How to shoot machinery and scientific equipment

Shooting machinery is not only an interesting photographic experience, but also a slightly complex, and sometimes terrifying endeavor. When I say machinery photography, I’m not talking about small machines like old typewriters, rather I’m referring to factory style and scientific equipment that takes up large amounts of space.

This a small dark chamber in an instrument
used to analyze nano scale particles.
Notice the optimization of lighting.

I recommend macro style photography for such assignments. The reason I only really classify macro style photography when dealing with machinery photography is because when you are dealing with industrial equipment you are typically looking to capture either interesting pieces of an old machine, or certain parts of a newer machine. Either way the approach you take when dealing with industrial equipment is relatively the same.

Capturing steel is an art that has to be
mastered by every industrial photographer.

Understanding the machinery

Even the simplest machine can become an elegant concept if executed properly. This is a pretty big deal when shooting newer machinery, and still rather important when dealing with older machinery. The main reason you should understand the machinery you are dealing with is a safety issue. If you don’t know what something does, you may fail to avoid certain parts of the machine, then finding yourself getting injured because of those parts. Another good reason to know the machine you are working with is because it will help you identify interesting aspects of the machine that would make interesting images.

A tiny vacuum chamber with a sample
was shot with a 600 mm lens from over
8 feet. It was lit up with a torch.
Notice the streak of light created
for enhanced aesthetics.

Shooting Macro

Macro machinery shots do not always have to be extreme close ups. Macros like this showcase the entire machine in a single shot. When dealing with industrial equipment, the idea of trying to capture a broad shot of the machine is usually a bad one. If you shoot a machine at a distance, even if it’s running typically all you will see is a giant metal behemoth, with no discernible features or interest. For this reason you should try to shoot up close macro shots of the machinery. These shots may not fully identify the machine you are shooting, but will create unique images of the work done by or the workings of a machine. Shooting macro images is also a good way to show and identify individual parts of a machine.

This is also a vacuum chamber that was
lit up artificially. Shot with a 600 mm.

Color and Contrast

Shooting machines, both old and new can be difficult if you fail to identify the exact way you should shoot it. When dealing with older, typically non functioning or rundown machines, you will have a series of black and browns due to rust and old iron workings. Together these colors and the shape of the machine can create an old industrial abandoned look, through a strong contrast. Newer machines however are slightly different than older machine. While the older machines tend to get their contrast through a mixture of colors and shapes, newer machines typically follow a fairly uniform color scheme and retain a sleek design. This means that when you shoot newer machines you need to look for a more smooth and modern design. Overall that becomes the two defining features of each type of machine, Older machines having a more gruff and grungy look, while newer machines maintain a modern elegance.

Is a Cinematographer important?

Sitting in my studio, I am witness to a steady stream of filmmakers announcing their projects and checking out the abilities of my studio for their works. They discuss their needs starting from artists, production personnel, locations, key crew, technicians, etc. However, when it comes to the the need of a cinematographer, their budgets are so low that even a student would think twice before involving himself/herself in the project. I try to impress them that it is the visuals that matter in a movie (assuming they have a decent script of course) and they should not compromise. With the availability of DSLRs for filmmaking, they also tend to have an impression that low-cost tools need only low-end camera personnel and the camera will take care of all their needs.

Wake up filmmakers! The DSLR is just another imaging device, which does need some experience to handle. And cinematography is about lighting, angles, moods, framing and communication, and in fact has very little to do with the actual camera that is used for recording your images. Sad to see some excellent scripts with a shoddy execution by the cinematographers. Yet, our 'low-budget' film director seems to be satisfied.

If you are a filmmaker, the cinematographer is one of the most important people that will be hired for a film. The visual look of your film is heavily dependent on who you hire.