I was waiting patiently for them start emerging from the mine entrance so that I could capture some candid moments during the shift change. Some walk on past without lifting their heads. Some are already in a deep conversation with their coworkers reviewing the days activities and some take a moment to pause, look at the camera and give me a little something to capture.
Photographed at the El Mochito Mine in Honduras with www.ascendantresources.com
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.
I come from a well rounded background in photography. I learned lighting and camera skills early on from my Mentor Robert Provencher and had lots of photography googaw gadgets in my arsenal but I still get some of the most visual satisfaction from the simplest portraits I create, like this one.
If you wish to see my other portraits in the mining industrial industry please check out my “People Portraits” page.
Some describe it like playing a video game in a vast environment while others say they like the small enclosed space of the cab as their personal work bubble. Each machine has it’s unique perspective in the mining world as well as it’s challenges but then again this is not your typical run of the mill work environment.
What does your Mining Machine Office space look like?
Well I haven’t been able to post much to my blog lately as I have been on location in Mexico this week creating images from morning til night and I have had very little time to get on the laptop. At the moment I am waiting for my images to backup to my two hard drives so I figured I would share the last image I created tonight. This was a quick “thank you” portrait I created for Abdel for taking me around the site tonight to create some long exposure images of various installations on the site. I printed him a small print using my Canon Ivy Printer so he could take it home and show his family. I will have more images to showcase in the upcoming weeks and you can always check out my instagram @miningphotog for the latest behind the scenes.
Possibly one of the most costly expenses in the industry without efficient mining tires the operations would come to a standstill. Just like on our own personal vehicles tire pressure can effect the efficiency of the vehicle as well as fuel/energy consumption. Active monitoring and regular inspections can decrease expenses as well as maintaining a safe working environment for the vehicle operator and site personnel
I have been in the mining industrial industry long enough to see numerous changes in how a company markets their products, equipment and software. Social media has been a major factor in how information is presented, stories are told and connections are made. The faces of mining are at the forefront of marketing and storytelling has become a key ingredient in marketing and branding. Companies are no longer using “stock photography” of nameless people that have nothing to do with their company or even the industry. Nowadays people connect with people first and when you have a story that is relatable to the person reading it the connection to your company is stronger.
This is what I love to do and what I have built my photography career around and when I give my elevator pitch to prospective clients I suggest to them to showcase the companies story through the people that are representing the company from the bottom up. Highlight them, showcase them and inspire others through them.
Came across an article I wrote in 2012 in regards to quality vs expectations.
A quality photograph is much more than a click of the shutter, but today’s society is programmed to think otherwise in my opinion. Just look at the cellphone cameras with all the photo manipulation apps. Photographing in the Mining/Industrial fields I am constantly faced with educating my clients about what it takes to create an Eye Popping High Impact image.
On the job site my subjects really don’t have the time to wait around for the photographer to get things setup and the longer it takes, the more impatient they become. I always get the “Can’t you just take a quick snap?”
The mining/industrial employers that hire me know the difference (that’s why they hire me) but the employees always need more convincing since the information very rarely get’s passed down the chain of command. Don’t be shy to SHOW your clients the difference between a good photograph and a bad one. Include this in your marketing materials, on your website and even during the shoot. This has a HUGE impact on their expectations. Once they SEE the difference, they are more inclined to give you the time you need to create the quality of image you are known for.
I quickly took a snapshot with my point and shoot camera so that I could show them the difference at the shoot. I still see a lot of professional companies using point and shoot snapshots for their marketing materials so don’t be shy to educate your clients about the process of creating your high impact images.
Note: This image was created using 3 Lumopro flashes with Pocket Wizards, A Canon 5dMarkII with a 24-105 lens.
James Hodgins
Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list below and receive my latest posts once a week every Monday morning.
It’s that time of year again when I hit the road and explore the industry in other countries. I love visiting other Countries and exploring the industry around the world. Although there are challenges creating images in other countries like travel logistics, language barriers, environments as well as safety procedures I do enjoy creating images for people that don’t necessarily have professional photographs on a regular basis.
