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Taking How-to Photos…

Ted W. | Posted in General Discussion on July 1, 2008 10:11am

So many times I see someone here post the exact photo needed to describe a situation, seemingly from their job site. It’s too much coincidence to think they just happen to be, for example, driving some Piffin screws at the very time somebody asks what they are. So I’m assuming they must carry their camera around with them and take a couple dozen photos a day, then categorize them for easy reference later. Just wondering, how many professionals here keep a huge library of photos of every little detail of every job they’ve done over the past 20 years?

——————————————————–

Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.net
See some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com

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Replies

  1. Shep | Jul 01, 2008 10:30pm | #1

    I try to take a lot of pics of my jobs, part to post here, and part to show customers as a portfolio.

    Unfortunately, I stop somewhere before I "categorize them for easy reference later".

    Some of my jobs pics are still on film.

    I also have a tendency to get so involved doing the work, that I neglect to take any pictures. I'll take some at the beginning, and somewhere near the end, I'll dope-slap myself 'cause I'll have forgotten again.

    1. User avater
      Ted W. | Jul 01, 2008 11:55pm | #4

      I also have a tendency to get so involved doing the work, that I neglect to take any pictures.

      That's me too, and the camera can be sitting next to me the whole time. But at least we're focused on our job. :)--------------------------------------------------------

      Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com

    2. Piffin | Jul 02, 2008 03:39am | #12

      "I'll dope-slap myself 'cause I'll have forgotten again."The ones I miss too often are the finished product good portfolio shots. I end up frazzled meeting a deadline, sometimes where on friday of Memorial Day Weekend I am pulling out the back driveway with my truck and trailer loaded to the gills just as the owners are pulling into the front drive for a summer of relaxation.Deadlines met that way with a couple weeks of fourteen hour days make it easy to forget to shoot photos. 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  2. User avater
    basswood | Jul 01, 2008 11:46pm | #2

    I take pics when I have the time, or if something is out of the ordinary--then I try to make time to document it.

    Here is one I took a few weeks ago of making tight radius plaster crown for bullnose outside corners:

    For that pic, I had to bug one of the other workers to get the shot.

    1. User avater
      Ted W. | Jul 01, 2008 11:59pm | #5

      That was a great how-to you did there.

      I'm reluctant to bug other workers about taking a snapshot for me. If I'm not in a hurry I'll prop the camera on a ladder or something and use the 10 sec. timer, but I don't usually have the time or the patience for all that fuss just to get one photo. Then after the fact I'm kicking myself for not taking the couple of extra minutes, and thinking how that particular shot is gone forever. --------------------------------------------------------

      Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com

  3. theslateman | Jul 01, 2008 11:52pm | #3

    Ted,

    I carry my point and shoot nearly daily so I can document what I do.

    Some is for the clients use ,some for my files and some to illustrate different situations here on Breaktime.

    I also put a lot of pictures into Shutterfly albums to share with potential customers.

    Walter

    1. User avater
      Ted W. | Jul 02, 2008 12:01am | #6

      I also put a lot of pictures into Shutterfly albums to share with potential customers.

      That's a good idea, or a photo gallery at your website if you have one. --------------------------------------------------------

      Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com

  4. User avater
    Sphere | Jul 02, 2008 12:10am | #7

    If I know I might want to record or document something, I'll take my camera out , but often I still forget. Now with a camera in the phone, it is much more likely that I'll snap a shot or two, usually when I take something apart and may want to remember how it looked or how to reassemble again.

    Like I just recently got a free woodstove, had to break it down to move it, so I took phone pics during the process. I used to email them to myself and save on the puter, but I recently got a memcard and adapter so that I can just read off the card.

    Shop work I always have a camera around, either mine or the wife's, so it is more likely that I will get a few shots. Also, when I was doing roof work, customers just LOVED pics of the parts that they never get to see, like a chimney cricket or chimney wash.

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

    "We strive for conversion,we get lost in conversation, and wallow in consternation. "
    Me.

    1. Piffin | Jul 02, 2008 03:45am | #13

      Another strange way of using the camera -I had to redo a floor and wanted to know what I was getting into first but it was over a crawlspace on a bumpout addition. Full six foot cellar under the rest of the house, but the room in question only had access through what used to be a cellar window about 16x32, and there were two 8" ducts.Since my eyeball isn't mounted periscope style, I couldn't see a thing about conditions of framing etc.I got the camera out, and blindly waved it around in there shooting a dozen pictures, then I could see it all just fine at this PC that night at home. 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Jul 02, 2008 03:53am | #15

        Did that too when I dropped a bolt behind the alternater in my van..LOL Couldn't feel it, so I used the flash and pic to know wher to start looking.

        Still couldn't get it out, had the van towed to the shop, and the guy had it "fixed" ( it was the tensioner bolt) in no time flat..I asked him how the heck he got it out..he grinned and said, "I used a new bolt, left the old one in there"

        DOH!Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

        "We strive for conversion,we get lost in conversation, and wallow in consternation. "Me.

    2. bobtim | Jul 02, 2008 04:12am | #16

      Ok , I know what a cricket, but have never heard of a chimney wash. What is it?

      Or how about a picture

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Jul 02, 2008 04:33am | #17

        Lol, I don't have one.

        A wash is the sloped cap mortar on the top.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

        "We strive for conversion,we get lost in conversation, and wallow in consternation. "Me.

      2. fingers | Jul 02, 2008 10:04pm | #18

        It's for these hot sticky days when you're on a roof all day.  You simply put a plastic garbage bag into the chimney opening before a thunderstorm.  It collects all the water that would have gone down the chimney, then you have a nice "chimney wash" using a little soap to clean up before going home.

        1. marv | Jul 02, 2008 11:19pm | #19

          I try to keep a camera handy for that great snapshot too!You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.

          Marv

          1. user-224517 | Jul 03, 2008 07:51pm | #20

            I try to have pictures like the following to counter those, well my cousin Earl can do it much less than what you want to charge type of customers.

  5. User avater
    Timuhler | Jul 02, 2008 01:32am | #8

    I keep the camera onsite pretty much every day.  I pull it out if we are doing something that is interesting, I can think of how a questioon could be asked and the picture could be the answer or has already been asked.

     

    But as far as "tagging" them, I haven't done that yet, but I'm going to start.  This way I can search for the picture by description and find it quickly.  Right now I just try and remember which job we did what particular thing I may have a picture for and post it.  Not the best system :-)

  6. User avater
    McDesign | Jul 02, 2008 02:16am | #9

    Actually, what I'VE noticed is that whenever I have a design or construction issue come up, the next issue of FH will cover it.

    No joke!  DW even laughs at it.

    Forrest - steering the cosmos

    1. User avater
      Sphere | Jul 02, 2008 02:38am | #10

      Funny, same here. Last was with FWW, about a bandsaw curves article, making an arched trellis this week.

      Another oddity is I have a bud on the Eastern Shore of Va. We go back 25 yrs or more, and both went our ways from our roots in Pa.  We check in on each other every few months or so, and dammed if we aren't both working on the same type of projects..I'm doing windows, he was doing windows, I'm doing columns, he was doing columns, I'm buyin Azek for trim, he just bought some for the same details. We both get a laff outta that.

      I need to get him to check in here, he's a hoot, and great artisan.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

      Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

      "We strive for conversion,we get lost in conversation, and wallow in consternation. "Me.

    2. Piffin | Jul 02, 2008 03:48am | #14

      I have that happen more with JLC 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  7. Piffin | Jul 02, 2008 03:36am | #11

    I can go for weeks without shooting photos, but I do try to document my jobs, both for avoiding liabilities later, but also to communicate with customers, most of whom are not here when the work is happening. Digital and email are great things.

    when I unload the camera, I sort the photos into files for each job, arranging the folders sop that the job name contains month by month or subject matter names in sub-folders, like framing progress, demo, roofing, kitchen cabs, etc.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

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