What You Need to Start Shooting Tethered

You may have heard about tethered photography, but thought it’s too complicated or might be resistant to changing your workflow. Rest assured that it’s not as complicated as it may seem. Tethered photography is simply shooting with your camera linked to your computer, usually via a USB or Firewire cable, so that the images bypass the camera’s memory and go directly to a software program on your computer. Tether Tools and the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) have come together to create The Ultimate Photo Tethering Guide out of a share commitment to providing the creative community with the most valuable and useful resources that support the practice of still and motion photography. Here’s an excerpt from that guide that will walk you through getting started with tethered photography:

NEW TO TETHERING? Like any process, the more into it you get, the more involved it can become, but setting up a basic tethered photography system is actually very quick & simple. The easiest way is to try it out using equipment you may already have at home or in your studio. All you need is:

• A camera that supports instant image transfer
• A compatible cable to connect your camera to a computer
• Software to receive the images being sent

Setting Up a Simple Shoots is as Easy as 1-2-3:

1. Connect your camera, via the cable to your computer
2. Start your software program, and set up a tethered capture session and select a folder to receive images
3. Begin shooting – and seeing your images on your screen instantly

For a more secure and stable set up that can be transported easily, you might consider something like this:

• Camera of choice
• Tether Pro Cable that’s compatible with your camera
• Laptop or tablet to receive images
• Cable retention device for your camera and computer port
• Tether Table – to hold laptop for your camera and computer ports
• Secure Strap – to keep laptop secure
• External Drive Compartment and back up hard drive
• Tripod or C Stand – to hold laptop table
• Cross Bar & Ballhead – optional to also hold camera

There are many different ways to create a secure and stable tethering set up. The rest of this guide is dedicated to providing you with a single source for accurate, in-depth information that will help you identify and implement the best tethering workstation and workflow for your needs.

If your setup is ready and you want a full walk through of a tethered workflow, make sure to download the Ultimate Tether Guide. Completely FREE to download, this guide details the benefits of tethering as well as the best gear and software to use to maximize your results.