Shooting Plant Rooms

I wonder if anyone has examples of creatively shot plant rooms or ideas along those lines? One of our clients has asked for "interesting" shots of his plant and machinery rooms in a new building

Knowing these places, they are mazes of pipes, gray/red/white boxes with assorted and esoteric functions. I'll try the usual shadow DoF to highlight gauges, pipe joints etc. plus gelled strobes to give it a bit of life but beyond that .... Also not got long there as I have a whole day to the the complete building plus interiors.

Any ideas warmly welcomed.

Mike

bunyarra wrote in post #10724095
I wonder if anyone has examples of creatively shot plant rooms or ideas along those lines? One of our clients has asked for "interesting" shots of his plant and machinery rooms in a new building

Knowing these places, they are mazes of pipes, gray/red/white boxes with assorted and esoteric functions. I'll try the usual shadow DoF to highlight gauges, pipe joints etc. plus gelled strobes to give it a bit of life but beyond that .... Also not got long there as I have a whole day to the the complete building plus interiors.

Any ideas warmly welcomed.

Mike

The best way to do it would be to spend some time with the client, in the environment, learn about how it works, what it does and what bits of equipment are important and meaningful and which ones are not.

Moppie wrote in post #10724133
The best way to do it would be to spend some time with the client, in the environment, learn about how it works, what it does and what bits of equipment are important and meaningful and which ones are not.

Thanks Andrew. We are indeed doing a full client walk-through on the day. Even knowing the plant items, I was struggling creatively with conceptualising "interesting" ways of depicting the items and still allow the client to use them in brochures as examples of such machinery in situ

This is the type of environment (generic equip. manufacturers image not mine/clients) :

bunyarra wrote in post #10724193
Thanks Andrew. We are indeed doing a full client walk-through on the day. Even knowing the plant items, I was struggling creatively with conceptualising "interesting" ways of depicting the items and still allow the client to use them in brochures as examples of such machinery in situ

This is the type of environment (generic equip. manufacturers image not mine/clients) :

I have a feeling it will be down to creative lighting ... answering my own question.

Yeah its a tricky one.

What do they want the images for?
That will ultimately determine how creative you can get in relation to how technically accurate you need to be.

Moppie wrote in post #10724203
Yeah its a tricky one.

What do they want the images for?
That will ultimately determine how creative you can get in relation to how technically accurate you need to be.

It was a "we what it black and white but really colourful" type answer. It is to be creatively shot but used in brochures to depict the actual work they do .... so, trick lighting + gels gives a creative look but does not match the real world. I did point this out but was told to my best <grin>. Perhaps a bevvy of luvery ladies holding spanners and twiddling with the HVAC might do the job <ponders that thought>

What fun .... never boring this work.

bunyarra wrote in post #10725506
It was a "we what it black and white but really colourful" type answer. It is to be creatively shot but used in brochures to depict the actual work they do .... so, trick lighting + gels gives a creative look but does not match the real world. I did point this out but was told to my best <grin>. Perhaps a bevvy of luvery ladies holding spanners and twiddling with the HVAC might do the job <ponders that thought>

What fun .... never boring this work.

Sounds like they want to show off with out showing off what is they are showing off!

I've worked for a couple of companies like that, generally after lots of failed attempts it's always been decided that if it's not pretty enough to photography, don't photography it. Although this is usually come after lots of expensive attempts to photography it "creatively".

Gelled flashes, dynamic angles, and unconventional lens choices are your friend here.

this would be a super fun assignment for me. try to get a guy working on one of the rigs, throw some gels around, etc.

for great examples of lighting boring places beautifully, read joe mcnally's 'the hot shoe diaries'

Keep in mind they may want you to not reveal too much about their equipment and process because of competitors getting information that could help them compete.

From what you've said, I'd want at least two days for that, & maybe more. It depends on how well you can pin them down to exactly what they need (as opposed to what they think they want.) And, forget the "they" part. You need ONE decision maker to sign off on the shot list that you submit before you book the shoot. You will have one, right? This is a must have item. A "full client walk-through on the day" should be done before the shoot day(s). Take a rough reference shot for each situation showing the angle you think will work best. Get a verbal OK on it. This will speed up the actual shoot because then you can concentrate on the lighting.
Shoot each location with, & without an appropriate person in the image.

Second, you need to have a person assigned to go with you when you shoot to smooth the way, get crap moved, watch your back, & maybe hold the occasional strobe. This is not a negotiable item, either.

I rarely try to shoot anything like this in one exposure. Using HDR techniques with supplemental lighting can get creative effects you can't get in one exposure. Trying different gels, light placements, etc. will give you more options in post processing. A good sturdy tripod is a must, remote triggering of the camera is a good idea. I always shoot tethered which isn't necessary but helps a bunch.

Wide angle+multiple gelled flashes!
Joe Mcnally did a factory shoot in his book "Hot-shoe diaries".
Alot of his info is Nikon based, but his lighting techniques are right on.