It’s Better To Tether: Why Tethered Photography Is Essential for Interior Design Shoots
If you desire to create the most beautiful imagery possible, tethered photography is the best way to do that.
Photo of yours truly checking my iPad screen while photographing the living room of Casa Bohem, one of the many properties beautifully designed by Citizen Nomad Design Company
As a Dallas Interior Design Photographer, I’ve learned that interior design visuals don’t attract much attention if the imagery doesn’t sell a compelling narrative the world can find inspiration in or relate to. I’ve discovered tethering my camera to a larger screen on set is without a doubt one of the most effective tools for helping my clients create beautiful imagery. It allows us to collaborate on composition, discover spots and smudges we need to clean, and fine tune styling so the images are perfectly composed.
While tethering adds additional time, equipment, and setup on site, it’s more than worth it to me. Having a larger screen to view images in real time is invaluable, allowing us to perfect the shot my clients are proud to show off. If I were an interior designer in search of a interior design photographer, one of my very first questions to them would ask if they tether to a screen. Their answer would be the difference between me hiring them or not.
When I photographed Celebrity Interior Designer Nikki Chu’s Texas home, we spent 20 minutes arranging furniture and decor items in this space. The final shot is beautifully balanced.
What Is Tethering in Photography and Why Is It Important for Interior Design Photoshoots?
Tethering in photography refers to the practice of connecting a camera to a larger screen device, such as a computer monitor, laptop, or iPad. This capability allows me to operate my camera from the device itself, where I can adjust my camera settings, check focus, and zoom into the frame.
This technology allows me to inspect the images up close for possible issues we will need to overcome: anything from discovering dust or smudges that need to be cleaned, reflections that will require blocking, and adjusting furniture pieces and décor items.
Being able to inspect my shots in real time allows me to make corrections on set that will save time in post-production
The Main Benefits of Tethered Photography for Interior Design
Encourages Client Collaboration
One of the primary benefits of tethering is it promotes communication and collaboration between me and my client. We can discuss the composition framing, styling, and address any potential furniture placement or lighting issues that arise. Tethering has allowed us to discover smudges on front cabinetry, misplaced furniture, streaks on windows and dilapidated pillows. All of these issues would be difficult to detect if the biggest screen I was looking at was the tiny one on the back of my camera.
Collaboration is at the helm of my interior photography service, I review all compositions with clients and make recommendations.
Wired or wireless, tethering connects your camera to a larger screen so you can adjust settings, check focus, and make styling adjustments.
We Can Adjust Styling Items
Since tethering allows for us to view the images together on a larger screen, we can examine furniture and décor placement and add or remove items when needed. There will be a lot of things happening at the same time during the photoshoot, and my primarily area of focus is on the technical aspects of photography. Once I’ve overcome lighting challenges and cleaning for the shot, we turn our attention to styling.
If you are someone who struggles with indecision when it comes to where to place items, or if you have ambitious PR and editorial goals, It’s really in your best interest to hire a stylist. Having another set of eyes on set to fine tune placement and provide art direction is invaluable. I highly, highly recommend all my clients hire a stylist.
Styling is simultaneously an essential art form and a proverbial time suck, and you absolutely want an expert at the helm. You will love the end product and they will perfectly tell the brand story you have in mind.
The best imagery I’ve ever created in my career were sessions we had a stylist on set. My advice is to find the money to hire one. Whenever I work on personal projects, I never go it alone, I always hire a stylist.
While on set with Tyler Garrett Interiors, our day involved setting up and tearing down vignettes. This frame was our starting point.
The fully composed and edited image. Design by Tyler Garrett Interiors
Helps Us Discover Issues in Real Time
I like to discover issues and fix problems before the shot is permanently seared to my memory card. In my pre-tether era, I would discover my mistakes once the shoot was over and I was on my computer culling images. Avoidable mistakes like spots on backlit windows that’s impossible to photoshop out, the straw from my Chick-fil-a cup from lunch sticking up in the sink, or the time my assistant left cleaning products in the shot right on the edge of the counter. Things I didn’t notice in person at the time but are now all I can fixate on my computer screen. Learn from my mistakes.
Now that I tether these mistakes rarely - if ever - happen anymore, because I get an up close and personal view of the imagery. I see everything in the frame. I can make adjustments, and make a plan for any additional exposures I’ll need to capture.
Are you ready to tether together? Book me as your Dallas Interior Photographer!
As increased demand for high-quality interior design photography continues to rise, embracing advanced techniques like tethered photography is essential for creating top quality work. With its ability to encourage collaboration, make styling adjustments, and fix issues in real time, tethering offers immense benefits for interior designers seeking to showcase their projects they worked so hard to design in the most beautiful way possible.
Are you ready to work with a photographer who harnesses the power of tethering for your interior design projects? Contact me to schedule your interior design photoshoot and experience the creative and collaborate process together. Your interior designs deserve imagery that showcases your talent so your dream clients can find you.
Hi! I’m Stacy—a Dallas Fort Worth based Commercial Photographer specializing in interior design, architecture, product, and food photography.
When I’m not creating imagery for clients, you can find me planning my next vacation, spending time outside in my backyard prairie garden, or cooking up something delicious for my husband while my dog patiently waits beside me for grated cheese to drop on the kitchen floor.
Are you a business looking for a bright and vibrant perspective for your photography needs? Let’s chat.
