If you live in Toronto, it’s hard to traverse the city without running into construction. It seems there’s always the looming presence of a crane staring down at you. A skyline filled with the long steel arms of cranes symbolizes a rapidly changing metropolitan. Whether standing alone or in packs, the cranes build and build like a natural instinct. When you live in Toronto, you live with the cranes, the Creatures of Construction.
Creatures of Construction is a photography series that documents the many cranes operating in Toronto. The city has more cranes than any other North American city and it’s not even close. At the start of 2024, Toronto had a reported 221 cranes which is four times more than the second place city, Los Angeles, which had 50. Creatures of Construction frames these cranes as a symbol of urbanization. With an emphasis on composition, lighting, and black-and-white tones to create a moody and eerie atmosphere, I highlight the monstrous features of the crane. The glowing lights of their eyes, their long-reaching steel arms, and their stiff, boxy heads, these creatures are alive and represent a changing city.
When you’re walking through the city, it won’t be tough to find but keep an eye open for the creatures of construction. Watch them move and feel how they’re alive.
Michael Kieffer is a Toronto-based photographer who specializes in sports, studio, and conceptual photography. He is skilled in creative direction, studio lighting, and post-production editing. With a passion for storytelling, Michael uses his work to explore the expressive potential of small moments in life. Inspired by cinema, he enjoys creating new worlds inside his conceptual work and allowing viewers to see life from his perspective. Michael also experiments with other mediums, particularly graphic design. In his spare time, you can find Michael listening to his records or watching the Toronto Blue Jays.