Jobsite Photography is a

Scheduler’s Job

Ron Winter, PSP FAACE

Documenting Jobsite Progress
EXPOSITOR

✓ BS in Engineering at UCLA, USA

✓ Construction Scheduler
✓ USA Airforce for 7 years
✓ Construction Scheduler
✓ MS in Systems Management
✓ IT Programmer/Manager/Customer Support
✓ Construction Scheduler
✓ Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP)
✓ Fellow of AACE
✓ Software Developer of Scheduling & Claims Assist Software

I sent my wife to the emergency room

from eating my spicy chili.
INTRODUCTION
Jobsite Photography Is Very Important

• Photos better at documenting status

• Used to orient reviewer to subject matter
• Improves TIA requests
• Important for claims testimony
Digital Photography

• Inexpensive
• Convenient
• Quick
Uses For Photos

• Capturing current status

• Documenting project or milestone completions
• Company marketing efforts
Difficult To Take Useful Construction Photos

• Photographer uninformed on subject matter

• Poor procedures
• Bad timing
• Missing or unhelpful subject identification
Who Should Perform This Job?

• Outside professional photographer

• Uninformed & not always present
• Foreman or Construction Manager
• Busy dealing with operations
• Not ‘schedule aware’
The Project Scheduler Should Do This

• On-scene
• Not busy during crises
• Understands construction
• Schedule-aware
• Knows when rough-in close up
• Knows which items are critical
Construction Scheduler

• Perfect for Jobsite Photographer

• Provided trained in construction photo issues
PICK YOUR CAMERA
Digital

• Easy to use
• Take as many pictures as desired
• Built-in electronic controls
Type Of Digital Cameras

• Smartphone Camera
• Point-and-Shoot Camera
• Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) Cameras
Smartphone Camera
Pros

• Easiest to use
• Usually already available
• Can geotag pictures
• Add GPS information
Cons

• No zoom lens
• Limited battery life
• Generally poor quality in low light
Point-and-Shoot Camera
Pros

• Small and fits in pocket

• 4 x light gathering ability of smartphones
• Crisper & cleaner pictures
• Much better battery life
• Built-in zoom
Cons

• Cannot change lenses

• Cannot add filters
DSLR Camera
Pros

• Produces superior pictures

• Interchangeable lenses
• Can attach filters
Cons

• Bigger (not pocket sized)

• More expensive
• ‘Blind’ during picture shot
• No monitoring while shooting
• Cannot do monitored video
Why Does DSLR Have Better Quality?

• Bigger lenses
• More light falls on sensor
• Allows for sharper pictures
• Optical versus digital zoom
• Filters
• Neutral-Density Filter
• Polarizing Filter
• Dedicated sensors
• No pixel drop-out
Why Does DSLR Have Better Quality?
Why Does DSLR Have Better Quality?
PLANNING FOR GOOD PHOTOGRAPHS
Plan Before You Shoot

• Who better to plan than a scheduler?

• Prepare a checklist of items to document
• Recent accident sites
• Open RFI locations
• Recently completed activities
Plan Before You Shoot

• Reference schedule for current locations

• Added emphasis on critical activities
• Also include near-critical activities
Plan Before You Shoot

• Plan a route to travel

• Try to take same route every time
• Increases viewer comprehension
• Include picture of route map in collection
• Ask the Foreman what should be captured
• Be sure camera's battery is fully charged
• Confirm camera's date and time is correct
Plan Before You Shoot

• Turn off overlaying information

• Won’t obscure area being photographed
• Use the file’s date and time information
• Easier to search later
• Clean lens
• Add a strap
CONSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY
BEST PRACTICES
Safety First

• Wear safety gear

• Be wary of dangerous areas
• Do not walk around looking into camera
• Use hand or neck strap
• Prevents dropping camera
• Leaves your hands free
• Download frequently to avoid losing photos
• When you ‘lose’ your expensive camera
Be Careful Of What You Shoot

• Don’t photograph safety violations

• (Unless that was your intent)
• You could get your company fined
• Review each picture for violations
• Immediately address each found
• Then re-take picture
Be Careful Of What You Shoot

• Safety is not the only concern

• Union contract violations
• Jobsite rules violations
• Immigration law violations
Other Issues

• Worker permission to photograph

• May need written permission to publish
• Allow workers to exit area if they wish
• Propriety information
• Technique being used might be proprietary
• Equipment being used might be sensitive
• Notify Owner
• Site security may be compromised
Tell A Story

• More effective if issues are conveyed

• Take two types of shots of each issue
• Wide-angle view
• Help orient the viewer
• Detail shots
• Documents the issue

• Take both shots from same location

• Using same the same camera settings
• Pair shots from different angles
Shoot From The Exact Same Location

• Select location that will remain undisturbed

• Research what will be built
• Plan for future shots
• Pick area to be demolished last
• Porch of construction trailer

• Mark tripod location on ground with paint

• Bring earlier picture for reference
CONSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY
TIPS FOR GOOD PICTURES
Tips For Construction Pics

• Focus
• Smaller aperture sharpens detail (f11/f16)
• Slows down exposure rate
• Optimum angle
• Avoid unimportant and distracting items
• No trash, debris fields, temporary cables, etc.

• Perspective
• Too close to building causes ‘leaning’ effect
• Shoot at corners and not straight on
Lighting Tips

• Stark conditions may fool camera’s controls

• Flash helps
• But only over short distances

• ‘Bracket’ exposure levels

• Combine pictures using High Dynamic Range (HDR) software
• Tripods useful for long exposures
• Brace camera against door frame or corner
White Ballance

• White looks yellow or blue under different lighting

• Our brains automatically adjust perception
• Manual setting on cameras
• Sunshine
• Cloudy
• Incandescent Light
• Florescent Light
• Diffused flash can help
Wide Pictures

• Our eyes see wider areas than normal pictures

• Enclosed areas hard to get needed distance
• Zoom out loses details
• Wide-angle ‘fish eye’ lens
• Periphery is ‘warped’
• Panoramic mode
• Camera feature
• Software can ‘stitch together’ individual shots
CONSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY
DOCUMENET YOUR PICTURES
Document More Than Date And Time

• Location (besides GPS coordinates)

• Room
• Floor
• Elevation
Document More Than Date And Time

• Other ‘invisible’ facts

• Wind speed
• Temperature
• Noise levels
• Visibility
• Recent weather
Organize Photographs

• Value ruined if cannot be found when needed

• Documentation should be consistent
• Many software products can assist
Organize Photographs

• ‘Free’ software built-in as Windows Explorer

• Part of every Windows installation
• Right-click on file for ‘Properties’
• Picture shown on right
• Documentation entered on left
• Documentation added to file
• Can’t be separated from picture
Windows File Explorer

• Title
• Subject
• Tags
• Searchable
• Comments
• Unlimited
• Use Word
• Paste
Distribute Your Pictures

• Pick representative pictures to distribute

• Share with Owner & Architect
• Builds relationships between stakeholders
• Photos in Daily Log
• Photos in TIA Requests
• Make punchlist photo collection
• Collect and document photos by others
Distribute Your Pictures

• Digital picture files 1 – 2 MB

• Hi-resolution 10 MB
• Videos even larger
• Generally too large for email attachments
Distribute Your Pictures

• File transfer services (free and subscription)

• You upload multiple files
• They notify recipients
• Recipients download
• You are notified when downloads are complete
CONSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY
USE IN DISPUTES & CLAIMS
Photos In Disputes

• Photo itself is not evidence

• Photos are considered supporting evidence
• Supports testimony of person referring to photo
• To be admissible, photo must be supported by Chain of Custody
Chain Of Custody

• To be useable in a dispute you must prove

• Photo is authentic and unmodified
• Shows area that you claim it does
• Shows area on date and time claimed
• Clearly shows the item in question
• Digital photos admissible in court if Chain of Custody proven
• Proper archival steps taken
• Proof of correct procedures presented
• Testifier says that the picture is authentic
Once Pictures Are Taken

• Transfer pictures files directly to CD-R disk

• Hand annotate subject/date/time/initials
• Files in camera and on this CD-R are considered ‘originals’
• Place CD-R disk in a secure location
• Other copies should be saved on a computer
• Add more through documentation
• Can compute Digital Hashtag and save that
• You can still enhance copies if documented
Testifying

• Anyone familiar with the scene may testify to photo’s authenticity

• Not just the photographer
• Person referring to photo must testify
• Accurate representation of issue
• Area, date, and time are as stated
• Testimony may not be needed
• If both parties agree that photos are authentic
THE FUTURE OF JOBSITE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Neural Network Software

• Can flag safety violations

• Missing safety gear
• Improper access
• Dangerous situations
• Can do this faster & more accurate than humans
• Can even monitor live video or photos
• Notify supervisor of current violation
• Correction more effective if done immediately
Drone Photography

• Used to use helicopter

• Drones are better
• Cheaper
• Can use every day
• Can get lower
• Can get closer
• Use under bridges
• Even use indoors
• Instability if drone loses GPS lock-on
Drone Safety

• Obey legal licensing requirements

• Scout area and plan flight path beforehand
• Need to maximize efficiency
• Prevent operator fatigue
• Do not fly near people
• Early evening the best time
• Be aware of shadows hiding area of interest
• Short session prevents shadows moving between shots
Tower Crane Photography

• Can operate during working day

• Does not need legal ‘permission’
• Safety issues have already
been addressed
• Limited shot angles
Virtual Reality (VR)

• Walk through work site

• Direct where to move and look
• Inspect around and behind
obstructions
• Expert can later inspect issue
as if they were there
Augmented Reality (AR)

• Combines and overlays one

reality over another
• Like the game ‘Pokémon Go’
• Images displayed do not react
to viewer’s positioning
Augmented Reality

• Add graphics or text to what user already sees

• What finished unit would look like
• Inspection or installation notes
Mixed Reality (MR)

• Uses user location and direction to synchronize overlay

Mixed Reality

• Images expand & contract as user moves

• Overlay CAD wire diagram where user is looking
• Display outlines of planned pipe location
• Images appear to remain in place
• In infancy and very unstable in practice
CONCLUSION
Conclusion

• Jobsite photography is important in construction management

• Scheduler is in a unique position to do this job
• Understands criticality of subject
• Part of status keeping job anyway
Conclusion

• Important photographic steps

• Plan on what is to be captured
• Properly capture what is photographed
• Properly document what is captured
• Maintain Chain of Custody
• Use photographs to enhance value added