ecomaine Annual Report

February 25, 2019 0 Comments read Blog

ecomaine

Happy to be able to share some of the work I did late last year for ecomaine’s annual report. Ecomaine is a nonprofit waste management facility serving more than 70 Maine communities. They operate a recycling facility, a landfill operation and operate a waste-to-energy power plant based in Portland. Ecomaine works with the type of stuff that people generally don’t want–trash and used plastic, cardboard and packaging–but we all benefit from the work they do.

The images show another side of ecomaine–the faces of those who make the operation run, day in and day out, 365 days a year.

ecomaine

Client Work: Catalyst Paper

May 17, 2017 0 Comments read Blog, On Assignment, On Location, Recent Work

Catalyst Paper

I’ve been working with North American printing paper manufacturer Catalyst Paper for a couple of years now to produce content for their annual sustainability reports. They operate paper mills across the United States and Canada, including one in Maine.

They put together beautiful mater Catalyst Paper ials that highlight the work the company is doing to better manage resources, be more efficient and safety-conscious. The images themselves tell a story about the connection the company fosters–with the communities they live in, the people that work at the plants, and with the environment that makes their products possible.

In other words, the story of Catalyst Paper has less to do with paper, and more to do with people, environment and community.

This kind of project illustrates perfectly the need to be able to solve the complex issues that come up often when doing location industrial photography: challenging lighting, last-minute changes to schedule and location, and a sometimes unpredictable and active environment in which to photograph.

In other words, I love it.

Below are some of the images taken for the project:

Catalyst Paper

Dove Tail Bats Makes it in the Major Leagues

April 19, 2017 3 Comments read Blog, On Location, Recent Work

Across the country, spring has begun and with it, a new season of major-league baseball. In Maine, where spring is more concept than reality (often referred to as Mud Season), baseball is a sign that warmer days are ahead even if the weather hasn’t yet gotten the memo.

Maine, a staunch member of Red Sox Nation, now has another reason to get excited about the sport. The Dove Tail Bat Company, headquartered in tiny Shirley Mills, Maine–not far from Moosehead Lake, smack-dab in moose country–produces one-of-a-kind, custom-designed bats for the major leagues that look more like art and less like tools for knocking the stuffing out of a ball. Increasingly, across the major leagues, they’ve done just that.

Down East Magazine sent me to photograph owner Paul Lancisi, a former baseball player himself who once tried out for the Red Sox, along with his crew as they turned Maine hardwoods–ash, maple and birch–into glossy things of beauty.

Please read more about the DTB story in the May issue of Down East Magazine. I had a great time getting to know Paul and his talented crew. See below for additional images.

dove tail bat

Recent Work: Maine Standards Company

October 9, 2014 0 Comments read Blog, On Assignment, On Location, Showcase

It’s surprising to realize just how many amazing, world-class companies we have in Maine that fly under the radar. Maine Standards Company is one of those. Based in Southern Maine, Maine Standards develops and provides kits for the precise testing and calibration of medical diagnostic equipment. They’re doing cutting-edge stuff using some pretty cool tools. My job was to spend the day photographing their lab, testing kits and analyzers for use in trade show materials. It was a jam-packed day of setting up and breaking down gear, gelling lights and blocking light from reflecting everywhere in those shiny lab surfaces. I love, love this stuff! Check out some of our results.

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Recent Work: ecomaine

September 30, 2014 0 Comments read Blog, On Assignment, On Location, Recent Work, Showcase

This is the second time I’ve showcased some of my work for ecomaine, a non-profit waste management company. That’s due in part to the fact that the work they do is so interesting and their industrial environment lends itself to amazing images. This time around, I spent a day following around the people who work at ecomaine’s landfill, waste-to-energy plant and recycling facility. The job can be difficult and the environment is ever-changing, which makes it a photographic challenge. I opted for a very portable lighting kit that I could set up and take down at a moment’s notice. Even though the lighting looks complex, I kept it fairly simple, choosing to incorporate ambient light into the scene whenever possible. Here are some of my favorites that I think really capture both the environment and the diverse people that work there.

ecomaine_by_Brian_Fitzgerald_05 — Inside the machine shop.

ecomaine_by_Brian_Fitzgerald_03 — Operating the Recycling Facility compactor.

ecomaine_by_Brian_Fitzgerald_02 — Inside the “tipping hall”, where garbage is unloaded into a seven-story bunker.

ecomaine_by_Brian_Fitzgerald_04 — The ultimate result of all that garbage is tons of ash.

ecomaine_by_Brian_Fitzgerald_06 — A view of the landfill through the window of a vehicle.

ecomaine_by_Brian_Fitzgerald_01 — Recycling Facility supervisor.

I can’t say enough positive words about the ecomaine crew. It’s not fun to have a camera in your face, and likely it’s even more uncomfortable when you’re operating heavy and fast-moving equipment. They were fantastic to deal with and I think the images make them look like the rock stars they are.

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