Better When You Tether: Creative Collaboration by Lindsay Adler

Fashion photographer Lindsay Adler has risen to the top of her industry as both a photographer and educator. Based in New York City, her fashion editorials have appeared in numerous fashion and photography publications including Marie Claire (ID), Elle (BG) InStyle, Noise Magazine, Essence, Zink Magazine, Rangefinder, Professional Photographer and dozens more. As a photographic educator, she is one of the most sought after speakers internationally, teaching on the industry’s largest platforms and most prestigious events. A clean, bold, and graphic style has become the hallmark of her work, whether shooting advertising campaigns, designer look books, jewelry lines, hair campaigns, fashion editorials, or professional athletes. Lindsay is renowned for her creativity and collaborating with designers and stylists in order to create fresh looks. Below is a behind-the-scenes, educational article from photographer Lindsay Adler titled, “Creative Collaboration” from the recently re-released Better When You Tether series. Download now for FREE and read this, and other articles from photographers such as Joe McNally, Clay Cook, Moshe Zusman and more.

Creative Collaboration by Lindsay Adler

When working on a bigger production, it takes a team of creative collaborators to bring an image to life. As a fashion photographer I’ve seen firsthand how working with other talented artists can bring my work to a new level. A successful fashion shoot requires a great deal of planning and creative collaboration. I begin by developing a concept, gathering inspiration, and building a mood board to direct the shoot. Next, I find the right creatives with the skills needed to achieve my visual goals. This includes hair, makeup, wardrobe, model, and at times other creatives including set design, creative director and more. On the day of the shoot everyone is working together to bring this concept to life, and each person needs to see how their part of the equation is contributing to the whole. Tethering is absolutely essential to maximize creative collaborations. As a photographer I need to focus on lighting, posing, and execution of the concept. By shooting tethered my team can help me focus on whether the hair looks great, the clothes are falling in the right places, and overall to help contribute the shoot’s success.

Here you can take a peek behind the scenes of a NYC fashion shoot!

I shoot tethered to my computer using the Tether Tools Tether Cable from my Canon 5D III to my laptop on an Aero Table. My entire team can watch the shoot unfold and be prepared to improve their part of the creation. Furthermore, as the images come into Lightroom I can utilize a preset to apply creative effects and give the team an idea of the overall mood and toning of the final shot. Tether Tools’ Better When You Tether educational series featuring behind the scenes articles from professional photographers is now available in an easy-to-read downloadable guide. Download for FREE here.