Bondage And Discipline In The Studio

As I wrote that header I wondered how many  dodgy search engines will be zooming in on this page. Hey, fellas, we're selling accessories for studio photography here. No whips. No chains.


Now that we've got that established, keep an eye on Camera Electronic in the near future - we're going to start stocking products from the Tether Tools company. Studio photographers are finally going to get the gear they need to move ahead with tethered shooting.

Oh, we've all tried it - the little USB cable that came with the camera ( Now where did I put that camera box?) and the laptop balanced on the IKEA stool and vainly poking away in the darkness behind the fill light box trying to get the program to start up. Then looking back and forth from the computer screen to the model trying to give orders in two directions and four dimensions. The whole circus concluding when we step on the cable and pull the equipment down onto the floor with a clatter. It's professional practice all right, if you consider rodeo clown a profession.

Tether Tools to the rescue. The laptop is the first point of attention - Tether Tools make a series of laptop platforms from T6 aircraft aluminum with a universal mounting bracket that can unite with 1/4" and 3/8" tripod screws or the Arca clamp. There is a security strap to keep the Lap on the top...and you can get additional pockets to mount hard drives. Indeed you can get a clamp-on cup holder if you are afraid of dehydrating while pressing buttons. More practical is a little LED gooseneck light that plugs into a USB port in the laptop and can illuminate the keyboard.

The problem of the Devil"s Snare - otherwise known as the connecting cable between the camera and the laptop - can be exorcised with the items known as Jerkstoppers. Honest, folks, that's what it says on the computer site. They are clamps and stress-stopper cables that attach the plugs to the sockets and  prevent them from being hoicked out when you stumble through the darkness. Even better products on their site are the orange-colored extension cables for the computer connection - anything that lets you see the web of wires and avoid them is a good idea. Indeed, tethering via wireless is possible these days and if it suits your system, why not.

There are studios, and perhaps field setups, that would be well-suited with an all-in-one rig. A camera, computer, hard drive, flash transmitter, and possibly a cup of soup all on one stand or tripod. No problem with the Tether Tools as they can be adapted to Manfrotto double arms and Magic arms. Your only limit is your imagination.

Pop on over to the Tethertools.com website and see if there is something there that would make your studio
safer and more productive. We'll keep you posted when the products arrive. In the meantime mind how you go in the dark.