First paid industrial shoot

Photoshop some safety glasses on forklift operator ?

SAB,

At this facility they do not wear PPE like they do at other places. I worked in a heavy industrial aluminum forging facility that required everyone to wear metatarsal boots, high-visability vests, hard hards, glasses, ear protection, etc... But here, they are allowed to wear shorts and do not require the safety items (in shipping). In the other areas of the plant they do require ear plugs and other equipment, but not for the forklift drivers at that area.

Steve

In the UK we sometimes appear to have gone H&S crazy...but I know in other countries they are at the other extreme too. If the owners of the facility decide that way of working is acceptable then fine, the point I was trying to make was that with industrial/commercial photography people will consciously or sub-consciously judge an organisation by what they see in a photograph and as such the photographer (and client!) need to keep a careful eye out for things in the image that would potentially give a negative impression. In the case of the fork truck operator it may say 'sloppy health and safety' to one person and to another 'relaxed and easy going work environment'...who is right and who is wrong...more importantly, what corporate image wants to be portrayed?

Pictures being used in a web environment are easily changed if a mistake or embarrassment is subsequently noticed, but pictures printed in brochures or magazine articles cannot be so easily recalled. I wasn't passing negative judgement on this company or indeed your picture, more highlighting the kind of thing to keep a watchful eye for.

I think factories are great - I wish me had more of them over here!

I'm not sure how the photos will be used, the context, but if it were my company I would like the workers smiling. Especially for advertising. Everyone you shot looks depressed. Otherwise they look good.

The photos are going to be used in a magazine showing the production of their products, equipment, etc... They wanted the images to show the process at which the parts are made, packaged, shipped, etc... Not for advertising purposes per say. They are also using other images taken by another photographer as well for the writeup. It is going to be about the company for the 75th anniversary. The images they had prior were not very good at all, which is why they wanted me to re-take them before sending off to the editor of the magazine next week. For example, one image was of pipes laying on the ground (versus the one I have with the crane operator lowering them onto the cradle to move to the truck). The other image they had was of the lady boxing the small metal parts sitting down... They had the image from the back almost looking over her shoulder, which was pretty boring IMO. I thought putting the camera in front of her gave a much better look at what she was doing. Those are two examples.

Appreciate the feedback! The images were sent to her this morning, waiting on feedback (which may take some time as she is out of town). But I will let you all know how it goes!

I think you did a pretty good job might i ask.

Thanks!

I offered to re-take the shot, if there is time, of the forklift driver for them due to the eyes being closed. Mind you, all 20 images or so he is doing the same exact thing and I did not catch it due to my distance from him (using 70-200 quite a ways down the aisle), battling my lens condensation issues and all that... But I offered to retake it for them (no charge of course) if they can't use the image as is.

So we shall see!