With 10 years of experience in the field of advertising photography, I not only photograph buildings for my clients, but also the people who work in them. I love to highlight the interaction between the person and their environment and to create a motivating atmosphere in the pictures. In January 2024, I had plenty of opportunity to do so. Whether tax advisors, real estate agents or steel construction companies, at the beginning of the year many companies are looking for reliable employees who want to work for a new employer with passion. Most of my clients use an agency for their employee campaigns, which develops a broad marketing concept. Essential for this is always an authentic series of photos consisting of portrait shots, situations in the workplace and architectural photographs of the working environment. Using the example of the Leipzig-based steel construction company SIAG Tube & Tower, I will show you here how such a series of photos is created.

1. Preparation of an employee campaign

I take the responsibility that comes with creating an employee campaign very seriously. For many companies, the search for employees is about the continued existence of their company, securing existing jobs and reliably implementing existing customer orders. To ensure that the pictures precisely meet the company's needs and reach the right target group, I take enough time in a consultation before the shooting to get to know the company.

The company SIAG has clearly defined processes in its company. Their 350 employees produce the towers for wind turbines. In the first step, the steel plates, which are up to 90mm thick, are cut to the correct size by metalworkers. An oversized CNC cutting machine is used for this. The plates are then curved into a circle by a massive bending roller and welded together by welders. Many further welding operations of varying complexity follow until the outer shell of the tower is created from several individual elements. The 4.5m wide steel tubes are then sealed with paint in several layers by a painter before metalworkers and electricians take care of the final equipment and install ladders, platforms and many cables. Logisticians support the entire process and transport the steel parts with a 50-ton forklift.

After we have worked out the work process and the various employee specializations, the next step is to list the most visually exciting work steps. For efficient production, it is also important to know the sequence in which the processes take place, which materials must be available and which occupational safety requirements must be observed for the employees and the camera team. From all this information, I create a shot list after the consultation with times, locations and employees that we need on the day of the shoot. This results in an efficient photo production that is precisely oriented towards the work and wishes of the client.

Wind turbine, wind energy tower, steel construction, welding, welder, metalworker in factory near Leipzig — Welder joining the tower parts together

2. Photoshooting with focus on diversity

We start the shooting day at sunrise on a frosty morning in January. My assistant and I are equipped with a high-resolution Hasselblad X2D medium format camera and a mobile flash system. This allows us to create images of the highest quality very flexibly at various shooting locations.

Our first stop is at a welder who is attaching small pieces to the tower segments. Especially when I'm photographing real employees, I prefer to just let them do their work. They are the experts and feel safe. We discuss the process of the work step, how the employee moves for it and where our camera team is safe and not in the way. Since the welding processes cannot be interrupted or repeated, the pictures have to be right the first time. Within 5 minutes, I photograph different perspectives from close-ups very close to the action to large overviews with spatial impression. After that, there is still time for a posed picture of the employee in full welding gear with his work equipment before we move on to the next station. This results in natural shots that are also perceived as authentic by potential new employees. Through the subtle lighting and the right composition, I take pictures of proud workers that make you want to be part of the team.

On that day, several stations follow at cutting, rolling and welding, where we can watch experienced metalworkers and welders at work in a grandiose environment. For me, the factory hall is a huge playground with endless possibilities for impressive pictures. I climb ladders and stairs to find new compositions that show the employees in interaction with their working world. The shooting results in a set of 100 shots, from which my client can choose his favorites from a secured online gallery the very next morning.

3. Uniform image processing

After SIAG and the agency have selected the most important motifs for the campaign, it's time for image processing. The shooting demanded a lot from the camera technology. In the factory hall, we had to contend with large contrasts between dark metal, bright windows and glaring welding equipment. At the same time, the employees were constantly in motion during the shooting and had to concentrate more on their work than on the photo shoot. However, the routine from hundreds of photo shoots and the world's best camera technology has made it possible for me to create great pictures even in such difficult situations. In the processing, my focus is on giving the shots, which were taken with different brightnesses and colors, a uniform look so that they can be presented as a coherent overall picture in the campaign. Due to the 100 megapixel resolution of the camera, the agency can use the images in both portrait and landscape format, for panoramas or in detailed sections. For a broadcast on a Full HD television, for example, you only need 2% of the resolution of the image. So the possibilities are endless.

Wind turbine, wind energy tower, steel construction, welding, welder, metalworker in a factory near Leipzig, employee campaign, employee shooting — Detail of the loading of the steel plates on their way to the cutting

Conclusion

The main motivation in my profession is to get to know new places and people again and again. I have the privilege of being able to look behind the scenes with my camera and gain authentic insights into all possible industries. I always meet people who live their work with passion for a cause. To give this passion a picture is a great feeling!

If you know a welder, metalworker, painter, electrician or fitter who likes to work on large projects and thus make a contribution to the energy transition, please contact SIAG Tube & Tower.

If you are also looking for passionate employees, then give me a call and we will plan an authentic and impressive series of pictures for you.