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Archive 2012 · Shooting Tethered

  
 
Robert Spencer
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Shooting Tethered


As a beginning portrait photographer ( with background in nature/wildlife & landscapes) I am gearing up to begin anew.
I have adequet bodies & lenses plus a very good starters light kit.

I`m looking into the advantages of shooting tethered and wondering how many of you use this technique in your studios. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks & take care. Bob



Jan 02, 2012 at 12:22 AM
alohadave
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Shooting Tethered


Why do you feel that shooting tethered would help out?

Do you have clients that will want to see the shots as you are shooting? This is common in commercial and advertising shoots where you have ADs and other people approving shots in real time.

For portraiture, it's a distraction. You want to create intimate moments with your subjects, and having them (or you) looking at a screen after every shot will break the mood, if you can even get one started.



Jan 02, 2012 at 12:26 AM
BrianO
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Shooting Tethered


I shoot tethered for landscapes and still lifes, but for portraits, events, family photos, etc. -- pretty much anything involving people -- I don't. As Dave says, it's mostly a distraction, and can interfere with spontaneous interaction with the subjects.


Jan 02, 2012 at 06:23 AM
onetrack
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Shooting Tethered


My experience is exactly opposite. When I shoot high school seniors tethered in the studio, the student and parent gain confidence in the shoot and their looks. I ask them for feedback as I shoot. Perhaps 1 out of 15 don't like what their seeing. That's great because I can change to get what works for them.

I also shoot much less. Camera is on a camera stand and I trigger with a cable. I almost never get eyes closed and I can be talking and directing without my face planted behind the camera.

I do take the camera off the stand some when needed.

It works well for family shoots too but I don't shoot many indoors. Typically, they are looking for one good shot and when they see it, we're done.

Scott



Jan 02, 2012 at 09:22 AM
Beowulfenator
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Shooting Tethered


onetrack wrote:
Camera is on a camera stand and I trigger with a cable.

How do you focus?



Jan 02, 2012 at 09:36 AM
cwebster
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Shooting Tethered


Beowulfenator wrote:
How do you focus?


By remote control, using the screen of the laptop, assuming the camera has LiveView or equivalent.

Actually the ability to focus remotely is one of the best features of shooting tethered.

<Chas>



Jan 02, 2012 at 01:22 PM
Robert Spencer
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Shooting Tethered


Your replies are helpful & appreciated. Some aspects I had not anticipated.. It just seems like being able to see more than the LCD offers would be an advantage from cropping to observing details. I use nikon D2s which have a focus lock button. I don`t think I would like having the screen positioned so that the subject would be able to see it. That would be a distraction. Thanks & take care. Bob




Jan 02, 2012 at 01:25 PM
RDKirk
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Shooting Tethered


I agree that it would be a distraction, except when an art director or others must review the images in real time.

For portraits I take the helm to determine what looks good--that's done well enough from the LCD. I try as much as possible to keep the camera on a stand or tripod and use a radio remote release to get completely away from the camera to improve rapport with the subject.



Jan 02, 2012 at 06:57 PM
Mike Mahoney
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Shooting Tethered


Robert Spencer wrote:
As a beginning portrait photographer ( with background in nature/wildlife & landscapes) I am gearing up to begin anew.
I have adequet bodies & lenses plus a very good starters light kit.

I`m looking into the advantages of shooting tethered and wondering how many of you use this technique in your studios. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks & take care. Bob


Some of the best photographers in the world shoot tethered, mostly in situations where they are on a set with others (art directors, clients, etc.) who need to see that the shoot is going according to their original concept. Generally these photographers will keep their attention on shooting and maintain their rapport with the subject, leaving the tethered screen viewing to others.

I see little advantage in shooting tethered for a simple shoot with just a photographer and subject.
But everyone is different .. try it and see yourself



Jan 02, 2012 at 07:17 PM
onetrack
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Shooting Tethered


Beowulfenator wrote:
How do you focus?


I have my camera set to focus with the thumb button only. I set up the framing and prefocus.

The cable will only fire, it won't try to focus.

Scott



Jan 03, 2012 at 08:36 AM
Steve Wylie
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Shooting Tethered


Shooting tethered works very well when you're setting up and dialing in everything. Shooting to a laptop with a calibrated monitor will give you very good feedback on your lighting setup and exposure values. Then, when it's time to shoot the client, I'd go off-tether for the reasons stated above, unless the client really wants to see it live as it happens.


Jan 03, 2012 at 02:44 PM
Robert Spencer
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Shooting Tethered


Maybe as Steve suggested using the laptop to set up is the best way to go then revert to conventional procedure. Thanks for all that have offered their opions & experiences. take care. Bob


Jan 03, 2012 at 04:24 PM
Skarkowtsky
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Shooting Tethered


I assist in an on-figure / tabletop studio. All sets are tethered. The AD makes the rounds to confirm consistency, etc. However, in my experience, I'd disagree that on-display exposures are a total hiccup in the rapport between the photographer and the model. Ultimately, it's up to the photographer to engage the model, and keep that person enthused.

Sure, we hire agency models that operate in professional settings, but even with computer displays a few feet away, they don't stare or walk off-set until they have a new set-up. Conditions might be different if you're shooting portraits of families, children, or other people not too accustomed to photo studio settings. But, I'd think they would focus (save for babies) when they had to.

At times, our photographers utilize the benefits of tethering to help direct the model by showing him/her shots from the shoot. In that sense, I think it keeps the dialogue open between the two, and the shoot moving forward. Also, the photographers are viewing the shots on calibrated displays as they are written off the sensor; you can better gauge sharpness, color and the like opposed to 3" LCD's.

I think it comes down to how you conduct yourself while working, and also the physical conditions of the studio. If you're engaging, and the environment is inviting and positive, you'll keep the subject excited and focused. If not, then anything could be a distraction. For instance, those gigantic light modifiers that have been two feet from their faces for the past hour.



Jan 05, 2012 at 01:39 PM
onetrack
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Shooting Tethered


I think it definitely depends upon the market and the types of clients.

The #1 HS Senior Photographer in the country has three studios and they all shoot tethered.

The mom with the $$$ and the kid can give feedback in real time.

Before tethering, I used to shoot hundreds of shots, then pick the best which took lots of time, to create a preview presentation. Now, I have the student and mom pick their favorites when I'm changing the background and lights for the next scene.



Jan 05, 2012 at 06:18 PM
BeautyByDivine
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Shooting Tethered


I love shooting tethered.
Previewing the shot on a bigger screen is much more convenient for me.

I shoot tethered using Capture One Pro and I run Capture Pilot on my iPad, as soon as the shot is taken it pops up on the iPad.

I find this beneficial as I can pinch to zoom into areas and inform the Make Up Artist that it needs to be touched up.

I can also show the client their picture immediately and leave my camera attached to the tripod.



Jan 06, 2012 at 04:52 PM
Robert Spencer
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Shooting Tethered


Thank you gentlemen for such lavish input. One thing I have noticed is that some use iPad while some use laptop. Has one any advantage over the other. Thanks & take care. Bob


Jan 08, 2012 at 01:27 PM
ukphotographer
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Shooting Tethered


BeautyByDivine wrote:
I shoot tethered using Capture One Pro and I run Capture Pilot on my iPad, as soon as the shot is taken it pops up on the iPad.



Have you done this whilst working on location and managed to automatically send images from the Ipad (or the tether) at all?

I have a job in the UK coming up which wants AD in California and to be shot on location. I use CaptureOne on a MacBook Pro and would use this if I could work out how to make it happen easily.. Next stop PhaseOne..



Jan 08, 2012 at 03:04 PM
infocusinc
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Shooting Tethered


ukphotographer wrote:
Have you done this whilst working on location and managed to automatically send images from the Ipad (or the tether) at all?

I have a job in the UK coming up which wants AD in California and to be shot on location. I use CaptureOne on a MacBook Pro and would use this if I could work out how to make it happen easily.. Next stop PhaseOne..


I love the ipad/capture one combo. I shoot lots of brackets and various lighting on a single large product shot...for later assembly.

I control the camera from the ipad instead of the computer and it saves me many trips up and down steps and ladders. A godsend for my old body.



Jan 08, 2012 at 05:40 PM
Micky Bill
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Shooting Tethered


Tethered is a great way to learn from for beginners like the OP said he is. It also helps in other studio situations. I'm not sure why it be a distraction to have a monitor set up facing the photog, away from the subject


Jan 08, 2012 at 10:28 PM
BrianO
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Shooting Tethered


Micky Bill wrote:
...I'm not sure why it be a distraction to have a monitor set up facing the photog, away from the subject.


Because the photographer's attention would be split between the subject and the monitor.

This isn't an issue of "the right way" versus "the wrong way" -- it's merely a matter of style or preference. I do mostly intimate portraits of regular people, rather than runway models or rock stars on a big set, and for the way I shoot it wouldn't work well for me to use tethered shooting most of the time. Your mileage may vary.



Jan 08, 2012 at 11:46 PM
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