Equipment Used in Industrial Photography
Industrial photography is an exciting and broad-ranged field that includes photographic images made both inside and outside the workplace or factory. Often, large-format cameras are used to take the picture, and it is important to remember that a high-quality black and white image can tell the story just as well as a color picture.
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Outside the Building
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Workplace buildings are for the most part functional structures, which are built so the task at hand can be accomplished with the maximum of ease. The design of such a building can vary greatly from a tall high-rise filled with small cubicles to a one-story factory or warehouse that covers as much ground as a football field. Photographing a building from the outside takes a lot of effort and a careful study of the lighting conditions. For commercial purposes, many photographers use cameras that take a larger size of film than the standard 35mm, and they often mount the camera on a tripod before taking the picture.
Interior Shots
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Interior pictures can vary greatly from making close-up pictures of manufactured products to revealing the interior space of various types of commercial buildings. Again, larger format cameras are preferred for still shots, but a 35mm camera is sometimes used for scenes that involve human activity. It is also possible to use a handheld camera that takes 120-roll film for indoor pictures with people. These are intermediate cameras in which the film size has been increased, but the camera can still be handheld to make clear pictures. Cameras that use plate film need to be set on a tripod.
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Interior Lighting
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Natural lighting may be used in some instances, but much interior photography requires the use of artificial lighting. When shooting indoors, it is usually best to set up your own lights that create a situation where you can still use daylight film. This means your lights need to be the same temperature as daylight film. In a few instances, it might be better to use a Tungsten film rather than setting up your own lighting system. For instance, if you are shooting in a large, indoor space with no natural lighting, then you might consider using the Tungsten film.
Tripod
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A tripod will, by necessity, become an important item for the industrial photographer to use, whether he is shooting indoors under artificial lights or outside during daylight hours. The tripod is a three-legged stand that supports the camera while the film is being exposed. By mounting a camera to a tripod (each item should have the appropriate mounts and inserts to make this possible), the photographer lessens the chance of camera movement and a blurry picture. As the film sizes increase, the more imperative it is to use a tripod to support and stabilize the camera. Also note that, with a tripod, it is possible to set a camera at many different angles or to adjust the height of the camera.
Digital
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Digital cameras have increased dramatically in their ability to produce a high-quality image. The digital cameras that are used for professional purposes are the more expensive SLR (single lens reflex) models. These cameras look a lot like their film counterparts except the image is stored in a digital format. For professional quality, it is usually necessary to purchase a camera that stores the image in the RAW format.
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