Builder's photo

The builder's photo is meant to show an overview of the basic exterior form of a unit of rolling stock.

[1] Photographs made by railfans that show similar features to builder's photos are sometimes informally referred to as roster shots.

[2] Builder's photos were also made by some automobile manufacturers to show a representative sample of new models they produced.

[4] Builder's photos were also reproduced as post cards as well as reprinted in advertisements to promote the railroad companies or manufacturers depicted therein.

Some details in darker-colored areas of the subject were also sometimes painted in a high-contrast bright color to ensure that they would be visible in the photograph.

1946 builder's photo of a DeRoI-33 electric locomotive built by Mitsubishi. The photograph's background shows a reduced contrast to place more emphasis on the locomotive.