An Introduction to Tethered Shooting

At its most basic, tethered shooting involves connecting your camera to your computer as you shoot. You’ve likely seen it in some behind-the-scenes video for a professional studio shoot, or you just have a friend who swears it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Tethering is a shooting technique that can benefit many a photographer’s workflow significantly, though upon first hearing of it, the idea of tethering can be something that first requires a bit of education. Hopefully, this introduction will help get you started.

Why should you Tether?

This is usually the first question asked by the beginner when tethering, as the extra equipment or simply, the need to be plugged in, can feel unnecessarily restrictive and unnatural, but fortunately, there are a few very simple answers:

• Immediate transfer of images for editing and review on a properly calibrated screen.
• Remote control over a camera that involves difficult positioning, or for a scene where the photographer needs to be away from the camera.
• Simplified image file organization without the need to download after a shoot.
• Larger preview screen with a full-sized image for ensuring accurate focus.
• Ability to work with clients and assistants for collaborative pieces.

These are just a few of the many reasons photographers choose to tether, but they should give you a good sense of the many benefits of the technique.