Industrial Photography can be defined as photographic practice that takes place within and/or at the behest of an industrial organization, to document production processes, products, work organization, employees, or the layout, equipment, or culture of an enterprise. The pictures may serve either internal (e.g. administrative or industrial relations) or external (e.g. advertising or public relations) purposes. In principle there is no distinction between images made by in-house specialists or professionals hired from outside; and photographs taken by workers or clerical staff. The borderline between documentary pictures and journalistic, advertising, and public relations ones is fluid, depending on context and usage in individual cases.
Industrialists use photography, within prevailing cultural and economic limits, to project a certain image of themselves and their undertakings. Industrial Photography centres not on the individual workers but on plant, buildings, and the workforce as a group.
Another variant of industrial photography is workers' photography, carried out within the enterprise. In conclusion, industrial photography is a highly diverse phenomenon. It reflects both the technical and aesthetic currents prevalent in photography generally at a given time; and prevailing notions of photography's usefulness to industry
