Why Document Your Builds
Build documentation serves multiple purposes: it creates a portfolio of your process that demonstrates skill to potential clients and commissioners; it provides reference material for future builds using the same techniques; it generates content for social media platforms where process content performs well; and it creates a personal archive you'll value years later when the details of how you built something have faded.
What to Photograph
At minimum: the raw materials before cutting, each major stage of construction, any techniques that are particularly noteworthy or that you figured out in the process, fitting stages, and the finished piece from multiple angles. For social media content, video of construction in progress performs better than static photography on most platforms — a 60-second timelapse of an armour piece being shaped is more engaging than a photo of the finished result.
Equipment
You don't need professional equipment. A modern smartphone on a small tripod captures adequate process documentation. The most useful piece of equipment after the phone is a phone clamp that attaches to a tripod — this allows hands-free video of construction work, which is more useful than having to stop and pick up the camera. Good lighting (natural light from a window, or an inexpensive LED panel) makes a meaningful difference to photo quality.
Chimera's Content
Heidi documents builds extensively on YouTube, TikTok, and Patreon. Patreon has the most detailed build documentation — step-by-step process photography for commissions and personal builds. Following these channels provides both inspiration and practical reference for your own builds.