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Tutorial: Tethered Nikon Camera in the Studio
Lighting Classroom
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© 5-26-06
Dr. Michael Roach
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We are happy to introduce the newest writer at
Applelust. Dr. Michael Roach.
The Problem of the Classroom
Sometimes even the most blasé and experienced
photographic educator pauses in trepidation and dismay
when faced with the problems in teaching a studio
lighting class. The first day faces of 20-30
students look expectantly at an instructor who knows
that the subject ought to be taught either as a professional
apprenticeship or a one-on-one relationship between
photographer and student--not to a large classroom
audience. The idea of teaching the subtleties
of light to several students simultaneously is intimidating. For
a long period of time it has been more than intimidating;
it has been almost impossible. Certainly, the
preliminaries of vocabulary and the discussions on
qualities and quantities of light can be conducted
in the classroom environment, but it is the practicalities
of lighting placement that are so difficult.
Every photographer knows first that it is light
that is the subject of the photograph and not the
model or product before the camera. The key
to the problem is in that phrase BEFORE THE CAMERA. The
usual classroom situation produces conditions in
which only the instructor can actually see what the
camera sees. For the students spread around
the classroom each has a different viewing angle
of the subject and the light that strikes it. The
individual student cannot see the changes that occur
on the subject when a light is moved or a reflector
added or subtracted.
The production of films and video tapes of cause
and effect in lighting were a step in the right direction
and brought the students together to a common viewpoint,
but the film or tape content was still based on what
was the goal of the film producer and might or might
not be specific to what the classroom instructor
was trying to demonstrate. It was a case of
available content shaping what was done in the classroom,
not the classroom goals of the instructor guiding
the content.
For years, when teaching studio lighting it was
necessary for the instructor to make a lighting adjustment
and then to allow each student in turn to take his
or her place at the camera to view the changes that
occurred when the lights were adjusted. While this was
better than leaving the students in their seats and
having them poorly view what was happening, it was
subject to confusion where one or two disruptive students
could markedly lower the quality of the overall learning
experience. The second negative aspect of this
approach was the amount of time necessary to give
a large group of students the chance to view the
changes and the length of time that necessarily passed
between viewing one change and the next. Classroom
learning was slow.
Setting up the Camera
I prefer the D2x for producing classroom demonstrations;
however, a number of other models are capable of
producing equally satisfactory results. These
include the Nikon d1 and D2 series, D100, D70s, D70,
and D50. Thom Hogan (byThom.com) gives his
always-excellent evaluations of a number of cameras,
which perform satisfactory tethered shooting.
My own choice of the D2x is a result of the long
battery life of the camera. An AC power supply
is available for the Nikon D2x and others, but I
did not have one available for classroom use.
Setting up the camera is slightly different between
Nikon Capture and Bibblepro. In order to avoid
confusion we’ll look at the set up procedures
one at a time. We’ll begin with Nikon
Capture. It is necessary to program the D2x
to respond to the Nikon software. The menu
settings are simple, but necessary.
Setup menu > USB > PTP
From the second page of the set up MENU choose USB. From
USB choose PTP; now the camera is ready to communicate
with the Nikon Capture program.
Connect the Nikon UC-E4 USB cable to the camera
and add a USB extension cable as necessary. I
have found that I can add up to 25’ of additional
cable and still receive a proper signal. The use
of the Nikon WT-2/3A wireless transmitter would free
up the camera for ease in repositioning but introduces
additional problems in the classroom where many competing
equipment items vie for available bandwidth. Several
forums have described battery use as being very heavy
when the wireless transmitter is used. Wireless transmitter
users may be trading the freedom from the USB cable
to the necessity of the power cable or the need for
additional battery or batteries. The speed
of the connection will decrease rapidly as the camera
is moved away from the computer so that in either
event, twenty to thirty feet seems to be a practical
limit unless you are limiting images to medium to
low quality JPEG’s (certainly suitable for
classroom screen use, but inadequate for saving for
the book you are thinking about writing).
The camera can also be attached to a large screen
television with the Nikon ED-G2 cable, but this would
eliminate the use of Nikon Capture or Bibble to adjust
or compare the successive images.
The use of Nikon Capture allows the focus and shooting
of the camera to be controlled via the computer screen. The
method I use in class is to station a responsible
student at the computer, and I adjust and comment
upon the lighting and the subject while looking through
the camera. Then I instruct the student to choose
the FOCUS AND SHOOT command and the image is automatically
shot and transferred to the computer and then to
the video projector and screen.
Since the screen is placed adjacent to the lighting
set up, simply killing the studio lights (master
switch at my feet) automatically darkens the room
and allows the screen image(s) to be discussed. The
classroom is only nominally darkened so the illumination
transfer is not a abrupt visual shock, merely enough
dimming to allow detail on the screen image to be
readily seen after the bright studio lights are diminished.
Nikon Capture allows exposure adjustments to be
made from the computer when using a G type lens.
Camera controls are visible on the projected screen
image and thus can be seen by the seated student
along with the image of the preceding shot.
Screen Capture: Nikon Capture
Once the camera is connected, you are given the
choice of where and how your images are downloaded. The
first window allows you to pick a folder where you
would like to store your images. When you are
asked what to do with an image received from the
camera you should choose SHOW IT WITH MULTI IMAGE
WINDOW in order to allow images to be stored in sequence. This
will allow you to return and choose a preceding image
for purposes of comparison.
Once you have determined where and how your images
are to be shown, you may return to the capture control
panel and choose to show the camera controls.
You may choose to enable the controls on the camera
body, modify shutter or aperture priority or choose
program. If shutter or aperture priority is
chosen then the normal exposure controls of the camera
may be utilized. You may also choose to apply
exposure compensation if desired. If the camera
is in auto focus mode you may choose to have the
camera focus and shoot; if manual focus is in use
with the camera, then shoot may be chosen.
The second exposure mode choice allows the focus
area to be determined, ISO adjusted and the white
balance chosen or adjusted.
The format, quality, compression and image size
are controlled from the Storage frame of the Camera
Control panel.
Mechanical allows us to choose auto bracketing if
desired, tells us the lens in use, and gives us battery
level.
Finally, the Image Processing frame allows the adjustment
of sharpening levels, tone compensation, color
space, color mode, hue adjustment, and noise reduction.
Screen Capture: MacBibblePro
Only BibblePro will accept captured shooting. Bibble
Lite will not do so. From Bibble select preferences and
from preferences select tethered shooting.
From enable cameras select the
proper camera from Canon, Kodak, and Nikon.
From current capture folder choose
the folder where you want the images saved. If
necessary use browse and navigate
to the folder.
Finally, select auto-select incoming images. Your
camera and computer are now ready to communicate
with one another.
Now from the opened BibblePro application select capture from
the menu choices on the left of the screen. The camera
and the computer are now communicating.
Using a Video Projector
At this point the camera and computer are communicating
with either Nikon Capture or BibblePro, and the captured
images can now be shown on an appropriate video projector.
Nikon capture will allow the adjustment of camera
controls from the computer; BibblePro only displays
incoming images. It doesn't control camera settings,
nor fire the shutter. However, if the time
needed for the capture to show up on the computer
is critical, then BibblePro is the faster of the
two capture programs. Neither is perfect, but
both are much better than the classroom alternative
of students who cannot see the demonstration. That
lends itself to poor attention and classroom disruption.
While the use of the video projector is becoming
common in many classrooms, the ability to tether
a camera to the computer in a real time situation
has not been attempted by many instructors though
it is becoming popular in studio operations. Art
directors and clients can view the images from the
camera as soon as they are taken and thus provide
immediate feedback to the photographer. The
addition of the video projector and screen to the
equation provides an image size that can be experienced
by an entire classroom.
Real time capture in the classroom makes sequential
situations easier to explain and document. While
it is certainly possible to prepare digital images
in advance and present them either from a computer
or camera, they are limited to the original sequence
predetermined by the instructor. There is no
ability to explore the “what if” factor
that arises in a more creative approach to teaching
lighting. Real time capture introduces variables
in the demonstration based upon questions raised
by students. If the instructor is not committed
to a rigidly linear approach, it allows the incorporation
of serendipity into the presentations and greatly
enhances the learning experience by making it more
meaningful and relevant.
While the Nikon D2x is considered a "high end" digital
camera, a large number of other cameras can be used
with a capture system. Many of the Canon, Kodak,
or Nikon digital cameras that are suitable for capture
purposes are within the price and quality range of
many photo departments. Many of those cameras
are already available to departments that also are
using video projectors in lecture classes. Add
the suitable capture software and move from canned
programming to immediate and real time demonstrations
in suitable subject areas such as lighting.
For the instructor trying to show the sequential
steps involved in building the lighting structure
for portraiture or product photography, the ability
to show the same camera viewpoint to all the classroom
audience is of tremendous value. I have found
this procedure to be very successful in the classroom
as it eliminates the “out of touch feelings” that
are often felt by students who are at awkward seating
positions relative to the area being photographed. This,
in turn, eliminates the majority of disruptive situations
that arise from bored or less attentive students. Overall,
the learning experience is greatly enhanced.
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Dr. Michael Roach is a retired Professor of Art from Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas where he first taught photography and eventually digital imaging and computer art for 33 years. His fine arts images from his travels in Morocco, Ireland, England, France, Spain and the American West are carried by several galleries and hang in many private collections. Both his and his wife's (artist Robbie Lacomb Roach) images may be found at http://w2.netdot.com/lacomb-roach_press.
