how I work

I am still surprised when I hear of digital photographers shooting to flash cards instead of tethered to a computer. Shooting tethered is an essential part of my workflow, its Polaroid on steroids.

Shooting tethered provides me with constant visual feedback, I can adjust composition lighting and direction within seconds. I value a collaborative approach to my commercial assignments, after all, I am shooting for my client and I want to be sure they are going to be happy when my folder full of images opens up on their screen. Being able to stop and review a frame at any stage of the shoot as well as showing my subject what is working and what isn’t, is invaluable at times. I still remember the classic Polaroid shooting scenario. You’re standing at the camera after the last frame, your assistant starts to wrap the set and you turn to the art director …. ( visualize in slow motion ) and these words echo from your lips .. yeah .. that was good .. I think we got some great stuff.

THINK! I don’t want to think I got good stuff, I want to KNOW that when I pack my gear away … I GOT good stuff. You don’t build a business on hope and prayers, you build it on good solid results.



Technically speaking, having a large screen to view and colour balance lighting is not just convenient its essential. You can filter ambient light anytime but if lighting and ambient don’t match you will find yourself coffee cup in hand at your work station with that distasteful … why the hell didn’t I see that on set .. feeling, right? We have all had those moments, bad day at the office. Yep, I prefer to avoid those moments thank you.

The more information you have on set the more opportunities you have to correct and improve your shot, sounds like a winning plan to me.