Why Tethering is Important
Whether you’re a photographer who’s just getting into working with clients or a client looking to hire a product photographer, there’s one practice that is guaranteed to make your life easier: tethering.
Today, we’re exploring this practice. It’s something I started incorporating into my photography a few years ago that has completely changed the game for me and for my clients. Let’s dive in!
What is tethering in photography?
Let’s get technical for a minute. Tethered photography connects a camera to a computer or device like your cell phone for real-time image viewing and transfer during a shoot. Instead of seeing the photo you just took pop up on your camera screen, it pops up on your computer, often through a program like Lightroom or Capture One.
This real-time image preview, and the editing you can do depending on what program you use, can really revolutionize your photography practice.
A few cautions: make sure that your photos are saving to your SD card and to your hard drive. This helps guard against heartbreak in case of data loss!
What are the benefits of tethered shooting?
There are so many tethered shooting benefits that it’s hard for me to talk about them without gushing. When I started to tether while I shot, it really changed the game for me—it allowed me to get a closer look at what I was doing on set and be proactive in terms of edits and on-set modifications. It’s what allowed me to book some of my best client work, and what has led to some of my most productive collaborations.
Shooting tethered lets you see the photo you just took in amazing deail within seconds. It’s easy to make changes or tweaks on set that can make life easier down the line, and it also teaches you what works and what doesn’t, fast. Instead of needing to import photos and then edit them to see if they’ll work or not, you can streamline the process and edit as you shoot. This efficiency makes it easier on you as a photographer and your clients as the final asset managers.
When clients (whether remotely or in-person) want to provide on-set feedback, tethering is the best way to make that happen. Tethered shooting allows clients to provide instant feedback as the shoot is happening rather than after the fact, which may require reshoots. When you tether, I like to tell my clients, there are no surprises—what you see is what you get, unless major Photoshop is involved.
What is a tethered photography set-up?
A tethered photography set-up requires just a few tools to get started. Once you get comfortable and develop a new rhythm on set using tethered photography, you can add on some “nice-to-haves” that can make life easier.
Here’s what you need to tether:
A camera with a tethering port
A tethering cord that is compatible with your camera
Software (e.g., CaptureOne, Adobe Lightroom)
Here’s what I recommend having to tether:
A pull-safe cord protector
A computer with lots of internal storage
A laptop stand
A calibrated monitor
What are the best practices for tethered photography?
Tethered photography isn’t just plug and play: your set up needs to be organized and well-managed to make sure it works for everyone.
First and foremost, manage your cables carefully. Once, I had my camera tethered to my computer and tripped over the cord. Not only did I fall, but my laptop and camera were both tugged off of their stands. The tether port on my camera was never the same afterwards, and even though I had it repaired, I ended up having to replace it. Always use a tug-guard and make sure your cables are taped to the ground. This is especially important on shoots with clients or team members!
I like to edit as I go while shooting tethered photography. For me, this streamlines my asset management and allows clients on set to see what the final photos will look like. I’ll talk more about this in another post! This is also a great way to let clients give feedback and weigh in as I’m shooting. There’s nothing worse than a reshoot that could have been avoided, and tethering allows me to protect my clients from that outcome.
Conclusion
In case it hasn’t been made clear, I love tethered photography. It allows me to work closely with clients in a collaborative way I couldn’t before, and as a result, my photography aligns much better with their expectations.