Cover Image on Canadian Mining Journal September 2022 Issue: Created at Island Gold Mine (Alamos Gold)
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Most of the time I post a single image when the company uses that image publicly but this week I thought I would showcase images used from that specific site/company from a full day photography session. A full day shoot can yield dozens of professional images across the many departments that can now be used throughout their marketing platforms. Some images were created, some were snapped on the fly while a few took a bit of time to get creative.
Images below have been used for Annual Reports, Sustainability Reports, Corporate Presentations, Events & Webcasts, Social Media Platforms, Website and Magazine Articles. ~ Alamos Gold Young Davidson
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The Core Shack
Images from the core shack have been seen and used in publications for years throughout every media form available. People looking at core samples, logging core samples, closeups of core samples as well as visible gold are key images from the shack. I LOVE photographing these types of images. I know I know I say I love everything I shoot and I do, but with the core shack comes an added challenge because these types of images have been seen and used everywhere, so the challenge for me is “how do you make these types of images better?” For me it’s quality of sharpness and readability. Visible gold should be visible and stand out using shadow placement. Geologists should not blend in with the background and closeups of visible gold should be crisp and clutter free.
It does take a little bit more time and effort to capture these images but in the end the effort and time is worth it. These were a few images we created at Alamos gold Mulatos & Island Gold Sites
Have a great Friday & weekend everyone. ~ James
I often get asked “Do you have a game plan when you go to site?” and my answer is yes I do, but it’s a refined rough plan. There are so many factors involved that influence my photography while I am on site. Is the weather accommodating for surface shots? Are the key people available for this time? Is the equipment operational and in the location you want it photographed and so forth. The majority of times my shooting schedule changes multiple times due to all these factors converging at once.
For some jobs it’s a “play it by ear” scenario. We have a rough outline of who what where when and so we get out there and see what’s going. I will capture what I can, when I can, how I can. Site images, people working, vehicles moving, processes, people pictures, environmental, community projects, drilling, open pit operations, hauling, exploration, maintenance, underground, surveying, field work, are things I try to capture while I am there. If it’s happening, I can capture it one way or another. Some images I can get creative with lighting and composition with my equipment while others it’s a shoot from the hip opportunity, but either way I try to create an image that is pleasing to the company and can be used within their marketing. After all, this is why they hired me.
No matter what the scenario is there is always challenges and problem solving in order to achieve the best possible image at that moment, even if it is just a “snapshot”. Where you position yourself, what direction the ambient light is coming from as well as the quality of it (yes, there are different qualities of sunlight), what lens to use to frame the image and what camera settings to apply to achieve a dynamic capture…………all decided within seconds.
If all goes well (and it usually does) my clients are left with a variety of images captured safely and professionally. “Professional” encompasses a lot more than just an image…………but that’s another post. 🙂
It’s a momentous occasion and one that should be documented for any company, the gold pour. It’s fast, it’s hot and in order to get an ideal image some planning needs to be done in regards to when what where and how.
There is a process to the pour and specific steps need to be completed before we proceed with the capture. When and where is the technician going to be and how do you successfully capture the composition while remaining safe and out of the way during the whole process? How do you frame the image for marketable use and how do you coordinate the ambient lighting as well as the intensive glow during the pour?
We go through “practice pours” and I note what movements the technician takes within the operating space so we can safely capture the image. There is a lot of movement in close quarters so safe positioning of equipment and personnel are though through. It’s fast, and over in a few seconds and if you don’t have all your measures in place before hand you can easily miss the “money shot”.
The term “Visible Gold – VG” is used throughout the mining industry and on most occasions I am photographing the end product in a solid brick form or within core samples from the exploration drillers but recently I photographed some VG that just shined like the yellow brick road.
Keeping it green in the on site greenhouse at the Alamos Gold Mulatos Mine. Not only do I enjoy photographing the environmental images for corporate presentations I also enjoy getting to know the greenthumbs behind the process. Photographed in Mexico with www.pendaproductions.com
Once the sun dips down behind the horizon the mine site takes on a completely different look. I love capturing images at this time as it’s a great way to blend colors and lighting into the same environment. When we arrived on site the first day and drove past this location at night I new I wanted to come back and capture this image. Big thanks to Abdel Camacho for taking me around for a sunset drive. Stop by the Alamos Gold Booth #2722 at PDAC 2019
But it’s a sexy haul truck. At least that is how I look at it. I have photographed a wide variety of haul trucks over the years and yes they can all look the same but when they are in their environment they take on a different form. This all comes down to being at the right place at the right time. I didn’t just “see” this image, I waited for it to happen. I knew the route, I saw the lighting peak under the clouds and I positioned myself so that the sunlight cross lit the truck as it was making it’s turn.
