When photographer and educator Gavin Hoey set out to answer a simple question—can the same look work in the studio and on location?—he brought along the one tool designed to keep pace with him everywhere: the AeroTrac Workstation System.
In his London-based studio, Hoey’s signature teaching style meets precision workflow. A red dress, red backdrop, and a massive red balloon set the creative tone; controlled light and instant image preview with tethering brings his vision to life. The AeroTrac becomes his command central, anchoring his TetherPro Optima 10G USB-C Cable connection between his camera and laptop.
“Tethering lets me see the image big, and it lets my model see it too,” Hoey explains. “It’s how collaboration happens in real time.”
Bringing that clarity to both technical workflow and creative process is what the AeroTrac was built for.
Off Camera Flash Photography Settings in Studio
In Hoey’s studio setup, his off-camera flash photography settings are all about achieving full control over the lighting environment. He begins by eliminating ambient light with a flash sync speed of 1/250 sec, an aperture of f/5.6, and ISO 200, ensuring the only light influencing the image comes from his strobes.
Once he confirms the room lights are completely subdued (“no flash gives me this no picture”), he introduces a main key light to illuminate the model, Chloe, and adds a separation light at low power (1/128) to create subtle edge highlights along her shoulder, hair, and the red balloon—helping her stand out against the red background.
The result is a clean, controlled, and vibrant studio portrait setup—perfectly balanced between color, contrast, and creative precision.
A Workspace Designed to Move Everywhere You Need It
When the shoot wrapped inside, Hoey folded the AeroTrac in half, locked down his gear, and headed outdoors to recreate the same look on location. While traveling to the outdoor location took some time, with AeroTrac, Gavin was able to get set up in no time.
That portability comes from design intent. AeroTrac’s foldable, all-aluminum design allows creators to travel with gear attached underneath, keeping essentials like battery packs and drives secure during transit. Optional table legs also convert any surface, from countertops to car trunks, into a stable workstation.
Outdoors, Gavin attached the workstation to a Rock Solid Baby Ball Adapter Head, mounted it to a light stand, and was shooting again in minutes. Same table. Same workflow. New environment.
Off Camera Flash Photography Settings Outdoors on Location
For his outdoor off-camera flash setup, Hoey focuses on balancing natural light with just a touch of added flash to create a subtle, polished look. Instead of overpowering the ambient light, he starts by slightly underexposing the scene—around two-thirds of a stop—by setting his camera to 1/160 sec, f/2.8, and ISO 200. This ensures the environment maintains its natural feel while leaving room for a soft pop of flash to enhance the subject.
Using a low flash power of 1/64, Hoey introduces just enough light to lift the shadows on Chloe’s face without over-lighting or losing the delicate outdoor tones. The result is a clean, balanced image that blends natural light and off-camera flash seamlessly, creating a cohesive continuation of the studio look—complete with Chloe’s red dress and signature balloon for visual consistency across both environments.
Improving Creativity and Collaboration on Set With Tethered Workflow
On every set, tethering isn’t just about the photographer seeing the photo, but also being able to share it in realtime. Models, assistants, and clients can preview every frame instantly, refining posture, lighting, and styling on the spot.
For Hoey, that feedback loop is what turns a solo shoot into a team effort. “Models aren’t mind readers,” he says. “When they can see the image live, they can adjust and elevate the shot.”
AeroTrac’s unique track system makes that collaboration practical. The machined-aluminum rails accept ¼-20 and ⅜-16 mounts, cold-shoe adapters, and even baby-pin fittings, so accessories like monitors or tablets can attach wherever they’re most useful. A retractable accessory holder and under-table hook keep flash meters, cables, and bags close at hand—everything in its place, ready when the next adjustment is called for.
The Workstation That Travels With You
By the end of the day, Hoey had proven his point: the creative look might shift between studio and location, but the workflow doesn’t have to.
AeroTrac’s strength is its consistency. Whether it’s supporting 30 lbs of gear in a controlled environment or keeping a tethered setup powered outdoors via portable battery, the workstation maintains the same reliability everywhere.
For traveling photographers and digitechs, that means less teardown, fewer variables, and more time shooting. The AeroTrac system transforms from tripod-mounted desk to freestanding workstation in seconds, bridging the gap between stability and mobility.
“It’s definitely going into my permanent kit,” Hoey concludes. “I can fold it up, carry it out, and keep shooting anywhere.”
The result is more than a successful test—it’s a blueprint for how modern creators work: fluidly, collaboratively, and with consistently spectacular results.
