After 28 years, Ted DeCagna is considered one of the premier construction photographers in New York and New Jersey. His recent shoots have included the Verrazano Bridge renovation, the Shirley Chisholm State Attorney General’s Building in NYC (a 32-month shooting contract), a 10-lane sign installation on the NJ Turnpike (the largest sign on the Turnpike), the Portal North Bridge infrastructure project in Kearny, NJ, and the RWJ Barnabas Medical Center in East Brunswick. Ted has also shot medical centers as far as Maryland and Boston, and a new major FedEx package depot in Queens, New York, which featured a heated parking lot and rooftop construction—just to name a few.
Ted’s Thoughts on Construction Photography
“What I enjoy about shooting construction is that you never know what you’re going to find when you arrive. But it can be very exciting. Documenting the famous Verrazzano Bridge renovation was one of the most exciting and physically challenging shoots I’ve ever had. I had to hit the gym regularly just to manage the intense climbing and walking involved. Each day started at 7 AM, climbing 17 stories of scaffolding on the Brooklyn side, navigating catwalks under the bridge, and walking across to reach the giant support pillars. From there, we had to descend about 12 stories to reach the massive bridge base platforms in the middle of New York Harbor. Once at the base, we climbed up a 3-story ladder into a dark porthole opening. When inside the only light came from our hard hats, revealing narrow passageways that reminded me of a cold, wet IRT subway at midnight.
“All along the way, I had to document rusted porthole doors, loose wiring, and corroded metal throughout the 56-year-old bridge. When shooting construction in New York, safety gear is essential: hard hat, safety vest, steel-toed boots (ideally comfortable ones), an LED flashlight strapped to your helmet, and protective goggles. I can’t shoot with goggles on unless sparks or debris are flying—then I switch to viewfinder display mode so I don’t need to press my eye to the camera. In frigid winters, I layer up—two to three layers, a battery heated vest, and fitted sweatpants under work jeans. I even duct tape chemical hand warmers inside my hat for ear warmth. Keep extra warmers in your pockets for your fingers to help prevent numbness in your finger tips. I highly recommend special winter photographers’ gloves with fold-back fingertip covers for easy shooting access and really help avoid numb finger tips. For major shoots like this, a 300mm zoom lens is critical. I needed to shoot corrosion on massive concrete bridge base supports 150 yards away—from the Staten Island pillar base. Without a zoom, I would have needed a boat to get close enough.”
Other New Jersey Construction Photography Adventures
“One exciting shoot was the $3 billion Portal North Bridge infrastructure project in Kearny, NJ (2024). It started with a thrilling ride up in a 60-foot construction lift. Many sites use lifts to reach hard-to-access spots, so why not take advantage? Photos always look better from high angles—and I’ve captured far more dramatic shots this way than from ground level. Just remember: always strap in with a safety harness. If bouncing and rotating 60 feet in the air on a metal platform with no support except the one holding up the steel basket and thin railings isn’t your thing, skip this recommendation!”
Shirley Chisholm Building Renovation – A Rooftop and Scaffold Story
Ted was recently awarded another exciting New York construction photographer, 36-month contract to document a major 42 Million dollar renovation of the Shirley Chisholm State Attorney General’s Building in NYC. “It required me to complete an online scaffolding safety course, as the entire 16-story building was wrapped in scaffolding. We started on the rooftop via elevator and worked our way down the scaffolding each month. A wide-angle lens (I use a 12–24mm) is essential, as scaffolding extends only about six feet off the building—making it tough to get wide progress shots otherwise. A 50mm lens would have been far too limiting. I used a flash for all shadowed areas: under scaffolding, rooftops, window interiors, and ceiling wiring—to ensure bright, clear shots. The flash reduces blur and increases sharpness dramatically. I often use the scaffolding crossbars as a makeshift tripod to help level my shots. When needed, I rotate images perfectly square in post-editing.”
A Great Tip for Photo Labeling and Batch Photo Organization
“When shooting multiple locations on a job site, bring 12 sheets of copy paper and a few Sharpies. Write quick signs with details like the floor and direction—e.g., ‘13th FLOOR WEST SIDE’—then take a photo of the sign before shooting that batch. This saves time and confusion during post-editing and makes it crystal clear for the project engineers where each photo was taken.
If any issues come up—like replacing a $30,000 beam—these labeled shots leave no ambiguity about the location.”
One Last Safety Note on Scaffolding
“Walk slowly. Seriously. I’ve had young assistants fly up and down those steep, Lego-like stairs to show me work in progress. But one wrong move could destroy your gear—or worse, cause you severe injury or create a falling hazard to those working or walking on sidewalks below. The risk of dropping a camera or lens 13 stories is not worth trying to keep up with an escort who wants to rush back to his construction assignment for the day.
Final Tips for Gear and Safety
“For difficult-to-reach locations, always bring backup gear: an extra pro camera, extra memory card, flash, back up batteries and wide-angle lens. Remember, your camera is a microcomputer—failures happen. The last thing you want on a bridge or rooftop is a dead camera or flash and no backup. Also, I use a zippered money belt to hold my water bottle. Traditional workout water holder belts can let bottles slip out—a dangerous risk if it falls 16 stories onto traffic or pedestrians. It’s very important to stay hydrated, especially on hot days with all the climbing. A zipped pouch keeps it very secure.”
Construction Photography Conclusion: Risk + Reward = Art
“If you’re willing to take smart safety precautions—and accept a bit of injury risk—construction photography can be safe, exciting, and incredibly rewarding. Every now and then, you’ll capture something spectacular—like welders or metal workers in action. They’re my favorite to shoot. Nothing beats the explosion of flying sparks or the fire glow of a torch. The award-winning first photo above of a worker ripping a metal air duct above was taken with a two-second exposure. I didn’t have a tripod, so I used a steel 2×4 with a groove to lock my SLR in place. The result: a perfectly sharp image of a dark room lit by electric sparks, shooting across the ground like a rocket.” ( This photo is available to view large on Ted’s home page or under Construction)
Recent Comments