didn't use large format, all of those jobs were on 35mm and 120 transparency film. I also shot 16mm footage, too with Arri cameras.

Here is a link to some tear sheets that the advertising agency created for Harbison-Walker:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/terrythomasatlanta/sets/72157637864984003/

[Bob Mann]

Interior of an Erie Canal Lock's hydro power plant - 5x7 Ilford HP5

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[Bob Mann]

Two from Steamtown in Scranton, PA - can't get enough of old, black painted metal -

4x5 HP5 in Diafine

152480

152481

[tgtaylor]

Engine Room - Steamboat Eureka (1890)

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7378/28042325301_19a72bd008_o.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_(ferryboat)

Thomas

[yingye]

152510
Shanghai 4x5
Chamonix 045F
Gold dot dagor 210mm
Hc110 1:120 25min

[rjphil]

152514
This image is from a series I made in 2010 titled "The Last Bell Factory in America". These are buffing blocks, used to hold brass bells for hand buffing. It's my favorite image from the series. Tachihara 4x5, 320TX, PMK Pyro.

[Jim Cole]

Grainery

https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5164/5245023170_983841b227_o.jpg

[scheinfluger_77]

152514
This image is from a series I made in 2010 titled "The Last Bell Factory in America". These are buffing blocks, used to hold brass bells for hand buffing. It's my favorite image from the series. Tachihara 4x5, 320TX, PMK Pyro.

I can see why it's your favorite, I think it's really exceptional.

[seezee]

Yes.

Back in the '70s I had a commercial photography studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA, which is/was a large industrial area. One of my clients was an advertising agency which had a client (Harbison-Walker) that made what are called "refractory materials". A refractory is a special brick or clay-like substance that lines (for example) a steel mill blast furnace. The refractory absorbs the heat and abuse protecting the outer walls. I photographed steel mill electric arc furnaces, aluminum smelters, rotary kilns in cement plants and paper mills, carbon factories, etc. The work environment was often dirty, freezing cold or boiling hot (sometimes both on the same day), messy, etc. but I really enjoyed it. Of course, I was in my early 30s back then. LOL!!

Due to the needs of the client, I didn't use large format, all of those jobs were on 35mm and 120 transparency film. I also shot 16mm footage, too with Arri cameras.

Here is a link to some tear sheets that the advertising agency created for Harbison-Walker:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/terrythomasatlanta/sets/72157637864984003/

You're in good company. When I was researching Leica cameras & lenses before I purchased my M9-P, I devoured Thorsten Overgaard's blog. He documented a similar shoot here (http://www.overgaard.dk/the-story-behind-that-picture-0013_gb.html).

[seezee]

Two from Steamtown in Scranton, PA - can't get enough of old, black painted metal -

4x5 HP5 in Diafine

152480

152481

Nice! Reminds me of Margaret Bourke-White.

[seezee]

I can see why it's your favorite, I think it's really exceptional.

Agreed. This is a great image. I'm drawn to images of the man-made world that are abstract enough to cause momentary disorientation as the viewer attempts to sort out what s/he is looking at!

[austin granger]

https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5515/31130273671_d9536be715_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PqSMNp)Pipes, Hillsboro, Oregon (https://flic.kr/p/PqSMNp) by Austin Granger (https://www.flickr.com/photos/austingranger/), on Flickr

[chassis]

Austin I really like the composition. The elements feel substantial and well placed.

[austin granger]

Thanks. I honestly don't know what these pipes are about, but they were an interesting thing to run into in the middle of a field.

[IanG]

Kidderminster sugar beet factory last campaign before closure.

http://lostlabours.co.uk/sugar/images/beet_extraction_sm.jpg

http://lostlabours.co.uk/sugar/images/beet_extraction2_sm.jpg

Beet extraction drum from both ends of the building.

Ian

[chassis]

Good stuff gentlemen. Good exposures and composition. Will I gather the courage to ask my employer to photograph our operations?

[wojszyca]

Hello, please have a look at the shot from previous winter taken with the Wanderlust Travelwide on Shanghai GP3 and developed in HC-110:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/2/1675/24842050782_6c146aa7e0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/DRd1do)A coal mine. Czechowice-Dziedzice, Poland. RESCANNED (https://flic.kr/p/DRd1do) by Wojtek Mszyca (https://www.flickr.com/photos/wojszyca/), on Flickr

[RSalles]

Great shot!

[Miskanarhi]

Frosty gears of hydroelectric power plant.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/445/32076579775_0b3304239d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QSuRCT)
Frosty gears of hydroelectric power plant (https://flic.kr/p/QSuRCT) by Miska Närhi (https://www.flickr.com/photos/16987567@N02/)

Linhof Technika IV, Schneider APO Symmar 240mm f/5.6

Shot on 4x5 Delta 100@100 and developed in D-76 1+1 for 12 minutes.

[seezee]

Frosty gears of hydroelectric power plant.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/445/32076579775_0b3304239d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/QSuRCT)
Frosty gears of hydroelectric power plant (https://flic.kr/p/QSuRCT) by Miska Närhi (https://www.flickr.com/photos/16987567@N02/)

Linhof Technika IV, Schneider APO Symmar 240mm f/5.6

Shot on 4x5 Delta 100@100 and developed in D-76 1+1 for 12 minutes.

<3 <3 <3!

[chassis]

Well done.

[aapov27]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/313/32329064276_ed3a2f5a58_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RfNUtW)Door (https://flic.kr/p/RfNUtW) by Alex Povaliy (https://www.flickr.com/photos/povaliy/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/608/32247983931_fba591269b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/R8Dm7X)Two (https://flic.kr/p/R8Dm7X) by Alex Povaliy (https://www.flickr.com/photos/povaliy/), on Flickr

[bobbotron]

<3 <3 <3!

Seconded, very nice!

[FishyFishArcade]

Chamonix 045N-1
Fujinon NW 135mm f/5.6
Ilford HP5+

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553410745_395d0bff67_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2pAkef2)
Standing silent (https://flic.kr/p/2pAkef2) by fishyfish_arcade (https://www.flickr.com/photos/fishyfish/), on Flickr

[phdgent]

All shot on Provia with Linhof Kardan GT 4"x5" and Schneider and Rodenstock lenses:

https://www.photoeil.be/commercial-work/power-plants.html

[FishyFishArcade]

Chamonix 045N-1
Fujinon NW 135mm f/5.6
Ilford HP5+

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53555460909_5a0895f6db_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2pAvJFF)
Gated power (https://flic.kr/p/2pAvJFF) by fishyfish_arcade (https://www.flickr.com/photos/fishyfish/), on Flickr

[Martin Aislabie]

Chamonix 045N-1
Fujinon NW 135mm f/5.6
Ilford HP5+

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553410745_395d0bff67_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2pAkef2)
Standing silent (https://flic.kr/p/2pAkef2) by fishyfish_arcade (https://www.flickr.com/photos/fishyfish/), on Flickr

Both are great but FWIW, I prefer this one.
Martin

[Mick Fagan]

FFA I like both as well, but I prefer the Gated Power for it's simplicity.

[FishyFishArcade]

Both are great but FWIW, I prefer this one.
Martin

Thanks Martin.

[FishyFishArcade]

FFA I like both as well, but I prefer the Gated Power for it's simplicity.

Thanks Mick. I think the composition is more interesting in this one, but I also like the sense of scale in Standing Silent.

The site is scheduled for demolition this year so I'm hoping to get out there to take more pictures before it's gone.

[Don Dudenbostel]

Flour milling, shot around 1974. The milling machine image was with my8x10 Deardorff snd B&L Protar VIIa. Bothe front and back cells were around 12” FL. Exposure was metered but had to use the wild guess fudge factor and wound up with a 10 minute exposure at f128 or so. Anyway it was stopped all the way down. To show you how imperfections often don’t hurt a lens, the front element looked like someone had put a flat blade screwdriver on the center of the element and tapped it pretty good with a hammer. Honestly I never saw any issues with the images this lens produced and I shot many with it. AnywY I had to shoot from outside through an open window because the old building shook terribly when the machines were running. The film was TXP in HC110 B I think.


Second image was with my Sinar Norma around 1974. Probably shot with an early convertible 210 Symmar. I’m pretty sure the film was a TX film pack.

[Don Dudenbostel]

A small local lumber mill. Shot in the late 90’s with my Sinar Norma 5x7 and 240 G Claron.

[guyatou]

Thanks for reviving this thread, FishyFishArcade. Your work and Don's here are outstanding!

[FishyFishArcade]

Thanks for reviving this thread, FishyFishArcade. Your work and Don's here are outstanding!

Thank you. That's very kind of you to say.

[CNixon]

Very interesting place. I love the one of the giant bright green tank.

[Iga]

Great shot !
I think it would be even better if you crop a foreground a bit for square format.
Just my opinion.


Chamonix 045N-1
Fujinon NW 135mm f/5.6
Ilford HP5+

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53555460909_5a0895f6db_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2pAvJFF)
Gated power (https://flic.kr/p/2pAvJFF) by fishyfish_arcade (https://www.flickr.com/photos/fishyfish/), on Flickr

[Mick Fagan]

Wheat Silo, Lake Cargellico NSW

Shen Hao HZX45-IIA
Fufinon f/5.6 65mm
Centre graduated filter.
FP4+ D76 1:1
1/15 at f/22


I tripped the shutter just as a very small cloud covered the very top centre of the roof, a perfect dulling effect.


247187

[bmikiten]

When I was doing commercial work, I photographed industrial and R&D lasers, combines, huge machines used to seperate materials and even chair manufacturing plants. The one thing that opened up that market was having my OSHA-30 certification for safety. Once the client knew that I had my hard hat, steel toed shoes, safety vest, etc. things were much simpler when it came to getting access. One job begat another....

[FishyFishArcade]

Great shot !
I think it would be even better if you crop a foreground a bit for square format.
Just my opinion.

Thanks Igor. I've had someone else make the same suggestion elsewhere and I think you may be right.

[FrancisR]

Nice shots FishyFishArcade.
Are you happy with your Fujinon 135mm when shooting landscape or buildings ? I'm looking for a wide angle and seeking advices :)...

[bgh]

I too am glad that this thread has been revived--I really enjoy industrial images, both to view and to take. It is timely, too, as I just posted to my site a selection of photos from my HABS documentation of the historic L Street Power Station in South Boston, MA, a conglomeration of four power generation facilities built between 1898 and the 1960s. Herewith a couple of samples, from the generator room of the 1898 powerhouse. Both on the Horseman L45 camera and Tmax 400, the first from the generator room floor with a Fujinon 90mm and the second from a balcony above with a Fujinon 150mm.

Bruce

247206247207

[Martin Aislabie]

I too am glad that this thread has been revived--I really enjoy industrial images, both to view and to take. It is timely, too, as I just posted to my site a selection of photos from my HABS documentation of the historic L Street Power Station in South Boston, MA, a conglomeration of four power generation facilities built between 1898 and the 1960s. Herewith a couple of samples, from the generator room of the 1898 powerhouse. Both on the Horseman L45 camera and Tmax 400, the first from the generator room floor with a Fujinon 90mm and the second from a balcony above with a Fujinon 150mm.

Bruce

247206247207

These are lovely
Martin

[FishyFishArcade]

Nice shots FishyFishArcade.
Are you happy with your Fujinon 135mm when shooting landscape or buildings ? I'm looking for a wide angle and seeking advices :)...

Thanks Francis.

Yes, I'm happy with the lens. I got it with my first LF camera, so didn't have much choice in the matter, but the images seem sharp (to my eye) and the lens is nice and compact - especially in comparison with the 90mm and 210mm f/5.6 lenses I have access to at present.

[bgh]

These are lovely
Martin

Thank you, Martin! it is a remarkable space, but my gosh, it was cold in there when I did these photos!

[FrancisR]

Thanks Francis.

Yes, I'm happy with the lens. I got it with my first LF camera, so didn't have much choice in the matter, but the images seem sharp (to my eye) and the lens is nice and compact - especially in comparison with the 90mm and 210mm f/5.6 lenses I have access to at present.

Thanks. It's very tempting, especially considering that it is a quite affordable lens.

[Don Dudenbostel]

Industrial processes and facilities have always fascinated me. I just started a project making 4x5 images at local factories, and my first day of shooting was this week. (I'm trying to get access to a water treatment plant and a gas-fired electric plant, among other sites.)

Has anybody else shot industrial sites (interior or exterior) as either a commercial job, or from a fine art perspective? I've seen some great exterior night shots on here, but not many daytime or interior shots at all!

I'll post a few of mine from this week to get started. Let's see what you've got!

I did a lot of industrial work for clients over fifty years. I worked for the department of energy for a couple of years in really interesting projects but unfortunately a lot were classified and couldn’t take the negs even if they weren’t classified.

I have a lot of images that are smaller format or digital and may start a small format thread in that section. It would be a nice complement to this one.

Nice shots here.

[ericantonio]

I too am glad that this thread has been revived--I really enjoy industrial images, both to view and to take. It is timely, too, as I just posted to my site a selection of photos from my HABS documentation of the historic L Street Power Station in South Boston, MA, a conglomeration of four power generation facilities built between 1898 and the 1960s. Herewith a couple of samples, from the generator room of the 1898 powerhouse. Both on the Horseman L45 camera and Tmax 400, the first from the generator room floor with a Fujinon 90mm and the second from a balcony above with a Fujinon 150mm.

Bruce

247206247207

NICE!!!
I worked as an assitant one time and we went to New Jersey to photograph on of them fancy 30 yard long printing presses (back in the 80's). They couldn't stop the run but we had a hard time getting the right exposure cause the floor constantly vibrated from the machinery. Was this thing "OFF" or "ON"?

[bgh]

NICE!!!
I worked as an assitant one time and we went to New Jersey to photograph on of them fancy 30 yard long printing presses (back in the 80's). They couldn't stop the run but we had a hard time getting the right exposure cause the floor constantly vibrated from the machinery. Was this thing "OFF" or "ON"?

Thanks, Eric! Very kind you to say. Alas, this generator, built and installed 1898, has been "off" for a very long time indeed. I was there to document the plant prior to its removal.

That being said, I have done a fair bit of work at hydroelectric powerhouses. When the units are generating, vibration definitely is a concern!

Bruce

[Louie Powell]

Retired engineer here - I was involved in planning and design for facilities like this for most of my professional career. So I have an affection for the subject.

Two of my favorite books are Structure by Tillman Crane, and an Edition Stimmle monograph titled Industrial Interiors by Ferit Kuyas. Both feature very carefully crafted images of industrial facilities. It's a great subject to photograph. Tillman was more interested in the form of industrial devices - shapes, shadows and textures. And while the book is wonderful, the original prints (all Pt/Pd) are breathtaking. Kuyas was more interested in industrial spaces - power plants, breweries, grain mills, etc (all in Europe) - and he appears to have devoted a great deal of time to cleaning the spaces he photographed - not a bit of clutter anywhere.