Use it Better: Three New Jobs For an iPad

Backup and Editing Greg Maxson

Photographers have been using Apple’s tablet for viewing and sharing photos since it came out, but the device can also be a useful tool for enhancing shoots in the studio and on location. With the right apps and, in some cases, a few additional accessories, the iPad can work as a remote for setting up shots, an easy-tomaneuver light source, a second screen for editing, and more.

LIGHTS AND PROMPTS

For stills and video in the studio, install SoftBox Pro ($3 on iTunes), which transforms your iPad into an adjustable-brightness soft-light source. Using a Wallee Connect Kit ($119), mount and position the iPad on a Manfrotto Magic Arm and Super Clamp kit ($114), an adjustable extension that connects to a leg of a tripod. If your DSLR records video, use your iPad as a teleprompter with the ProPrompter app ($10) and this same tripod configuration. You can mount the iPad directly below or beside the camera lens, or create a true studio-style mirror teleprompter.

REMOTE CONTROL

Remote camera setups usually require photographers to remain stuck in front of a laptop to compose shots. Using an iPad loaded with the DSLR Camera Remote HD app ($50), shooters can stay mobile while previewing photos, adjusting camera settings, and snapping pictures. The tablet connects wirelessly to a laptop running DSLR Camera Remote Server software (free), which is hooked up to your Nikon or Canon DSLR via a wireless transmitter. If you don’t have a wireless transmitter, you can connect the camera to the laptop using a long USB cable.

BACKUP AND EDITING

For a super-portable way to quickly back up and preview photographs, install an Eye-Fi memory card ($50 to $100) in your camera to wirelessly transmit them to your iPad. When you need to edit your shots on the go and want more screen space than a laptop can provide, download MaxiVista ($10). The app extends a Windows laptop screen onto an iPad so the two devices can act as a single large display.