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One of my first major assignments after opening my photography studio in 1981 was documenting the construction of a new manufacturing facility for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Tobaccoville, North Carolina.
At the time, R.J. Reynolds' manufacturing operations were concentrated in Winston-Salem. The new facility represented a significant expansion and relocation effort, creating one of the largest construction projects in the area.
Working for Morrison-Knudsen Construction Company, I was contracted to provide monthly aerial photography documenting the progress of the project. The photographs were incorporated into construction reports and project documentation used by management throughout the development of the facility.
Each month, I conducted an aerial photography flight over the site, typically producing approximately 30 images that recorded the latest phase of construction. The project superintendent reviewed the photographs and selected images for inclusion in official reports. Initially, five photographs were typically chosen for each reporting cycle, but as construction progressed and the value of the imagery became increasingly apparent, the number of selected images grew to fifteen or more per month.
Due to proprietary concerns surrounding the facility, all photography was conducted from the air. Capturing consistent viewpoints throughout the project required careful flight planning and coordination to ensure meaningful documentation of the site's transformation over time.
The assignment continued for approximately two and a half years, resulting in a comprehensive visual record of the construction process from groundbreaking through completion. Over the course of the project, hundreds of aerial photographs were produced, providing management with an effective tool for monitoring progress, communicating project status, and preserving the history of a major manufacturing development.
This assignment marked the beginning of my long involvement in construction progress photography and aerial imaging, services that continue to be an important part of my photography business today.
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