Concept Industry 4.0 – Royalty-Free Images From Digitalization
Industry as the backbone of the German economy and the biggest driver of digitalization is an important topic in the royalty-free stock photo market. This is all the more true in light of the industrial revolution we are currently experiencing. Under the buzzword Industry 4.0, digitalization and networking in the manufacturing sector have long been in full swing and are profoundly changing the way we all work.
Just-in-Time, Connectivity, and Internet of Things
The fourth industrial revolution began with the widespread availability of the Internet. Since then, the digitalization of manufacturing and logistics processes as well as our communications has taken the world of work forward in giant strides. We are no longer dependent on storage, for example, but rather can organize just-in-time production in such a way that supply and demand are constantly synchronized.
The Internet of Things has long since found its way into factories. We network everything we can via the Internet, even in our leisure time. It’s almost passé for someone to use an app to preheat the coffee machine while out for a walk. In industry, computer-controlled production facilities are fully automating most processes. This is how “intelligent” factories, in which people, systems, and even the end products communicate with each other, are created.
Industry 4.0 is also going full throttle in visualization. We are no longer dependent on drawings and imagination, but instead, thanks to VR glasses, can look around our new dream kitchen before it even physically exists. And builders can “block” their four walls virtually before they even break ground.
Industry 4.0 and Digitalization in Stock Photography
These groundbreaking developments are an important topic for Westend61 because they are also changing the visual language. Motifs of people wearing VR goggles might have seemed right out of Star Trek 10 years ago, but they have long since become commonplace. Images on the topic of Industry 4.0 are among the most sought-after motifs on the stock photo market. High-tech companies as well as financial service providers, consulting firms, and public institutions advertise using images depicting robotics, logistics, and the like. There is a good reason for this: Digital networking in all its fascinating manifestations and varieties is a strong eye-catcher for visual messages. Images that show people and technology interacting offer countless creative variations that never get boring. You will find more about all facets of this topic in our INSPIRE “Digitalization.”
Futurismus mit User Interfaces und Augmented Reality
Let’s take a look at a few practical examples from industrial photography, as they are often used by our customers in Germany and abroad.
It’s started by the visualization of user interfaces and augmented reality. A popular design trick here is reflections in glasses and other smooth surfaces, such as in this image by Andrew Brookes for the management and strategy consultant McKinsey. Reflections, when used correctly, have a futuristic, intelligent, and emotional effect. And – another plus – they are less costly to implement than, say, the integration of a production line.
A further development here is offered by the approach of Infinite Lux, which deals with the direct integration of 3D renderings in photography.
Images of user interfaces are very suitable for presenting security technology, as in this example from the Swiss private insurance company GVB, staged by Uwe Umstätter. The entire building technology of a smart home has already been digitally controlled and managed.
Other areas of application for the two image concepts include data protection, green tech, e-learning, and working remotely.
Virtual progress does not necessarily have to be illustrated by incorporating graphics or effects. Even the – as we can now say – good ol’ virtual reality glasses still stand for a futuristic approach in the mass market. Kniel Synnatzschke shows another appealing variant of technology photography with this photo produced for Credit Suisse that depicts an architect who seems to be immersed in a 3D representation.
Digital Industries and Robotics
More and more work processes in industry are being switched from “human” to “machine.” Though this makes it possible to increase efficiency and profits, it is also sometimes met with skepticism because it feeds fears of job losses and robot dictatorship. So for all the fascination with technology, credible images in the promising robotics sector should focus on people as they monitor and evaluate the process or maintain the machines.
When we talk about industrial photography, Daniel Ingold immediately comes to mind. He specializes in documenting manufacturing and logistics processes as well as robotics. He is currently registering high demand for robotics motifs in particular. He explained to us how much effort and care such productions require: “Exactly what may be depicted must be made clear. Sensitive information cannot be shown under any circumstances. Publication only takes place after final approval from the company.” Daniel’s images can regularly be found, for example, in campaigns by major technology companies and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. IT services company NTT used one of his robotics images as a homepage header for its Innovation department.
What will come in the future?
The digital transformation to Industry 4.0 is already well advanced, and it’s exciting to imagine where this journey will take us. At Westend61, we are always looking ahead and, if possible, anticipating new trends before they really arrive. So let’s start thinking about what Industry 5.0 might look like. We have seen firsthand what a powerful accelerator of digitalization a global crisis like a pandemic can be. Daniel Ingold believes that automation processes will become increasingly important. In view of climate change, we believe the green tech sector will play an important role in the next industrial revolution. Sustainability is becoming more and more important. Keywords such as energy and resource efficiency, sustainability, storage and distribution, and circular economy will follow and help shape further technological development.
Our creativity and versatility for your projects
Are you looking for images from the fields of Industry 4.0, digitalization, and technology? Then we are the right partners for you. Our sales and consulting team is constantly communicating with the creative department and can present you with the exact right images for your projects – up to date, unique, and always relevant. Trust our image professionals to find the right motifs for you!
