Is there a name for editing or previewing a photo on-site while still viewing the subject?
Asked 4/5/2021
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2 answers
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I'm asking whether there is a recognized photography practice or term for reviewing and refining an image on a computer or larger screen while still on location with the subject present. I don't mean ordinary post-processing done later at home, but working on the image during the shoot so the photographer can compare the captured result with the scene and, if needed, make further adjustments or take additional frames.
I'm especially thinking about landscape, cityscape, portrait, or product work rather than fast-moving genres like street photography. Is there a commonly used name for this approach, and what related practices or tools are typically involved?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
6
It's not exactly the term you are specifically looking for, but looking for information about tethering will get you in the right track. I'm not aware of any generally used term to describe tethering plus applying further post-processing during a shooting session, but some folks definitely do it.
Tethering is when the camera is hooked up to a computer or other device that displays the image as soon as it can be transferred from the camera to the host device immediately after it has been shot. Depending upon what application is being run on the host device, postprocessing steps not available in-camera can be applied to each image as it is imported by the host device and then applied to the image as it is displayed on the screen of the host device.
Tethering also allows controlling many functions of the camera using the host device. Things such as ISO, Tv, Av, etc. can be set form the application running on the host device. Of course if a specific lens requires manually turning an aperture ring on the lens that is not controllable by the camera, then one can't adjust aperture via the tethering application. Ditto for zooming a lens. If the only way to zoom a lens is to turn the ring on the lens, then one can't change the focal length using the tethering application (unless one also has an electromechanical device attached to the lens that can move the zoom ring and be controlled from the host device).
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
5y ago
0
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The closest established term is tethered shooting (or just tethering): the camera is connected to a computer/tablet so images appear immediately on a larger screen for review, adjustment, and sometimes basic processing during the session.
There doesn’t seem to be a widely accepted special term for “doing post-processing on-site while still viewing the subject” beyond tethering plus on-set review/monitoring. In practice, photographers use this workflow to check exposure, color, white balance, lighting, composition, and detail, then reshoot if needed.
Related practices include on-set monitoring, light metering, color matching, and calibration. For analog, instant film/Polaroid served a similar role by giving a near-immediate reference image. For digital, some photographers also aim for a finished look in-camera using JPEG picture styles or mirrorless live preview, especially in controlled portrait or product setups.
So yes, the practice exists, but the usual language is about tethering, monitoring, and feedback, rather than a distinct named art practice.
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