Do you want to get better food photographs in less time with fewer shots?
Have you ever heard the term “shooting tethered”?
The Wikipedia definition is: Tethering refers to connecting one device to another.
Put simply, in photography, shooting tethered means that your camera is connected to your computer via a cable.
When you shoot tethered, you take a picture of the food you’re photographing and the photo is automatically transferred from the camera (via the cable) into a software program on your computer and the photo displays on your computer screen.
This is a really cool technique because you can see your final photograph on a much larger scale than trying to view it on your camera’s tiny display window.
Whether you opt to shoot tethered or not is entirely a personal choice, but here are 3 pros and cons to consider.
Pros:
- You preview the image much larger than your camera’s LCD display
- The photo is automatically transferred to your computer in the moment
- You take less shots because you can easily see imperfections and adjust
Cons:
- You’re more restricted in movement (e.g. due to cable length)
- It’s a bit slower to shoot per image (e.g. the transfer is not instantaneous)
- There’s more equipment to accommodate for in a small photo-shoot area
Have you tried shooting tethered? Maybe you should!
Interested in more of these types of posts? Let me know in the comments!
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Awesome!! I just started tethering 🙂 It drives me crazy when I take a photo, load it up onto the computer I see things I didn’t or couldn’t see with the camera screen. I’m hoping it will help me save time and not take lots of pictures 🙂
Kristi says
I agree! Cindy, I literally went from taking dozens and dozens of shots to taking less than 10. It makes a world of difference to see all the little imperfections. Just think of all the hard drive space and time you’re saving by (a) not taking multiple shots, (b) waiting for dozens of dozens of photos to upload to the computer (that you don’t need), (c) all the time you spend going through each one to delete the bad ones and (d) all the precious space you save on your hard drive!
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
These kind of posts are so helpful since I’m getting my DSLR in a few days… keep them coming! x
Kristi says
CONGRATS on getting on a DSLR! That is awesome! But, your photos are so beautiful without one :-)! I will definitely write more posts like this to help you (and others) along! Thanks Consuelo!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Kristi, I love this post! Gretchen is our photography wizard (I’m the one who stands around holding white cards at awkward angles and nudging morsels of food into position on the plate!), so I’m gonna make sure she hops over to read this post ASAP. Thanks!! 😀
Kristi says
I love that you two do it together! I need an extra set of hands. You’d be surprised how I get some of these shots done. 🙂
Gretchen @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Hi Kristi! I have done some initial research about this — but I’m not gonna lie … it kind of scares me! I literally have thousands and thousands of shots on my hard drive (some are pretty good, others – not so much!) and love that this would help expedite the process. Just think of the time saved in editing!
Alright … you may have convinced me to give it a try! 🙂
Thanks!!
Kristi says
Awesome! I love to shoot tethered. I’ve saved so much time by not taking dozens of extra photos I don’t need. Good luck!
Samina | The Cupcake Confession says
Wow!!!! you know I’ve been meaning to do this for a veryyyy long time!!!!!! But I just couldn’t figure out what its called! This is helpful. VERY HELPFUL.!!! 🙂 🙂
Kristi says
Let me know if you need help or a tutorial. You will be sssooo glad you started tethering – your food photography life gets MUCH easier!
Samina | The Cupcake Confession says
Whoaaa yussss I would LOVEEEEE some tutorials!!!! I seriously am technologically challenged. haha!
Kristi says
Ok, two questions. 1. What software program do you use to edit your photos, and 2. What computer do you have? My instructions will be different based on those answers.
Samina | The Cupcake Confession says
I use Photoshop and I work on a DELL laptop!
PS: You’re a sweetheart Kristi! 🙂
Kristi says
Awesome. Wait for it! 🙂
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
I’ve been meaning to start tethering for a long time! So often I wish I had moved a glass an inch or two one way or another or I realize I should have searched for some better light. It would be a huge time saver!
Kristi says
Exactly Christin! That’s why I started tethering. An inch or so can make the world of difference in food photography!
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
Great post Kristi! I knew of this but didn’t know what it was called. Thanks for writing this post.
Kristi says
Thanks Anne! I hope it makes your photography life much easier! I’ll be writing a tutorial soon.