Machining

Collection of sample parts to showcase lathe work by an aerospace machine shop. Shot on location in Camarillo, CA using speedlights modified by softboxes for a soft light. Reflective metal parts need soft light to avoid extremely specular highlights.

Haas mini-mill in operation at Neil's Machining in Oxnard, CA. A speedlight with a short flash duration was used to freeze the action, making the drops of coolant clearly visible without motion blur. The speedlight was modified with a grid to keep the background dark, contrasting with the white coolant.

Interior of an aerospace machine shop in Camarillo, CA, showing tool vending machine in the foreground and a mill in the background. Speedlights were placed pointing into the mill to create a glowing effect inside the mill. Additional speedlights were used in a ceiling-bounce configuration, and an umbrella-modified light aimed at the machinist/vending machine.

Lighting Setup Finished parts at Neil's Machining. Shot on location in Oxnard, CA with speedlights, umbrellas and a shoot-through reflector as modifiers. Products with reflective metal surfaces need to be lit by a relatively large light source for adequate coverage, to avoid specular highlights and large shadow areas. Here we combined two umbrellas and one reflector into a large light source. See the lighting setup photo which shows the configuration of the two umbrellas.

Machining of a large forging die for an aerospace/defense application at DM Precision in Port Hueneme, CA.

Inspection department showing a coordinate measuring system and workstations, lit by speedlights in a ceiling bounce and umbrella-modified configuration.

Parts machined for the 1980's Space Shuttle program. Lit with softboxes on location at a machine shop in Camarillo, CA.

Machinist inspecting parts. Lit by a speedlight with a shoot-through umbrella and 1/4 CTO gel on the left. Shot on location at Neil's Machining in Oxnard, CA.

Finished mounting plates at Neil's Machining. Shot on location in Oxnard, CA with speedlights, umbrellas and a shoot-through reflector as modifiers. A tight lens aperture and a high flash power setting were used to create a wide depth of field, allowing the entire frame to appear in focus - this helps to convey the concept of precision through the sharpness of the intricate details and texture of the product surface.

CNC Mills at an aerospace machine shop in Camarillo, CA. Lit with multiple speedlights (ceiling bounce and umbrella modified).

Lighting Setup Interior shot of Haas VF-2 Mill with operator at Neil's Machining in Oxnard, CA. Speedlights were placed inside and outside the machine with modifiers to achieve a soft lighting effect which is ideal for reflective metal components. The lighting setup photo shows the same light on a VF-1 mill: a speedlight positioned outside the mill fires through a circular reflector and through the window to create the appearance of soft light coming from the outside of the mill into the interior where the camera is positioned.

Closeup of a Haas mill in operation, using the same technique referenced above (gridded speedlight with a short flash duration) to freeze the action, making the drops of coolant visible without blurring.