Panel Discussion

Some of the most interesting days in construction photography happen long before a building is finished. This one took me to McMinnville, Oregon, where the Pence Contractors crew was raising the walls of a new concrete tilt-up building, and "raising" is the literal word for it.

Tilt-up construction is a smart way to build a substantial space quickly and cost effectively. The concrete foundation is poured first. Once it cures, forms are laid out right on top of it and the walls are poured flat on the ground. When those panels are ready, a crane crew arrives and lifts each massive concrete panel into its wall location. Temporary steel braces are bolted in to hold everything steady while the full wall takes shape. The roof structure comes in last, bolting to the tops of the panels and locking the whole system together.

What always strikes me on these shoots is the coordination. Riggers, crane operators, spotters, and finishers all working in concert to place each panel safely and precisely. In a matter of hours, a large portion of the building is standing where there was only a slab that morning.

For contractors and design teams, this stage of a project is worth documenting. Construction progress photography captures the craft and problem solving that a finished building can't show, and it gives your team marketing and proposal images that tell the whole story. If you're building something interesting in the Pacific Northwest, I'd enjoy seeing it. You can reach me at info@mattswainphoto.com.

Matt Swain Photography is based out of the Pacific North West and serves McMinnville, OR and the West Coast with quality architectural and drone photography.