I want to do a documentary project on industry in my city. How does one get access to the locations and people I need? I feel like I'd just get laughed at if I called up companies asking for access to their plants for a personal photography project. I've thought about just driving down to the industrial area and taking photos from outside/talking to people, but I don't know how well that will work.
Very much inspired by Salgado's Workers and want to do a (much smaller) project in that vein.
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make Hasselblad Camera Model Hasselblad H3D II-39 Camera Software Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh Photographer Bob Tursack Image-Specific Properties: Image Width 3000 Image Height 1956 Compression Scheme Uncompressed Pixel Composition Unknown Image Orientation Top, Left-Hand Horizontal Resolution 100 dpi Vertical Resolution 100 dpi Image Data Arrangement Chunky Format Image Created 2012:04:03 00:51:15 Exposure Time 372827/33554432 sec F-Number f/20.0 Exposure Program Manual ISO Speed Rating 100 Lens Aperture f/20.0 Metering Mode Center Weighted Average Flash No Flash Focal Length 50.00 mm Color Space Information sRGB Image Width 1010 Image Height 659
How did Salgado get his fucking tones?
To answer your question OP, just ask the construction companies if you can be a visitor to for your "documentary project"
Construction sites get visitors all the time. You'd get a hard hat, you take your pictures, then you leave. nbd. Worst that happens is they say no. They may say no for a variety of reasons. But I doubt you'll get "laughed at" so stop being a scardey cat and just ask!
Or you can walk around and get close to street workers and take pics. Not a big deal. Dress like a tourist. If you're asian, even better