Have you seen any of behind the scenes shots of one of my headshot sessions and noticed a bright orange cable coming out of my camera? Have you been following me on social media and seen me do posts about shooting my sessions tethered? Allow me to demystify what shooting tethered means for every person who steps in front of my camera.

Behind The Scenes of A camera Tethered to a computer for Professional Headshots
Louisville Professional Headshot Photographer, Ben Marcum, Shooting Tethered

So, what exactly does tethering mean for you and your Professional Headshots?

This means that seconds after I click the shutter, the image pops up on my computer screen, giving us immediate feedback during a headshot session to know what’s working and what’s not. It’s one of the most powerful tools that I use to coach people. For example, during a session, I have people move in ways that don’t always feel natural. Those of you who have been in the studio will recognize phrases like “forehead out, chin down” and know what I am talking about.

Once I am able to bring a person over to the computer screen so they can see what those movements and stances look like on camera, the rest of the session is a snap!

No surprises from your Professional Headshot Appointment!

I feel very strongly that there should be no surprises with professional headshots. For that reason, we will review your headshots as we are working. We will shoot a look, then go to the screen to make sure that we have everything that you want before we move on to the next outfit. Because we take this step to ensure that you are getting the absolute best professional headshots, you will leave the studio confident that you have images that show you at your absolute best.

Tethering is also great for The Makeup Artist

If you have decided to work with one of the amazing makeup artists that I work with, tethering is also vital to them. During sessions, the amazing makeup artists from The Beauty Patrol watch the screen the entire shoot and make adjustments as needed once they see how the makeup looks under the lights, on camera. Things can sometimes look slightly different when under the bright lights. Being able to see those things and make adjustments is an amazing benefit for working tethered for your professional headshot appointment.

I started shooting tethered in 2013 and it was a game-changer. I can’t even think about doing a headshot session without that tool in my arsenal.

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