Tethered Shooting and Capture Workflow: The Decisions That Matter
Shooting directly to a computer so images can be reviewed, named and processed as they are captured.
Imogen Clarke
Where most projects go wrong
The usual mistakes:
- Reviewing critical focus on a camera screen
- Capturing to a single drive
- Renaming files manually after the shoot
- Striking a set before images have been reviewed properly
What good looks like instead
- Tether for any shoot where the set will be struck afterward
- Apply naming conventions automatically at capture
- Review focus at full size before moving on
- Write captures to two locations simultaneously
- Apply a base correction at capture so the client sees a fair representation
Why it matters
It catches problems while the set is still standing, which is the only time they are cheap to fix.
The specs that matter
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Review | at full size on a calibrated display rather than a camera screen |
| Naming | applied automatically at capture |
| Live view | composition and focus checked before the exposure |
| Sessions | capture organized by shoot rather than by card |
| Backup | capture written to more than one location |
Knowing when to hand it over
Tip: Bring in help when a shoot cannot be repeated, when a client needs to approve on set, or when a capture workflow must be set up for volume production.
Where this comes from
- Capture One — Tethered capture
- Adobe Help Center — Tethered shooting
- ISO — Digital capture standards
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
Working on something like this?
We take on Photography & Product Visuals work for teams who want it done once, properly. Tell us what you are building and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right studio for it. Start a project.
Where to go next
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