We all know that to take a picture we have to press the shutter button of our camera and ... voilà! We have our picture. But did you know that there are other ways to shoot your picture without touching that familiar little button? Do you want to know the ways of remote or remote shooting? Do you want to know what they can do for you? Keep reading and I will tell you how you can do it and when it will be useful.
WHEN IS REMOTE SHOOTING USEFUL?
Before knowing the ways you have to shoot remotely, you may be interested to know when they can be useful or how to take advantage:
HDR photography: in this type of photography different shots have to be taken and although it is done with a tripod, if you press the button on your camera a movement can occur that, however slight it may be, can cause a mess of the different shots.
Time-Lapse : for the same reason above, it helps you avoid any vibration when you shoot the camera button.
Timelapse
Self-portraits: and I do not mean the typical "selfies" so topical that you can do with your mobile or your camera by stretching the arm like Inspector Gadget , I mean the self-portraits in which nobody could know if you have shot yourself or someone else . True, you have the option of the timer, but if you have to shoot several times, you have to go to the camera every time, and in the end it is a tostón (if you have not tried it, I tell you from my own experience ).
Self portrait
Group photographs in which you also go out: on more than one occasion I mentioned that photography enthusiasts usually run out of photos to remember. We have photos of the whole family, friends, strangers ... Well, it's over, when you take a picture of your family, friends or similar, be sure to leave because in a while you will appreciate it. The remote trigger will help you to avoid the runs of which he spoke in the previous point. And here even more, because the more people have to go out in the picture, the more shots you will have to take to ensure a good photo.
Group Self Portrait
Nature photography and macro photography: in these cases we are a disturbing element of the ecosystem and the animals or insects you want to photograph may flee from your presence. Shooting from a distance allows you the advantage of being able to take your photographs in a calm way and without altering the environment.
Your presence could scare away specimens like the one in this image.
Night or long exposure photography: when you want to make a long exposure, you should also avoid any vibration that may occur when you press the button on your camera.
Long exposure photography.
Now that you know its usefulness, it sure has bitten you the bug of knowing with what options you have to shoot at a distance. Let's see them.
SHOOT FROM THE COMPUTER
Even if you don't believe it, you can also shoot from your computer. What is this option specifically for? Well, to visualize your images in a larger size and resolution. This way you can easily check the focus and sharpness.
The moon captured and focused from the computer.
It also serves to work in a team, not only visualizes the images who shoots, but also the other components of the equipment. For this reason it is also a good option when teaching a photography class.
Another advantage is to get a backup directly, since images are recorded on both the camera card and the hard drive of your computer.
How can you shoot from your computer?
Here are some different ways:
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom : it is an editing program that you will almost certainly know, even if it is by ear, but that also allows this shooting option.
Nikon Camera Control Pro : is a software that allows you to remotely control settings of most Nikon digital SLRs.
Canon EOS Utility and Remote Shooting mode: this is a function to shoot and make videos remotely with Canon cameras.
DCamCapture: this is a tool to shoot Nikon cameras from the computer. The link (in English) indicates which cameras it is compatible with and the functions you can perform.
Drawbacks
As usual, not all are advantages, there are also some drawbacks, such as autonomy. When working with the laptop, we depend on its autonomy, as well as the transmission speed of the cable and the USB port. Another drawback is that you cannot move too much, unless you have a kilometer cable or Wifi connection. And watch out for accidents! Be careful not to trip over the wires. In short, it is a very static way of working.
REMOTE SWITCH
The first thing to consider in this case are two aspects:
Your camera accepts a remote shutter.
You choose a remote shutter compatible with your camera.
Remote Switch
It serves to shoot just as you would with your camera but at a distance. If you press the button a little, focus, if you press it all the way down, shoot. You can also shoot immediately or with a delay of two seconds (this function is useful for example in portraits, it gives you the right time to hide the device and not spoil your photo as in this example).
Self portrait with remote trigger.
It is useful for getting sharper images by avoiding the vibrations produced by pressing the camera button. ( Trick : if you do not have a remote trigger, in this case you can use the timer on your camera). Also for self-portraits and group portraits.
There are two types, with their advantages and disadvantages each:
Trigger with cable: the firing distance is very limited, usually the cables are usually one meter and also, if you make a self-portrait you run the risk of portraying the very unflattering black cable.
Wireless trigger : you can shoot at a much greater distance, however you have to focus directly to the infrared point of the camera, which is not the case with the cable, which you can shoot even from behind the camera. Another drawback is that some wireless do not give the possibility of focusing when the button is pressed halfway.
When buying, the brand does not matter as much as it is compatible. There are the same brands of cameras or other brands compatible with your camera (c0m0 the one in the image above). Its price is very affordable, here are some examples:
Canon RS 60 E3 Remote Control
Nikon MC-DC2 - Remote Trigger
Conrol remote with cable Remote control for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2, DMC-GX1
Wireless trigger Phottix PX10009 for Canon (the one in the picture is not Canon, but it is compatible and works very well )
TRIGGER FROM SMARTPHONE APPLICATION
There are several applications for smartphones and tablets that allow you to shoot and visualize your images from your mobile device. It can be through a USB cable, infrared sensor or W-fi. Among its basic functions are autofocus, simple remote control, long exposure, Time-Lapses and HDR. Here are a couple of examples:
EOS remote: application for Apple iOS or Android smartphones (for Canon).
DSLR Remote : free Android application.
And so far the remote shots. I would be happy to know that this article has been useful and even more so if you put it into practice. Because the best thing about this hobby is to be able to practice and enjoy it. It's no use reading the articles if you don't put them into practice, don't you think? Can you imagine reading a manual on how to play football and not practice it? Or how to play the guitar? No, right? Well this is the same!
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