📄 Best practices & tips for photo documentation

⏳ 6 minutes

How to (properly) document with photos

Construction photo documentation is a crucial part of any construction project. It helps to track progress, document changes, and ensure safety on the job. But it’s not always easy to get the most out of construction photos. Here are some best practices and tips for capturing construction progress and getting the most out of construction photos.

What is Construction Photo Documentation?

Construction photo documentation is the process of taking photos of a construction site and its progress. It’s used to track the progress of a construction project, document changes, and ensure safety on the job site. Construction photos are also used to verify that work has been completed according to specifications and to provide evidence of any issues that may have occurred.

Construction photo documentation is an important part of the construction process. It allows contractors to monitor progress and make sure that the project is being completed on time and within budget. It also helps to identify any potential problems before they become major issues.

Benefits of Construction Photo Documentation

The benefits of construction photo documentation are numerous. It can help to reduce costs by highlighting any problems before they become expensive to fix. It also helps to keep contractors accountable for their work, as the photos can be used as evidence if there are any issues with the project.

Construction photo documentation helps to ensure safety on the job site by providing an accurate record of the progress and any potential hazards. Photos can be used to verify that safety protocols are being followed, as well as to provide evidence of any accidents that may have occurred and the liability of such incidents.

Construction photo documentation can also be used to monitor the progress of the project and ensure that it is completed on time and within budget. Photos can be used to verify that work is being completed according to specifications and to provide evidence of any issues that may have occurred.

14 Tips & Practices for Capturing your Construction Progress

To get the most out of construction photo documentation, it’s important to follow some best practices. Here are some tips for capturing construction progress:

1. Permissions Liability

Before taking photos, make sure you have obtained all necessary permissions and that all parties are aware of the photography.

2. Plan your Photoshoots

Carefully plan your photo session and make sure to capture all necessary views and details. This may include the initial and final states, intermediate steps, and any significant details and equipment.

3. Use a High-Quality Camera

It’s important to use a high-quality camera to ensure that the photos are clear and detailed. Today’s modern smart phones are more than capable of capturing high-quality photos.

4. Lighting is Key

Ensure that the photos are of sufficient quality and clarity. Make sure to take photos in lighting that is not too dim or weak, and take photos close enough to capture the necessary details. This will help ensure that the photos are clear and detailed enough to serve as a documentation tool.

5. Take Multiple Photos

Taking multiple photos of the same area (from different angles) will help to provide a more comprehensive view of the progress of the project.

6. Make a List

Use a checklist or other aids to help ensure that you capture everything that is needed. This may include a list of the most important details or a photo map marking of all captured views.

7. Archive with Care

Remember to save the photos using an app or system to make them easily accessible and shareable. This will help ensure that the photos are secure and can be easily shared when needed. There are many good apps out there that can automate this process for you, even one newcomer from Finland you should check out!

8. Make Everyone a Photographer

Make sure that photo documentation is a part of your teams regular work process to ensure that documentation is up to date and comprehensive. This will help ensure that the photos are always available and contain the necessary information.

9. Monitor your Progress

Use the photos to assist with the progression of the work and take additional photos as needed to document finer details. This can be particularly useful if you need to provide evidence of the quality of the work or if you have complaints or disputes.

10. Back up or Go home

Ensure that the photos are always saved in some system or backed up to prevent loss or damage. This will help ensure that the photos are always available when needed and are kept safe. Backup is particularly important if you manually upload your photos and work in a place with a high risk of photo loss due to damage to your device, such as a construction site.

11. Share your Thoughts (or at least the photos)

Use the photos to assist with communication and collaboration with your team. For example, you can share photos in project meetings or send them via email as needed. This will help ensure that all parties are up to date and that all necessary details are available. Modern photo documentation apps will upload the photos from your site in real-time, so you might want to look into getting one.

12. Be Safe

Remember to BE SAFE even when photographing your construction site. Mind your surroundings and avoid putting yourself in danger just for a photo, it’s not worth it!

13. Develop your Processes

Remember to also use photo documentation for quality assurance and safety. You can use photos to assess safety or to develop safer work practices

14. Be Creative

You can also use photo documentation for marketing and customer service. You can use photos to showcase your construction sites or to offer customers support and advice.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Construction Photos

Once you’ve taken the photos, there are a few tips to help you get the most out of them (most of which WILL be automated with the proper tool):

  • Label the photos: Labeling the photos with a date, time, and location will help to keep them organized and make it easier to reference them (if you are archiving manually, you DO know there is an App for That?).
  • Use software to enhance the photos: There are a variety of software programs available that can help to enhance the photos and make them more useful.
  • Share the photos with team members: Sharing the photos with team members can help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the project is progressing according to plan.
  • Use the photos to create a timeline: Using the photos to create a timeline can help to track progress and identify any potential problems.
  • Use the photos to create reports: Using the photos to create reports can help to provide a more comprehensive view of the progress of the project.

Make Everyone on Your Team a Photographer

Having multiple people taking photos of the project can help to ensure that all aspects of the project are documented. For larger sites it’s a good idea to designate one person as the primary photographer, but it can be beneficial to have other team members take photos as well. This will help to ensure that all aspects of the project are documented, even if the primary photographer is not available. For smaller sites, scattered around and about, you should instruct all of your staff to take photos.

How to Store Construction Photos (the old way)

Once the photos have been taken, it’s important to store them in a safe and secure place. Storing the photos on a cloud storage platform such as Google Drive or Dropbox is a good option, as it allows for easy access and sharing.

It’s also a good idea to back up the photos to an external hard drive or USB drive. This will ensure that the photos are safe even if the cloud storage platform is compromised. As mentioned before in this article, all of the above can and will be done automatically, with the right tool.

Safety Tips for Taking Construction Photos

It’s important to follow safety protocols when taking construction photos. Here are some safety tips for taking construction photos:

  • Always wear protective gear: Wear protective gear such as a hard hat, safety glasses, and steel-toed boots.
  • Use a safe ladder: Use a ladder that is rated for the task and is in good condition.
  • Use a safe angle: Take photos from an angle that will not put you in danger.
  • Have someone spot you: Have someone spot you when taking photos from a ladder or other elevated surface.
  • Be aware of your surroundings: Be aware of your surroundings and any potential hazards.
  • Be aware of heavy equipment: Be aware of any heavy equipment in the area and stay clear of it.

Apps for Photo Documentation

There are a variety of apps available that can help with photo documentation. Some of the most popular apps include:

  • DroneDeploy: DroneDeploy is a mobile app that allows users to capture high-resolution aerial photos and videos of construction sites.
  • Pictue: Pictue is a mobile app that automates the whole flow from capturing photos and videos to archiving, storing and live-sharing them.
  • SiteCam: SiteCam is a mobile app that allows users to capture time-lapse photography of construction projects.
  • SmartBuild: SmartBuild is a mobile app that allows users to capture, store, and share construction photos.

Conclusion

Construction photo documentation is a crucial part of any construction project. It helps to track progress, document changes, and ensure safety on the job. By following best practices and using the right tools, you can get the most out of construction photos and ensure that your projects are completed on time and within budget. Use these practises to supercharge your documentation process (or automate it, your choice).