Mistake 1: Untidy backgrounds
Tools, cables, coffee cups and Tippex are lying on a workbench. It looks chaotic in the picture - even if the employee is standing perfectly. Solution: Clean up 5 minutes before the shoot, create tidy shelves, hide cables.
Error 2: Incorrect or missing light
Hall light is often hard, yellowish and uneven. Windows bring mixed light into the picture, which tilts the skin tones. We bring mobile LED setups that balance out the light and create targeted shadows.
If you are photographing yourself: Make sure that the main light is not coming directly from above - this causes dark circles and deep shadows on the forehead.
Error 3: Safety rules are ignored
Safety rules apply in workshops, on construction sites and in laboratories. Safety shoes, helmet, goggles, hearing protection should be visible in the picture - not hidden. Pictures without PPE look unprofessional and can cause problems during audits.
We know these rules and bring our own PPE. This saves discussions on the day.
Mistake 4: People appear posed
People who are supposed to „smile at the camera“ often look stiff. Better: Photographing employees doing real things. We give small hints, but let the process run its course. This creates pictures that look like work, not like theater.
Error 5: No image planning in advance
Without a briefing, many pictures are taken, but few useful ones. We first create a ShotlistWhich motifs, which rooms, which people, which order? This saves at least 1-2 hours a day.
Read more in the article Briefing for a photo shoot.
Bonus mistake 6: Documentation without a story
Many industrial shoots produce images that are technically correct but look boring: empty halls, machines without people, workbenches without action. Images without a story don't stay in your head.
My trick: We plan a small narrative reference for each motif. A machine becomes interesting when an employee is working on it. A hall only has an effect when you see movement in it. A workshop shelf comes to life when someone is picking up a tool.
In the briefing, we ask the question beforehand: „What is the mini-story behind this picture?“ If you can answer that, the picture will work.
Bonus mistake 7: Too many pictures, too little choice
Some industrial photographers deliver 500 images per day. At first this seems like „a lot of value for your money“ - but it is usually the opposite. If you get 500 images, you might take a serious look at 50 of them, select 10 and end up using 3-5.
With me you get a curated selection of 30-60 images from a day shoot. These images are all of high technical and compositional quality, in several variations per motif (portrait, landscape, with/without person), and with professional post-processing. You save time in the selection process and end up with a sharper, ready-to-use treasure trove of images.
Bonus error 8: Persons without consent
Even if this is more legal than creative - every time an identifiable person is shown in a picture, you need their written consent. Industrial reports often happen quickly, with many people in the picture, and a signature is missing at the end. This becomes a problem if the person later leaves the company or the picture is published prominently.
My recommendation: prepare a standard GDPR form that everyone involved signs on the day of the shoot (or beforehand by email). More in the article Image rights & rights of use and Prepare employee photos.
📌 My standard for image rights
At Schepers Photography you get the following as standard full rights of use to all images supplied - unlimited in time, unlimited geographically, for all your own media (website, social media, print, press relations, career, annual report). No extra charge, no small print. An exception only applies if, before the shoot otherwise agreed in writing This happens very rarely.
Also a Copyright attribution is not mandatory. So you don't have to name me as the photographer if it doesn't fit the layout. My experience: If a picture is good, people will ask who took it. You can find more details about my license philosophy at Image rights & rights of use.
Inquire now - Schepers Photography
Are you planning an industrial shoot and want to get it right? Write to us briefly with key data - we will provide you with a concrete shot list, a clear process and images that you can use immediately.