Using Remote Cameras

An episode of the Behind the Shot - Video podcast, hosted by Steve Brazill, titled "Using Remote Cameras" was published on November 3, 2022.

November 3, 2022 · Behind the Shot - Video

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Episode Description

David Bergman has been on the show many times. Along with twice on the normal shows, first back on Episode 48 for “Composition, Creativity, and Workflow”, and then on Episode 137 for a “Making Better Action Photos”, he was also a guest on Image Critique #9. His most recent spot was on the show about “The Best Photo Advice You’ve Ever Been Given“. Today makes appearance number 3 on the normal shows.

The other day David posted a shot to Instagram that immediately made me think of doing a show. In all the time I have been doing Behind the Shot I can think of two times where I found out during the show that a shot was done with a remote camera. In those cases I honestly thought the photographer may have been at the camera, mostly because the photos were from locations where a photographer could have been at the camera. Sometimes, however, a remote camera can get you into a position where you simply can’t physically be. It maybe a safety issue, like up in the truss above a stage, or a space issue where you can’t fit. The shot David posted was from the drum set during a Luke Combs show. Rarely, if ever, will you see a photographer sitting in front of the drum set during a major concert, but as David mentioned in the post, sometimes you come up with crazy ways to catch unique shots, shots that keep you interested when you’re shooting the same show over and over again.

That post made me realize that I had never done a show on the process of using a remote camera. I mean, I have touched on it with guests, but it’s never been the focus of a show. That thought surprised me. Personally I have asked friends many times, including David, how they go about solving all of the challenges involved with mounting, focusing, and triggering a remote camera. Obviously there had to be others that wanted those answers too!

Well, today is the day.

David usually needs no introduction, and he’s been on the show so many times at this point I will assume you know him well. If however, you are not aware of David, let me do a brief intro… he is a New York based commercial photographer and photo educator who specializes in action, music, and portraiture photography. He is also a world class educator. Having attended his “Shoot From the Pit” workshop, I would say he is one of the absolute best out there at teaching photography. His AdoramaTV show “Ask David Bergman” may be the best photography tutorial series there is. He is a born educator.

David’s current running tour gig is as the photographer for Luke Combs, one of the most successful country artists working today. As the official tour photographer for Bon Jovi and Luke Combs, he has documented bands on stage and on the road in more than 30 countries. He has also toured with Barenaked Ladies and Gloria Estefan, and has worked with Avril Lavigne and Joss Stone. Simply put, he is one of the top photographers working in the entertainment space today, so it’s no surprise that he is also a Canon Explorer of Light.

Join photographer David Bergman and me as we take a look at how he uses remote cameras to photograph stars like Luke Combs, from setup to the final shot, on this episode of Behind the Shot.