How to print photos with custom overlays and backgrounds while shooting tethered.
Event photographers often want to shoot tethered and print their images with custom overlay and/or background. This tutorial explains how to use Hotfolder Prints to
Tethered shooting lets you take photos with the camera and automatically download them to your computer/device. It is usually fastest to transfer the photos via wired connection such as a USB cable. Many cameras can also download images wirelessly.
There are many tethered shooting programs for different makes and models of camera. Hotfolder Prints supports JPEG images from any camera once they have been downloaded to a Windows PC. Tethered shooting apps include
If you want Hotfolder to select a different overlay/background for photos captured in different orientations, you need to ensure that image orientation is included in the EXIF data for the image.
When shooting with DSLR Remote Pro, check the Orientation Sensor box is checked:
Check (1) Use Orientation Sensor on the DSLR Remote Pro View tab to tell Hotfolder whether images are taken in landscape or portrait. (2) Show Camera controls should also be checked
PhotoboothImages folder with 3 overlays for the camera in landscape (overlay_0.png) and portrait (overlay_90.png and overlay_270.png) Breeze Hotfolder 1.8
Overlays for portrait images should be similar the left hand image above for auto-rotation to work correctly
If the print area is larger than the photos you are printing, you may want to add a background. This can be plain white, a single color, or a JPEG image.
PhotoboothImages folder with three backgrounds for the camera in landscape (background_0.jpg) and portrait (background_90.jpg and background_270.jpg) Breeze Hotfolder 1.8
Select the Hotfolder File Tab then Printer Setup to choose the printer settings you need
Tell Hotfolder which folder to monitor, where to store the prints, and where to find your overlay(s) and background(s)
Hotfolder Preferences screen (v1.8.1)
(1) Folder to monitor (where photos are stored as they are downloaded from the camera)
Note: As Auto create folder is checked, Hotfolder automatically creates the folder when the program starts. The folder name uses a token {dateLess8h} which is coverted at run time to the current date less 8 hours. Using this token keeps the same date for events running past midnight.
(2) Folder where Hotfolder stores the prints
(3) Folder containing your overlay(s) and background(s)
(4) Select Custom layout Settings button to access the Print Layout Editor
More information about Hofolder preferences screens
You may want to print every photo immediately, or save the layout to share, display, and choose whether to print later. Make your choice on the Hotfolder Preferences screen:
Select Print and save JPEG copy for automatic printing, and JPEG copy only if you don’t want to print the images immediately
You can run our Kiosk software on the same Windows tablet to share and print your images..
Hotfolder Prints monitors a folder for incoming images then automatically formats them for printing and other purposes. It’s a great tool to add branding and custom layouts to prints when shooting tethered.
I have explained how to use Hotfolder Prints to
Find out what more you can do with this great suite of tools for event photographers and photo boothers.
© Breeze Systems December 2019