Project Spotlight: Brunner Fabrication for TRUMPF
Meeting product demands with a steely resolve.
Leaders that are determined, innovative, and have a hard work ethic often don’t see failure as an option. Brunner Fabrication’s COO, Matt Brunner, is a testament to that. After realizing the demand for steel fabrication products, Matt Brunner left his manufacturing job to create Brunner Fabrication, a quick-turnaround, high-volume fabrication facility, starting with four employees. Matt worked tirelessly to meet demand and his business quickly expanded.
Besides Matt’s drive and work ethic, Brunner Fabrication’s success in meeting demand has also been supported by TRUMPF, a technology production company that is a market leader in machine tools and lasers for manufacturing companies. Matt installed one of Trumpf’s lasers and press brakes when he started Brunner Fabrication, and has continued to add and upgrade more of Trumpf’s laser technology as his business expands.
Trumpf machinery contacted me to photograph Brunner Fabrication in Manitowoc for part of their company magazine that was going to be printed and handed out at a large trade show. I worked in coordination with Jeff Metzger at Swift Cricket, who does the design and layout for the magazine.
I spent a half day at Brunner Fab, and for the most part, the employees went along with their normal work tasks and I photographed them as they worked. There was some direction and posing for some of the action images, but the vast majority were undirected. For most of the images, I used a 2-light setup.
Slow Shutter For Fast-Paced Shots
I used a slower shutter speed to show the activity of work getting done. This technique is something I enjoy using for action shots, since it gives the viewer a better sense of what is going on in the setting.
I especially like the effect this technique had on the sparks in the two photos below. It shows the distance that those sparks fly while he’s working (and highlights the importance of wearing safety gear!).
Some of the images that I took did not make it into Trumpf’s magazine because they didn’t highlight their machinery, which wouldn’t have been on scope for their project. But sometimes, I can’t pass up the opportunity to photograph something that catches my eye! Below is my favorite shot from this shoot.
I love the yellow screen, pop of color and the silhouette figure of the welder. The bright spot of the welder and the Miller box behind him shows what he’s doing. I used 2 lights to light the scene, the main reason I used lighting is so the view out the door wasn’t blown out because of the brighter daylight scene outside. The lighting also helped add directional light and texture to the scene. I love the play of all the different framing, with the crooked handle for the shop cart, the yellow welding screen, the door going to the outside, and also the vertical lines on the back wall.
In addition to Matt, the rest of the team at Brunner Fabrication works just as hard to produce hundreds of thousands of pounds of high-quality cut, bent, and welded steel parts each day. They are able to utilize the automation features of Trumpf’s technology to maximize their efficiency, which allows Brunner Fabrication to continue to succeed and grow. In one year, they went from having one laser operator to six full-time employees.
I love the opportunity to see my work featured in a published piece, and knowing the value in those images can help a business to continue growing. When following up with Matt after the shoot, he let me know that having their images featured in Trumpf’s magazine “really added a lot of exposure to our business.” Even though I was contacted by Trumpf to take these photographs, Matt appreciated the fact that I was “very easy to work with, and listened to our input and ideas.” When photographing, my goal is to capture the best representations of a business, and the best way for me to do that is to listen and learn from those that know the business best!
If you’re a hardworking business owner like Matt, work for a production company like Trumpf, or are part of a workplace you think would benefit from having images of your facility in motion, contact me to talk about your needs and schedule a shoot!