Shutter Release
Following on from my last post I thought I would write about another amazing innovation that makes life so much easier. I am near to finishing a recent project which used a large mirror on location in conjunction with models and this little tool really helped.
To attain the best quality I could (and to make life easier) I used a tripod with the Nikon D800 and Zeiss 100mm f/2. But to negate even more possibility of camera shake I also used a shutter release cable.
Many cables from many different manufacturers are available with varying triggering choices from the straight forward one press release to timed releases. They are all quite costly for what they are and somewhat limited also. Not only that, they take up more space.
Enter "Triggertrap Mobile" which actually utilises your smartphone (IOS or Android). Most of us would have our phone with us so this certainly lessons the amount of equipment carried. But much more exciting is the vast array of modes that can be used with triggertrap. The "app" is downloaded to your phone (either free app with 3 triggering modes or a very reasonable paid app with 13 triggering modes. I truly recommend the paid version with it's extra modes). All you then need is to order a triggertrap "dongle" with the correct connection cable for your camera's port.
It's then as simple as plugging the dongle into your phone, the connector into your camera and choosing your firing mode. Out of the many modes available, from HDR to timelapse, motion detection and distance lapse to name but a few, I have only tried standard Cable Release and Bang modes myself.
The cable release mode is as simple as it sounds and I used it just as an ordinary cable release would work, depress and fire shutter. This took anyway any chance of camera shake altogether (with camera firmly attached to tripod) to gain sharpest image possible. But where the fun began was with the Bang mode. This mode employs the phones speaker and you set a decibel meter on the screen to a volume you desire. Then, when a sound exceeds this volume the shutter is triggered. Simply put you can set it so that if you clap an image is taken! Now imagine you have your shot set, the model is in the right spot, all the lighting is good but a small costume tweak is required, you can step over to the model, deal with the small change and clap and voila, image captured. I will add that I have seen too many photographers that have poor interaction with their models which almost certainly culminates in images that are less than could have been. As humans we like interaction, it makes us more comfortable and puts us at ease, so being able to face your model, talk to them, provide them with feedback and directing them in this way whilst capturing the image with an audible signal is a wonderful possibility (not to mention their astonishment the first time you do this without telling them and an image is captured).
I have merely touched upon the possibilities with this amazing tool and have only started exploring them myself but thus far I am very impressed. All I need carry is a small lead and my phone (which I have with me anyway) and I have countless ways to remotely capture an image.
