The Ultimate Timelapse Tool?
It was one of those “oh, wow!” moments. In 2011, at Focus On Imaging, I was chatting with James Madelin from Enlight (the makers of the Orbis and Frio). He shared with me his plans for an iPhone app that could control remote firing a DSLR. I thought it was a cool idea to have a cable release always with you, so was impressed at this simple, yet extremely helpful idea. Then, I got more impressed as he expanded on the project, sharing that it was in fact a complete intervelometer allowing full control over time and frequency of shots.
Behind the scenes as Sotheby’s prepares the Gunter Sachs Collection ahead of the sale on May 22nd and 23rd, 2012. The IO Shutter in action with a Canon 5D MkII, on a time lapse. It is being triggered by an iPad 3 in the Sotheby’s bag. Sotheby’s, New Bond Street, London. May 17, 2012. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
I now have this rather super ioShutter cable with me and it has become part of my regular camera kit. The interface is just genius and very intuitive to use. It also works on the iPad and newer iPod Touches. To control the camera, one has to download the ioShutter app from the iTunes App Store. There is a free version with limited ability or the full on pro version offering much more control. Naturally, I would fully recommend the Pro version of the app to allow full creativity.
I had an assignment at Sotheby’s to make a timelapse video of the Gunter Sachs show being set up. I had three cameras on the go, covering various angles and rooms. For an overhead, fisheye type shot, I had my GoPro HD Hero clamped around a lighting rail using a large Joby Gorillapod (tripod). I had one of my Canon 5D MkII cameras on a tripod being triggered by a Pocket Wizard MultiMax which I’d put into intervalometer mode. On my other 5D MkII I had my iPad attached, using the ioShutter cable. First problem was finding a way to attach the iPad and a Sotheby’s carrier bag proved an elegant and workable solution!
I made sure the volume on the iPad was turned way up (as the IO Shutter cable plugs into the headphone jack), set my duration between shots to five seconds and set it to shoot. First attempt in the field and no problems. The app and cable worked perfectly.
This assignment started around 9.30am and finished around 5.00pm and the system just worked. I carry my Pocket Wizards in my location lighting bag, so unless I’m planning to use them, the Pocket Wizards aren’t always with me. With the ioShutter, I have the cable now in my Think Tank Photo Airport International roller, so it’s always there. I also always have my iPhone and usually my iPad with me, which now means that if see an opportunity for a timelapse, I can just shoot it.
Screen shots of the ioShutter Pro App.
Compared to the Pocket Wizard MultiMax, it’s also a cheaper option, with the camera control cable on the MultiMax costing considerably more. It also has various other uses, as a timer or a sound triggered release too. Lastly, it’s available for Canon and Nikon DSLRs.
Thinking back to our first chat about the ioShutter, I was very excited by the idea but had doubts about it materialising as it was just too good! Well, it’s here, it’s real and it’s genius. Very highly recommended.
If you’re in the UK, you can get the IO Shutter cable from Snapper Stuff.
Photo This & That 
What’s Wrong With The Newspaper Industry
Press Photography & The Papers
A press card and a selection of media accreditation from over the years. June 12, 2012. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
The problems with the industry (normally and not just during this recession) are multiple; some do lay with the accountants who run most things (being qualified with arithmetic and spread sheet skills, or the understanding of formulas, in my mind does not give someone aesthetic understanding or the ability to have a news sense), weak picture editors, bad editors, visually less capable mass audience and the pandering of the papers to the weakest common denominator as opposed to trying to visually educate the readership a little. Not too long ago we had newspapers that ran the most amazing photography; informative, accurate, ethical, creative and mind blowingly powerful – and no, I’m not just talking about the broadsheets (as they were then) but a few tabloid papers too.
Another huge issue is the switch to digital and the ‘everyone’s a photographer’ syndrome; backed by accountants who see a picture as something that has four sides to it but have no ability to comprehend it’s content, importance or power. This also lead to the birth of the mass paparazzi – the most money paid for photography is for this type of content and the publications who print this material, sell the most, so have the biggest budgets.
The ‘new’ technology, called the internet also has had a detrimental effect to the traditional model of newspapers. A day late, even with great analysis and checked, journalistically correct information, is sometimes too late for readers. I saw new in quotes as anyone looking at most newspaper websites would thing the internet came to being a couple of months ago. It’s been with us long enough, yet few papers have learnt to design good, usable websites that harness the power of the web and deliver amazing content. The business model has to change too; good content needs to be paid for properly. Content is king; no good content means lower visitor hits, equalling less advertising revenue. It’s not rocket science! It is however beyond doubt the future (including mobile devices using the internet for delivery of content).
Let’s not forget though, as photographers we have our share of the blame. Some of this ignorance comes from the educational sector who are happy to teach Susan Sontag and theory, but when it comes to actual skills needed by photographers to survive, like knowing one’s rights and the law of copyright, they teach nothing. The rest of the blame is purely with us for not finding out.
We are signing away our copyright and future rights to our work, even though the law states that it’s ours. This is shortsighted and every time such a contract is signed, another nail is hammered into our collective coffin. There is no going back from this. Sooner than you know, we will retire and have no picture library of our own to fall back on; so, no books, no print sales and no exhibitions. My thoughts are that the bigger picture needs to be looked at; after all, this is a career and so, is long term.
We are killing our own industry too.
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