The Construction Blue Book is a regional (a dozen or so states) professional contractor’s magazine featuring up-to-the-minute stories about best practices, industry news, and at least one spotlight feature on a company or project.
I’ve been lucky enough to be their local photography contractor for several years, even though they seem to need shoots on either the hottest day of the year or the coldest! But it’s a welcome challenge: Tight timelines, a 1-man crew, amateur talent, tricky locations. Basically what I really love.



Inside, each story features a double-truck (requiring super-high resolution capture) spread, and vignettes of the subjects working and collaborating at a job site. Their offices are a always a mess as are real construction sites, so keeping everything looking nice is tough but fun.
And like a “real” newsstand magazine, it’s printed on heavy coated paper, with a fine 220 linescreen, and requires perfect files: Tack-sharp, color-correct, retouched. At 11″ high, those water spots on the truck are going to look horrible, so extensive retouching is required. See you next year! Bring a sweater!
For more location industrial photography, click here.