Completion Photography for Arrow Point Bolton
VolkerFitzpatrick commissioned me to provide ground and drone completion photography of AP1 and AP2 at Arrow Point Bolton. The finished images were required for the company’s portfolio, tender submissions and project communications.
The brief was concise: completed exterior photography of both logistics units from ground level and the air. Having reviewed my previous construction work, VolkerFitzpatrick trusted me to determine the viewpoints and coverage needed without a detailed shot list.
Knowing What the Client Needed Without a Detailed Shot List
The brief did not need to list every elevation, detail or aerial viewpoint. Having photographed many logistics, cladding and steel projects, I knew the coverage VolkerFitzpatrick would need for an accurate completion record and for stronger portfolio and tender images.
I planned the ground photography around correct perspective, the direction of the light and the angles that best showed the materials, workmanship and scale of each unit. The drone coverage was planned to show the roofs, photovoltaic panels and the relationship between AP1 and AP2 within the completed development.
Planning Around Weather, Access and Drone Restrictions
The original date was forecast to bring thunderstorms, which would have compromised both the ground photography and the drone coverage. I contacted VolkerFitzpatrick in advance and offered alternative dates with dry weather and sunny spells so the completed development could be photographed properly.
The site sits close to a main road and Bolton Wanderers’ stadium, so the drone work also required careful pre-flight planning. On arrival, I signed in with security, met my two VolkerFitzpatrick contacts and was then trusted to work independently around the site.
Photographing the Development as a Complete Delivery
I photographed Arrow Point as a complete VolkerFitzpatrick delivery rather than concentrating only on the main elevations. The finished set included the entrances, loading areas, external works, landscaping and amenity spaces, as well as the broader architectural views of AP1 and AP2.
Showing both the major structures and the smaller completed details gave VolkerFitzpatrick a more useful record of the project and a stronger range of images for portfolio, tender and communications use.
Using Drone Photography to Show the Roofs and Wider Development
The drone coverage was essential for showing features that could not be recorded properly from ground level. I photographed the rooftop photovoltaic arrays, the scale of each unit and the relationship between AP1 and AP2 within the wider development.
One of the strongest viewpoints showed the roof and solar panels of one unit while keeping the second building visible in context. The aerial coverage also recorded the quality of finish across areas that clients and end users would not normally see from ground level, giving VolkerFitzpatrick both a clear completion record and stronger images for sustainability, portfolio and tender communications.
From ground level, the completed buildings read as large, carefully detailed logistics units. From the air, the scale of the roofs, photovoltaic arrays and wider site becomes much clearer.
Combining both viewpoints gave VolkerFitzpatrick a more complete visual record of the project and a stronger set of images for different uses, rather than relying on one type of photography alone.
How VolkerFitzpatrick Used the Finished Images
VolkerFitzpatrick used the completed photography throughout its own announcement of the Arrow Point Bolton development. The ground-level exterior selected as the main feature image was supported by further ground and aerial views showing the scale of the scheme, the relationship between both units and the rooftop photovoltaic arrays.
Seeing the photographs used across the client’s own project communications confirmed that the combined ground and drone coverage gave them the range they needed, rather than a collection of similar views with limited use.
Using Light to Show Design and Workmanship
The red entrance framing was one of the strongest architectural features on the development. In direct sunlight, the finish became particularly vivid against the silver and dark grey cladding, giving the elevation a clear focal point.
I also photographed the profiled cladding and smaller material details at close range. This helped record the quality of the completed finish as well as the wider architectural design.
The red entrance framing caught the sunlight strongly, creating a clear contrast with the silver and grey finish of the second unit. I chose this viewpoint because it showed the entrance detail in context while also linking AP1 and AP2 within the completed development.
Client Feedback
“Thanks for that James, they’ve all come through now and look great!”
— Tom, VolkerFitzpatrick
Victoria also thanked me for the work and said she would be in touch about further projects, giving a clear indication that the finished images and the way the commission was handled met VolkerFitzpatrick’s expectations.
Need Completion Photography for a Logistics or Industrial Project?
I provide professionally planned ground and drone photography for completed construction projects across the UK. I can help define the coverage, coordinate access and work independently on site to produce a useful set of images for portfolios, tenders and project communications.