T
rudy Schuringa approaches the challenges of
industrial photography with an artist’s relish.
Her mission? To make a scene that might be
considered by many people mundane into an
interesting, approachable, and engaging photo. Each assignment
is about more than supplying images to meet a client’s requests,
she says, it is also about finding “colour, forms and patterns.”
Emma Cross enjoys working in industrial photography
because she likes finding out how things work, especially on
building sites, an interest she discovered while on retainer
for Lend Lease, documenting their construction of Victoria
Harbour in Melbourne’s Docklands. With a background in
architectural photography, her instinct is that a building should
be as perfect and clean as possible, but it has taken her a long
time to get used to including mess and rubbish as part of a
composition and to stop removing it in post production.
Asking questions deepens Cross’ understanding of the
work and processes on a site, she says, which helps her finesse
the shots. Large sites are difficult to frame, especially when
different areas are laid out separately from each other for
safety reasons. If the budget allows, an aerial shot is often the
best solution. Another option is to tell a story in a sequence ofshots that supporting text may explain in full detail.
“I’m trying to show how buildings, machinery, or processes
work, to people who may have no understanding of what I
am photographing.” Says Cross. “Instead of making pretty
pictures, I’m trying to show how things work in a literal
sense. Of course, I’m still trying to make my compositions
interesting but I have to be mindful that what I find
interesting may not tell the story properly.”
Lighting is also important in her work, she explains, because
she relies on light to cast shadows and articulate an object.
Often there are no strong shadows in a shed or warehouse and
she almost always shoots using available light, walking around an
object taking three or four different shots of it until she find one
that works.58 AUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Industry
in Action
EXPERT ADVICE Industrial Photography
From underground mines
to our cities’ newest
skyscrapers, industrial
photographers have the task
of documenting industry in
action. Rob Ditessa talks to
three leading professionals
about the challenges and
rewards.AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY MARCH 2016