From the Pros,On Location,Tethered Photography

Photographer Mark Taylor Puts the Tether Table Premier to Work19 Jul

Commercial and advertising photographer Mark Taylor puts Tether Tools gear to the test in his photoshoot with Little Gym International. Can you spot the Tether Table Premier at the beginning?

Behind the Scenes – Little Gym International Campaign from Mark Taylor PhotoImages on Vimeo.

Mark was also nice enough to send us some behind-the-scenes shots of his recent work on a Hooters promo. Check out his tethered photography set-up:

And here’s a sample of the finished product:

Visit Mark Taylor Photo Images to see more of his work.

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On Location,Quick Tips on Tethering,Tethered Photography

Tethered Photography for Product Photo Shoots30 Apr

Article and images by: Sourabh Banerjee, WriteLights photography blog

Over the years I have seen a lot of fashion photographers shoot tethered and I always wondered if it was really worth the effort. At a recent jewelry product photo shoot, I found out it is.

Tethering allows you to operate your camera using your computer. You still need to frame and focus using the viewfinder. But once you are done, you can change camera settings from the computer very easily. The biggest advantage is that you can check for sharpness immediately by doing a 1:1 crop.

This becomes crucial while shooting product photography in a tight time frame because you get to see exactly how your shots will look on screen. If your camera is on a tripod and needs to be absolutely still (for macro shots, for instance), triggering the shutter release using software is an added advantage.

In this setup, I am controlling the camera via Lightroom while doing product shots for a catalog. I am using a light tent, off-camera flash and a gobo. I also am using an improvised softbox at the bottom as a reflector.

Tethered-Photography-Product-Photo-Shoots-Set-Up

I found a much greater percentage of usable shots and dramatic reduction in post-processing time because of tethered photography.

You can set the camera to dump the frames immediately to the computer’s hard drive so you are no longer limited by the capacity of your memory card. I found this to be a very convenient way to control the camera, and change settings and lenses to get exactly the kind of shot I wanted. You can even do the full range of post-processing steps while waiting for your assistant to prepare the next frame.

Here is what you need to get started:

  • Adobe Lightroom 3 (Mac or PC), or a nifty application called Sofortbild. It also supports Live View on some camera models
  • A USB cable of appropriate length

In case you are wondering how the shot taken above turned out, here it is:

Tethered-Photography-Product-Photo-Shoots

From the Pros,On Location,Tethered Photography

Musings and Worthwhile Takeaways from The Flashbus 2011 Tour06 Apr

Article and photo by: Josh Kenzer, web developer and photography enthusiast

Tether-Tools-Digital-Photography-apple-drops

If you get into the world of off-camera flash, you will come to realize that two names dominate the space, David Hobby and Joe McNally. The two experts joined forces this spring in a whirlwind event called the FLASHBUS 2011 TOUR where they shared both sides of the flash equation.

Hobby, who runs Strobist.com, focuses his FLASHBUS session on using manual camera settings along with manual flash, a popular method for shooters who have a mixed bag of flashes or don’t want to commit to a specific manufacturer’s system.

The second half of the day is saved for McNally’s presentation. He teaches the more automatic ways of Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS), though most of his techniques also can be applied to Canon Wireless TTL.

I’m a member of the “Strobist camp” so I thought McNally’s presentation was fresh and incorporated a lot of techniques that were new to me. But, both photographers were hilarious and educational.

You can probably compare the two options to, say, driving stick shift or automatic. The best drivers know how to use both.

Since the day is only 6 hours long after all, both assume that you have a certain level of knowledge and move pretty fast but the question and answer session at the end is a good time to circle back on things that weren’t so clear.

Top takeaways:

  • There is definitely a time and a place for shooting manual versus CLS/TTL.
  • Adding one light at a time can make building a complex scene simpler.
  • Building a rapport with the subject is crucial. Try and set up the lights ahead of time, so the subject feels comfortable. Once you have the lights set-up and the rapport going, take a bunch of photos. Too many times I worry about the set-up so much that, once I get it right, I don’t spend enough time shooting.

Are you going to any of the remaining FLASHBUS 2011 TOUR stops? Don’t forget to check out our contest for your chance to win free tethered digital photography equipment from Tether Tools.

Photographer Spotlight: Ginger Unzueta

Unzueta Family

The Unzueta family. Photo courtesy of Amy Grimme Photography

Ginger Unzueta is a mother of three and part of a Marine family living in Central Florida. Ginger’s passion for life shines in her photographs, which capture some of life’s most precious moments. Her family and child portraits are stunning thanks to fantastic work with natural light, but it’s the photos Ginger snaps during military family reunions that simply leap from the screen.

My first camera was…
A point and shoot model I had as a child.  I really don’t remember a time in my life that I didn’t have a camera. My first “real” camera was a Canon SLR. I was enamored with all of its capabilities in comparison to a point and shoot. After we had our first child, we bought a DSLR Canon Rebel. I currently shoot with a Nikon d700.

Ginger Unzueta 1

Photo by Ginger Unzueta



I got started in child and family photography because…
I wanted to share this God given talent with other parents. I realized not all families had the resources or time to capture the everyday moments of loved ones. I cherish these moments because time with our children goes by much too quickly. I feel like it is so important to record these events with your family and to “get in” the pictures, too. I need to be better about that myself.

I wanted to become a photographer because…
I don’t remember consciously ever deciding to become a photographer. I feel like it has always been a part of who I am. After we had our first daughter, I knew that I didn’t want to forget all of the milestones and amazing every day moments. I knew I had a lot more to learn to capture the type of images I was longing for. I began reading and studying and shooting as much as I could.

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Photo by Ginger Unzueta

I would describe my style or shooting philosophy as…
Real, authentic, and a bit nostalgic. I am a lover of gorgeous light. I love sun and haze. I want my photographs to tell a story. I want them to evoke emotion and to inspire families to continue to make such loving memories together.

Some of my industry role models are…
This question is hard. There are so many amazing people in this industry. I can’t say that I have studied any one photographer and dream to be like them, rather, my hope has been to evolve into my own style. Over the last year, I’ve been involved with a forum called the Bloom Forum. I can’t say enough wonderful things about the moderators and members. It is an awesome place for growth and encouragement. In addition, I recently participated in a workshop called Finding the Light. This was an amazing two months for me. The techniques and knowledge I gained on natural lighting were phenomenal.

Ginger Unzueta 3

Photo by Ginger Unzueta

I think photography is important because…
We never get today back. It is a way to save all of those memories and, in an essence, re-live them over and over again.

One family I photographed that I’ll never forget was…
My friend’s reunion with her husband after his 10-month deployment to the Middle East. I knew firsthand the feelings she was experiencing. There is such a surge of emotions from nervousness, relief, and thanksgiving. There are not enough words to describe the surge of emotions both the deployed loved one and the family that’s been home are feeling. Capturing such a “real” and “intimate” reunion will allow for them to reflect years down the road on this life-changing experience in addition to sharing with generations of family to come. It is pretty amazing!

Ginger Unzueta 4

Photo by Ginger Unzueta

The one thing I want my child and family photographs to communicate to deployed mothers or fathers is…
I want each photo to be a vivid reminder that family members are back home waiting for them and that, most importantly, they love and support them. Throughout my husband’s several deployments to the Middle East, he always cherished receiving photos of our family. No matter how difficult or busy his days were, seeing photos of the children and me made “everything” just fine for a short few moments. Although thousands of miles away, he was with us again as he viewed each picture…priceless!

A dream gig would be…
My husband and I have always said we’d love to go on a mission trip together. What a privilege it would be to capture photos of families in other cultures. There are so many people around the globe that have never seen themselves through photographs. This would be an incredible gift to share.

Ginger Unzueta 7

Photo by Ginger Unzueta

Show Us Your Set-Up

In-studio workstation using the Tether Table Aero Master in non-reflective black with a Peel & Place Mousepad, TetherPro USB 2.0 Cable and Clip-On JerkStopper Computer Support. Photo by Sean Armenta

You searched for it. You found it. You put it to work. We want to see your Tether Tools gear in action! Send us behind-the-scenes shots of you using your Tether Tools equipment during a shoot and you could be featured in our upcoming Tether Tools Users video.

We’ll be collecting images (and videos if you’ve got ‘em) and creating a video using Animoto that shows all the creative ways fans put their Tether Tools gear to work. You’ll get a photo credit, of course, and you may be featured in a future edition of our newsletter.

And just for participating, we’ll enter you in a drawing to win a surprise gift from Tether Tools and a free membership to Animoto, one of the best ways for photographers to maximize sales and develop a creative word-of-mouth campaign. The online program turns photos and video clips into professional video slideshows that you can easily share with clients or across your social media networks.

To have your image included in the video and be in the running for the prize, send us your behind-the-scenes images
by Friday, May 18. Be sure to include basic information such as the location and concept of the shoot. We’ll post our video featuring your image and draw a winner at random on Monday, May 21.

Equipment and Accessories for Videographers

tether-tools-gear-for-videographers

Mount your iPad with the Tether Tools Wallee Connect for video calibration.

Tether Tools gear isn’t just ideal for shooting still photography – there are various ways to put our workstation solutions to use when shooting video as well:

  • Tether Tables – Having a laptop workstation on set is ideal for production managers who want a portable working solution to access files, update scripts, develop editing notes and keep an all-around organized workflow going for the crew.
  • Studio Vu – Viewing footage on a monitor for the crew to see is important when on a film set. The Studio Vu allows you to mount any monitor to an existing c-stand.
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Connect your iPad to the camera via the Connect Bracket and Zacuto Adapter for use as a teleprompter.

  • Wallee iPad Mounts – Using the iPad as a teleprompter, clap board, time keeper, set reference chart, or complete video planner? Then you’ll need a place to mount the iPad to your film gear. The Wallee iPad system offers complete video integration using various options – our Zacuto Adapter for Wallee or the Easy Grip System used with the Wallee Connect.  And Tether Tools new Connect Light makes it easy and simple to mount the iPad within a film production setting.
  • StrapMoore – When it comes to cable organization and keeping gear from getting damaged, the StrapMoore is just about the best grip friend you can imagine. Keep powerbricks attached to camera stands, prevent cords from dragging or getting caught under rolling stands, or simply use it to keep anything you need nearby.
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Use the StrapMoore to keep powerbricks, cords and cables from getting caught under-foot or under rolling camera stands.

 

Want to see all of these solutions in action? Tether Tools will be at the 2012 NAB SHOW April 16-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center showcasing workstation solutions for video and film. Be sure to stop by the B&H Photo-Video-ProAudio Booth #C11022.