In the challenge of this year’s constant whirlwind of change, we’ve managed to squeeze out some innovation. In early July, our internal &GROW team led by @cortezgroupe was tasked with testing a few of those ideas out. Remote photoshoots were on the menu, and they didn’t disappoint. Typically a photoshoot consists of three to four key people. Creative director, photographer, stylist, and lighting grip/director. For this specific shoot, @allie_alina a resident yoga instructor with Ampersand, had shifted to virtual classes in the daylight studio. Along with building content in our creator labs, we came together to produce some riveting brand-driven content. Only one thing was missing – our lighting director, located in Montreal, Canada chimed in remotely via Zoom, and on a share-screen (powered by the fiber-optic network at Ampersand) didn’t miss a beat. Below is a visual diary of our behind the scenes from the shoot.
while on set
The set up was pretty standard. A tethered link from computer to camera, with an added twist, a live stream over zoom. As we set up lighting and tested a few photographs, our lighting director was able to guide us through any changes he saw fit. Having the open space in the sound studio allowed for the most flexibility as filming and photography happened in tandem.
sharing a screen
The actual feed was a screen of the Capture One program (professional tethering software for commercial photography) whereby all stats of each photograph, including camera settings, were displayed for everyone just as if we were all on a live set together.
final result
After a few tweaks, and adjustments within the program, a final image set was produced in about 30 minutes. Speed and efficiency of on set photography are always key, but quality is unparalleled when you have the right tools in place.
