Documenting Bridge Building: A Photographer’s Viewpoint
Documenting bridge building is in essence, construction progress and construction progress photography is one of the most important aspects of the industry. It allows companies to showcase the work they’ve done over the past few months or years to their investors and the public. Progress photography is a way to visually show the project’s overall trajectory leading up to the finish line. The best photos for this are usually “before-and-after” shots, which show how the project has progressed since the start date.
Construction Photographer
Being a Construction photographer has provided me with many interesting and challenging opportunities, both in a creative and technical aspect. As a Commercial Photographer you are forever evolving with the ever changing demands and needs of your clients. I have worked with many construction companies , however, there is one particular client to whom I am particularly grateful. That client, is Derek Pierce, owner of J&D Pierce Contracts Ltd. I am thankful not just for the volume of work but for also the sheer variety and scale of the projects, you never really know what is coming next. It could be an Aircraft Hangar, Football Stadium, Hotel, Railway Station, Automotive Dealership, or as in this case… a Bridge!
Bridge Construction Photographer
Had I never worked as a construction photographer and remained solely as a Commercial Photographer ( photographing buildings / interiors / hotels and products) I would have had no idea of the scale of the amount of work involved in bridge building. Obviously they can be massive, so its easy to assume its a lot of work but you really cant appreciate the amount of work involved until you start to photograph the small details. I guess its a bit like moving house, it’s easy to move the sofa and big furniture but how do you sort all the small things, it takes ages!
I cut my Construction Photographer skills via Steel Fabrication. Steel fabrication photography is a crucial part of the construction industry. Steel is used to build everything from skyscrapers to bridges, cars to cranes. It’s an integral part of the world we live in today, and the demand for it is only growing. In fact, the construction industry accounts for approximately 10% of all steel produced globally each year. I fit into this by photographing, quite often, the early stages of the project, right through to completion. Sometimes this can take place over a series of months, or in the case of Silverstone Bridge at Towcester, three years.
Steel Fabrication Photography
This is where my photographing of the bridge building begins. Taking photographs of steel fabrication , in particular, large projects, like a bridge is truly fascinating. I hope through the series of images in this blog, you will enjoy seeing the progress through hard work, incredible skill and the ‘work in all weather’ achievements of the skilled men who do this job.
Silverstone Bridge Facts
The bridge is 90m long. It comprises of 3 sections each weighing in at 110t.
Silverstone Bridge- pre build of the bridge at J&D Pierce Contracts Ltd.
Silverstone Bridge: Beginning of Bridge Construction
As I mentioned earlier, these skilled men work at all times of day, in all conditions. I know that, because I am there too, taking photographs of the Bridge Construction. After taking photographs of the delivery of the steel sections and the temporary works over 2 days, I can confirm that working through howling winds and pouring rain, even in the dark, is not much fun but the job needs to be done regardless. The wind was so strong that I remember going to the portable loos ( a large portakabin), you almost felt seasick with the motion of the cabin being rocked by the strong winds. When I was finished photographing for the night, around 10 am, I left feeling nothing but total admiration for these men and other men and women around the country, who put so much of their skill and effort into these projects.
Bridge Building Photographs- Temporary Works
Silverstone Bridge: Parametric Glass Delivery.
As a result of working on site with JD Pierce, Carey Glass were looking for a photographer to record delivery of the special glass onsite at Silverstone. I was recommended and was fortunate enough to get the job. I was delighted as I was following this project with interest, being a motoring fan myself. I was requested to get images of the glass arriving , take images of the trailers loaded with glass as close to trackside as possible, we also managed to get some good images of the off- loading too. You can see some of the images below, the client Carey Glass were delighted with the results and left us a great review on Google, ( thanks Carey Glass).
Silverstone Bridge: Photography of final days’ assembly.
Final assembly took place over the course of a Friday and Saturday. The light was good, the wind was cool. It’s obvious by watching the J&D Pierce staff that this kind of operation is second nature to them. I know the team well and they assist me in safely getting into the right spots, so I can get the images I want to get and remain as safe as possible. Its an environment I am very familiar with too as this is almost a daily occurrence for me being on a Construction Site somewhere in the UK.
Construction Photographer – CSCS Card
Should you have need of a Construction or Commercial Photographer then please get in touch. We cover the whole of the UK, have our CSCS card and own Yellow/ Orange PPE, Boots, Goggles, Gloves. We can also provide you with aerial photography and Videos for your Company Overview, Heath&Safety/ Induction Videos and Toolbox Talks. Our Contact details are below. You van read Google Reviews of our work here.
Construction photography examples
You can view examples of other projects we have covered here, its not an extensive list ( would take up too much space/ speed) but it will give you a good idea of our capabilities.
More Silverstone Circuit Bridge News: you can read more news here.
You can view more examples of our Steel Fabrication Photography here:
uk construction photography contact details: Call/ Email James or Ed on:
07817 512 234
Email:info@ukconstructionphotography.co.uk