The camera never lies

Is everything as it seems in that photo of the shiny new excavator or the newly-secured demolition project?

Anyone that has spent any time on social media will have seen the photos.  The handsome, young influencer stood by an expensive car or possibly outside an even more expensive house.  His abs are chiselled, his teeth white to the point of iridescence; his suntan unfeasibly dark.  By his side there is a young woman torn straight from the pages of Vogue.  Her teeth are seemingly carved from moon-stone and her tan would render her invisible in front of a mahogany panel, which would be a shame because she has the body of a goddess.

Who this image is aimed at is not quite clear.  Has it been taken to show friends and family how well this dream couple are doing?  Has it been posted to make others jealous?  Or has it been uploaded in the hope that someone out there might be so impressed by this amazing image that they might want to work with this dream couple; and pay handsomely to do so?  No-one knows.  What we do know is that looks can be deceiving.

That deep tan they’re both sporting MIGHT be the result of lounging in the sun in some far-flung destination.  It might equally have been delivered via a spray booth at a local salon.  That car and that house COULD belong to the couple OR it could be a rental hired purely in the creation of this stunning image.  And that beautiful woman has either just endured four hours in hair and make-up or she too is a rental.

In many cases, that image is a lie.  It is a lie to fool others into thinking that things are better than they really are.  It is a lie told to fill a gap in the influencer’s psyche.  The person in the photo is real; but everything else is a lie.

And so we come to the subject of demolition.  As an industry, it does not really go for the lifestyles of the rich and the shameless, at least not publicly.  There are no supercars, and there are no “paid by the hour” supermodel girlfriends.  But, make no mistake, the industry is not above a photographic falsehood or two of its own.

There is the popular shot of a new item of equipment – the digger equivalent of the supercar - being delivered to site.  But, in many instances, it has been purchased on finance and the company will have to hope and pray that they can attract sufficient work in order to keep up the payments on the machine and on the fuel and insurance needed to keep it operational.

And then there is my personal favourite – The aerial photo of the new project that has just been won.  Generally shot from a drone, the image features a red line that encompasses all the bits of a building that are to be demolished.  Nothing false there.  These are real buildings facing very real demolition.

But what is the story behind that image?  Is the demolition company posting that image to give themselves a warm, fuzzy feeling?  Are they posting it to make their rivals jealous?  Or are they posting it in the hope that someone out there might be so impressed by this amazing image that they might want to work with the company behind it?

Moreover, what is the background to the winning of this amazing new project?  Did they have to low-ball the price in order to secure the work?  Are they aware that the client has a reputation for late or non-payment?  Is the project really within their capabilities or are they just taking a punt?  Is there enough money in the project to allow for it to be properly manned; for workers to be trained and cared for; for the right equipment to be used?  Will the demolition company face further “value engineering” to reduce costs still further?  Was the methodology agreed upon best for the project or simply best for the client’s budget?  Was the timescale agreed upon best for the project or simply best for the client’s calendar?

That aerial photo; that image of a building circled in red.  It might be a superb project that will make a great addition to the company’s portfolio and a great contribution to the company’s bank balance.

Equally, it might just look good but prove to be as difficult to live with as that influencer’s supermodel “girlfriend” and just as costly.