Build It and They Will Come

From my drone’s vantage point, the construction workers look like busy bees in their bright safety vests!

You’ve probably heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” When it comes to photographing construction sites, I’d say a picture is worth a thousand steps. From a hole in the ground to a ready-to-use structure, building construction is a series of phases and transformations.

No “bones” about it: I made sure to capture this skeletal building frame before it disappeared behind drywall and flooring.

As children, my brother and I would run between the stud walls of our new house-in-progress, marveling at the skeletal insides of what would be our new home. Years later, photographing large-scale construction and visiting active sites evokes a very similar excitement. A brand-new exterior is one thing, but underneath those finished surfaces lie a myriad of hidden systems—wiring, plumbing, rebar, and more—that are just as fascinating.

This concrete pour established the foundation of what would eventually become a massive water park.

The completed water park, a year later.

Last summer, Paul documented the final preparations on the Island Waterpark at Showboat. We had also photographed the site earlier in the process, capturing steps like the concrete pour long before the water and slides were added.

Large-volume buildings like this meat-processing facility look even more impressive in drone shots.

A drone helps us capture exterior views both wide and close up. In the case of this meat-processing facility, the sheer size of the building is much more evident from our bird’s-eye view.

Does it spark joy? Welding from a lift is a thrilling but precarious balancing act.

A construction site is like a chaotic orchestra: machines dig holes, cranes lift steel girders, and each tool has its own rhythm. Collaboration between skilled craftspeople, machine operators, and managers is vital in producing a finished product.

Brick by brick, it all comes together.