01 / REVIEW
Capture context first
Take an overall view that identifies the building face and interface. Follow it with the detail view. A close crop without orientation can be impossible to place later, especially when several openings look alike.
02 / REVIEW
Attach a record, not a claim
Record interface ID, date, view direction and drawing revision. Explain what is visible and what remains outside the frame. A photograph is evidence of a visible condition, not proof of every concealed layer or performance characteristic.
03 / REVIEW
Preserve the review trail
Keep the original file and any marked-up copy separately. Record the reviewer’s question or response and whether further evidence is needed. Avoid overwriting an earlier image with a later accepted condition.
Photograph the relationship that will disappear
A useful concealed-work image shows something the finished surface will no longer reveal: a flashing lap, support connection, cavity path, penetration treatment or material transition. Decide what needs to be recorded before the next layer is installed. Waiting until closeout usually produces attractive finished photographs but little evidence of the concealed interface.
Use the current drawing to identify the relationship being observed. Label the location and detail reference in the record. If the image shows a deviation or unresolved condition, preserve it as such. A photograph should not be captioned approved merely because the file exists.
Take three views rather than one ambiguous close-up
An overview locates the work within the building or assembly. An intermediate view shows the surrounding layers and their direction. A detail view records the particular joint or component. Together they are more useful than a high-resolution crop with no orientation.
Scroll sideways to read all columns. Keyboard: focus the table and use the arrow keys.
| View | Include | Common omission |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Opening, wall zone or identifiable landmark | No way to find the detail later |
| Relationship | Adjacent layers and direction of continuity | A component shown without what it connects to |
| Detail | Relevant joint, label or measurement reference | Hidden or unreadable interface |
| Completed stage | The work immediately before concealment | Only a much earlier stage is recorded |
If a dimension is important, use the appropriate measurement and record it clearly; perspective in a photograph is not a reliable substitute. Product labels and revision information should be readable in separate images where necessary.
Keep the image attached to the inspection event
Record the date, location, work stage, observer and relevant drawing revision. Distinguish the installer who supplied the image from the person who reviewed the work. A photograph can support a review, but it does not demonstrate every hidden condition or certify the entire assembly.
When something changes after the photograph, add another record. Reusing an earlier image after rework can make the archive misleading. Keep the earlier version for history and identify which image represents the final observed condition before closure.
Make the archive searchable by place and function
Use stable location identifiers instead of names such as final-detail-new-2. Group the images with the related detail, open questions and response. A later investigator should be able to search for a particular opening head or cladding base and find both the image and the instruction that applied at the time.
Retain original files alongside any annotated copies. Markups can explain the water path or component identity, but they should not obscure the unedited observation. Avoid putting personal information or unrelated site activity into a public technical record.
Use gaps in the record to plan access
An absent photograph does not prove defective work. It identifies a limitation in what can be established from the archive. If a later decision depends on that concealed condition, record the uncertainty and determine the appropriate inspection or access method rather than filling the gap with an assumed detail.
Continue with sequence coordination and repair access. These photographic methods are original documentation guidance; the acceptance of the underlying construction remains tied to its actual requirements and review.
A junction coordination study
Concept example: photo W-12-02 shows a head transition before cladding. The record links an elevation locator and notes that the left corner is outside the frame; a second image is requested.
Use the result
Keep the completed review with the relevant project record. Assign unresolved items before relying on a conclusion. If the material, condition or document changes, revisit the affected questions.
Assembly explorerTechnical references
General background for the subject. Project worksheets and fictional situations are original review aids, not official agency forms.