Is Remote Shooting Still a Thing?

"But why any serious photographer would continue with remote shooting now that Covid is basically 'over' completely defeats me. By definition a photographer is someone who makes the photographs, not someone who watches while someone else does it for them"

im a disabled guy who has issues during, before or after the shoots.. ive just done a 5 hr shoot and ive spent all day in bed in pain and discomfort and shall be tomorrow too.... this is why remote shooting would be very useful to me. especially if the model has the dslr option and you do ALL the "remote" settings and shooting while chatting on skype or zoom etc.. so its a two way thing between you both...

just my input on a question i saw....

Photowallah said

But why any serious photographer would continue with remote shooting now that Covid is basically 'over' completely defeats me. By definition a photographer is someone who makes the photographs, not someone who watches while someone else does it for them.

Have you ever seen a photographer like Rankin at work? 

Photowallah said

I understand any working model who does not want to turn off a revenue stream, or for that matter is tired of playing the lottery of who shows up at their door.

But why any serious photographer would continue with remote shooting now that Covid is basically 'over' completely defeats me. By definition a photographer is someone who makes the photographs, not someone who watches while someone else does it for them.

I actually laughed out loud when I read this comment. 

We are still running regular remote shoots from the studio here with our custom built rig PG-D2 being fired up at least 3/4 days a week on average. 
We run regular group shoots, 1-2-1 bookings and all our model days are available for remote access along with our featured model database. 
I get sent mood boards and lighting diagrams, our remote set up then allows you to then make adjustments to the power levels of all the lights and change all the settings on the camera. Ok the photographer may have a little more directing to give, in terms of light positions, but most seasoned pro photographers will have a small team of assistants when they shoot live and direct them to move stuff around rather than get up and move themselves, I see it all the time when a pro hires the studio in person. Remotely they then have just me to make movements to the rig or lights or to swap a lens out or modifier over etc.
I have also connected to clients via remote whilst I work, so they can see their product come to life with the lighting and give insights onto the final image they are looking to create (not all clients, I'm daft, but not that daft).
Whilst I may have made access available to the studio and give the photographers as much control as I can via remote, the work is all theirs the light positions get approved, the camera position gets approved. The make the photo, not I. I am simply follow directions like any good assistant would.
The photographers we get are very serious about their work, whilst many are hobbyist, many are also trading professionals. But all of them are unable to attend the studio in person due to a number of reasons, health, distance, they are away and don't want to miss the event we have on, they work from a different city and accessing the studio remotely saves them a huge amount in travel when models and brand are midlands based, there are a lot of reasons why serious photographers would still use remote post Covid.

Main one is access to something you do not have access to normally; model, studio, or a particular set up or light shaper that you want to use/try out.
I have had someone hire the studio remotely for an hour to play with the optical snoot, they purchased it as soon as I uploaded the images, they wanted to make sure it was capable of doing the job they wanted for their own studio. As a pixapro try before you buy as well. You can contact me to try out certain types of kit, check your raw samples before you decide to spend the money on a silver or white inner beauty dish for example. 

These are just some of the reasons a serious photography would be considering remote

Im open to understand what I am missing here, but I don't understand the point of a remote shoot. If you're not physically there, designing and setting up the lighting, setting up the environment,  physically using your camera I am not seeing how this is photography from a photographers perspective  at all. Sorry if this is unpopular just trying to understand. Don't get me wrong if there's a physical reason you can't shoot with a model, or if your a model or studio making additional income I totally get it. But for me can't see why I would ever want to, Happy to be educated

I just did a remote to New Zealand a few weeks back and it resulted me the cover pick for Mood Boards February issue. So yeah, I think remote shoots are still a thing and they will be for the foreseeable future. They will be less frequently used than during lockdown of course as in person shoots will always be the better experience. But there are photographers bound to wheelchairs that hugely benefit from remote shoots. And others that simply can't make it to a location to work with a model. It's a question of what you can offer as a model. Remote shoots at studios are less impressive as remote shoots in awesome landscapes, at least for me. But everybody ticks differently. So yeah, remote shoots are here to stay. I'm actually always checking if a location is viable for remote shoots in case a model would want to offer a remote shoot when we're shooting somewhere in the Swiss Alps. Makes the shoot less expensive for me and gives someone else the option to shoot at a beautiful location. Win/Win in my book.

Chris Thomas Photography said

Im open to understand what I am missing here, but I don't understand the point of a remote shoot. If you're not physically there, designing and setting up the lighting, setting up the environment,  physically using your camera I am not seeing how this is photography from a photographers perspective  at all. Sorry if this is unpopular just trying to understand. Don't get me wrong if there's a physical reason you can't shoot with a model, or if your a model or studio making additional income I totally get it. But for me can't see why I would ever want to, Happy to be educated

I'm an outdoor photographer, I don't like studios. So during the cold months I can't really shoot here. But I can do remote shoots with models down under. It's summer time for them so we can create some magic on her side of the planet. It is always a struggle with cell reception but so far it has always been worth it. Remote shoots are a lot slower than in person shoots, that's a given. You have to be able to handle this. If that's an issue for you, don't do a remote shoot. For me it's like going from zoom lenses to prime lenses, you lose a level of freedom. You can see this as a restriction or as an artistic boundary. Your choice. I'm going for the latter. I generally take a bit more time to set up the camera, do some test shots to check framing and adjust the camera as needed and then go for the shoot of the set.

I've taken photos remotely that I'd probably never would've been able to take in person. (I'm a natural light photographer, I don't need to set up my lighting, the sun is my lighting.) I adapt to the location I don't force the picture into existence I seek the picture and take it. Different approach.

But remote shoots aren't for everybody and that's OK. We all have different views and we should explore different ways to express those views.

I still do the occasional remote with several studios like PGD and Neon Dreams because they offer remotes on most of their model studio and it's easier for me to do remotes than travel to the studio. Yes, you do have to plan it out a bit more than an in person photoshoot, but doesn't that then help with your in person work since you have to slow down and be more sure of the shot before pressing the button. As mentioned, if there's a revenue stream that's making models and studio revenue that they are going to walk away from it? It literally opens up their possible shoots to the whole world. It will live along side other ways of photography like film and digital can.

I will have done three remote shoots by the end of this week whilst on tour in Peterborough, with the most amazing sets.. to photographers in Scotland, the Netherlands and Kuwait.

I haven't been able to remote shoot from my home for a while due to poor broadband (and imminently moving house - ongoing!) but now I have fibre broadband so bring it on! 

Chris Thomas Photography said

Im open to understand what I am missing here, but I don't understand the point of a remote shoot. If you're not physically there, designing and setting up the lighting, setting up the environment,  physically using your camera I am not seeing how this is photography from a photographers perspective  at all. Sorry if this is unpopular just trying to understand. Don't get me wrong if there's a physical reason you can't shoot with a model, or if your a model or studio making additional income I totally get it. But for me can't see why I would ever want to, Happy to be educated

On many large commercial shoots, the photographer directs the assistant (or assistant) as to where to put the camera and lighting. They also direct the makeup artist, the hair stylist, etc., but they could, in theory, be completely hands-off except for triggering the camera--and that might well be done via a (locally) tethered computer. Other than the tether to the computer, that approach has been in widespread use for many many decades.

Less extreme examples might be a sports photographer shooting with 2-10+ cameras; one in his hand/local tripod/monopod, and the rest stationed in specific locations (behind the net, corners of race tracks, etc.) and triggered remotely. That's been common for at least 50 years.

As jhphotography notes, it does require planning ahead--providing lighting diagrams, shipping, sourcing, or borrowing clothes/props, etc., but that's pretty common in more complex shoots anyhow. It does shift the burden of the mechanics--moving lights, camera, and set--to the remote model and/or studio used, but it's not that different from how I (used to) shoot in person. Serendipity, or the aha! moment, where the photographer sees something nearby/on the fly and that sparks a divergence from the plan, IS vastly reduced; that is a definite downside.

The point is to permit working with a model too far away to realistically shoot in person. Or work around disabilities. If I had the means and time to travel to the UK or EU (10-18 hours each way), and my health permitted I'd cheerfully work in-person with the various models I've shot remotely. But I don't have the funds, or the time, or the health.

If you're someone who shoots from the hip, entirely in-the-moment, it's going to be extremely difficult to adjust, and it might well not be useful/enjoyable/effective for you. For those used to precise methodical commercial studio work, it's a very tiny step beyond the norm. The majority of people fall between those extremes. Remote work does require some compromises and involves some trade-offs. Some will find it worthwhile, while others might not.

I fall into the group which finds them useful and enjoyable: of the first 50 images in my portfolio currently, 49 were shot remotely. In-studio, at the model's home, with some on location.

how does remote shooting stand in respect of photography competitions and for the moment i'm thinking of the more stringent competitions that don't even allow any editing?

I have been running quite a few from my studio with Angel Black UK and have now started offering them on my studio days.

It’s a great way to open up to the whole world to shoot models I have in the studio.

Edited by Art Asylum Reloaded Photo Studio

Σ OI Σ I would imagine they'd still stand. As long as there's no other photographer directing, and you decide where everything is to be positioned, angle wise and lighting wise I don't see whats different. You're still in total operation of the equipment and it's down to you to change all of the settings. I literally just act as your arms :)

Art Asylum Reloaded Photo Studio and what a pleasure it's been to work alongside you :) Remote shoots are a fantastic way of working with models you'd otherwise never get the chance to. I truly believe you shouldn't judge a remote shoot until you've tried at least 2 with different models. Until you give then a go, and see what they're actually about and half first hand experience with them, I think its difficult to pass judgement on them to be perfectly honest:)

Angel Black UK said

Art Asylum Reloaded Photo Studio and what a pleasure it's been to work alongside you :) Remote shoots are a fantastic way of working with models you'd otherwise never get the chance to. I truly believe you shouldn't judge a remote shoot until you've tried at least 2 with different models. Until you give then a go, and see what they're actually about and half first hand experience with them, I think its difficult to pass judgement on them to be perfectly honest:)

100% and always great to work with you

I don’t see it as being as popular as it used to be. I was so booked up over 2020/2021 with remote shoots. I haven’t had a remote shoot in over a year, I do prefer face to face however I’ve met some wonderful photographers over remote.