Select Annual Reports

Northrop Corporation 1985 Annual Report
John Casado | Casado Design

Les Daly, VP of Corporate Communications at Northrop and responsible for its legacy of exceptional annual reports, told me that he wanted each image I shot to be a jewel...and he knew what he was talking about, possessing a rare knowledge of and eye for photography.

This annual report, my second Northrop project, was shot in black & white, with very formal, elegant compositions applied to a wide range of situations. Although known primarily as a defense contractor, the company also produced one third of the fuselage of the Boeing 747; so I photographed the 747 assembly at Boeing - which was production on a staggering scale. I went on to shoot manufacturing of ring laser gyros, prototyping of the F-20 Tigerhsark, assembly and testing the MX-Missile "Ball" guidance system, scrambling of a pair of F/A-18 Hornets and much more. Needless to say, it was a very exciting as well as technically demanding assignment.

The cover image illustrated an innovative use of laser technology applied to laminar flow patterns over the surface a model jet in a makeshift wind tunnel. Although not an impressive physical operation to look at, I was able to create an exciting image that focused on the ideas, yet sparkled like a diamond.