Latest Editorial, Portrait & Commercial Photography Projects

A selection of my most recent commissions and ongoing projects.

The work shown here spans editorial assignments, portrait commissions, documentary projects and commercial photography for organisations and publishers. It reflects current areas of focus and the range of contexts in which I am working.

New projects are added regularly.

Documentary, Website David Oates Documentary, Website David Oates

New website photography for Nufox

It’s long time ago since I finished my PhD in Materials Science, my subject was high temperature materials yet my office was not in the upper rooms with the furnaces and laser flash equipment but in the basement with the polymer engineers and the extruders and that weird persistent smell of all things rubbery. So it was with a feeling of nostalgia that I was once again amid the extruders and waterbaths at Nufox in Manchester to photograph their people, processes and products for their imminent website redesign.

Engineers working with extrusion equipment in polymer manufacturing plant

Industrial Photography at Nufox | Manufacturing, Materials and Polymer Engineering

It has been a long time since I finished my PhD in Materials Science. My research focused on high-temperature materials, yet my office was not in the upper laboratories with the furnaces and laser flash equipment. Instead, I was based in the basement alongside the polymer engineers, surrounded by extruders, water baths and the persistent, slightly rubbery smell that seems to accompany plastics processing everywhere.

Polymer extrusion machinery operating at Nufox manufacturing facility

So it was with a certain sense of nostalgia that I recently found myself once again among the extruders and cooling baths while photographing the manufacturing processes at Nufox. The commission involved creating a set of industrial and documentary images of their people, processes and products as part of an upcoming redesign of the company’s website.

Engineers working with extrusion equipment in polymer manufacturing plant

Photographing Manufacturing and Industrial Processes

Industrial photography often involves documenting complex production environments in a way that is both visually clear and technically accurate. At Nufox, the focus was on capturing the interaction between machinery, materials and skilled operators working across the production line.

Industrial manufacturing photography at Nufox production facility

Extrusion processes are particularly interesting to photograph because they combine movement, heat and material transformation. Polymer compounds pass through heated extruders before being shaped, cooled in water baths and processed into finished products. Visually, these processes create strong lines, textures and contrasts that lend themselves well to documentary industrial photography.

Polymer engineering machinery and extrusion line in factory environment

Materials Science and Manufacturing Context

Having previously worked in a materials science environment made it especially enjoyable to return to this type of setting. Many of the sights and sounds of a polymer processing facility are instantly familiar: the steady rhythm of extruders, the cooling lines running through water baths, and the careful monitoring of materials as they move from raw compound to finished product.

Manufacturing staff operating extrusion equipment in plastics plant

That background also helps when photographing technical environments, where understanding what is happening in the process can make it easier to anticipate key moments and capture meaningful images of both equipment and people at work.

Polymer engineering machinery and extrusion line in factory environment

Industrial Photography for Website and Marketing Use

The images produced at Nufox were designed primarily for their forthcoming website redesign. For manufacturing companies, professional photography plays an important role in communicating capability, scale and expertise to potential clients and partners.

Industrial environment with extrusion equipment and polymer materials

Photographs of production environments, staff and finished products help create a clear visual narrative of how a company operates. These images are typically used across websites, marketing materials, recruitment campaigns and corporate communications.

Polymer engineering machinery and extrusion line in factory environment

Documenting facilities like Nufox provides an authentic visual record of the manufacturing process while helping companies present their work clearly and professionally online.

Documentary photography of polymer processing at Nufox
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