This series was begun in 1998 when I joined a group of photographers who were allowed access to the historic Gladding McBean clay plant in Lincoln, CA. This plant has been in continuous operation since1875 and makes clay pipe and also high quality architectural terra cotta for historic buildings undergoing renovating.
Since that first visit, I have returned several times each year, always finding new subject matter. This includes the interior and exterior of the plant buildings, various types of machinery, beehive and shuttle kilns, as well as drying clay products.
Lighting conditions inside the plant can range from very soft to extremely harsh. Exposures can run to many minutes, especially inside the beehive kilns, where the only light comes from several light bulbs suspended from the top of the dome.
© 2014-2021 Henry Paine Photography
