This robotic camera system can replace an entire fashion photography studio

When I was getting started as a professional photographer some years ago, I decided to work at a studio as a manager to understand the business side of things. I learned a lot in the year I spent there, but I had to quit when my boss decided to take on a massive contract to shoot clothes by the truckload for an online store.

You see, shooting large collections of garments – we’re talking about hundreds and thousands of pieces, including numerous colorways for each – is soul-sucking, tedious work, and is nothing like the glamorous on-location projects you see on TV and Instagram. Thankfully, it looks like Dutch firm StyleShoots has come up with a way to streamline the process.

The company’s new Live smart studio comprises of a high-end Canon 1DX Mk II for capturing 4K video and 20-megapixel stills, mounted in a robotic three-axis setup to automatically configure lighting, shoot footage and photos, and deliver them in all the formats you need for publishing.

The system is powered by a Mac Pro, along with proprietary image and video processing software. The company says that the Live uses AI to “understand where the product is in the shot, the physical location of the model – even how tall they are – and can adjust all the parameters to make sure you get exactly the shots and movies you’re after.”

You can define your own style presets to get consistent shots based on the creative guidelines you’ve chosen for your brand or collection, and control everything using a 12.6-inch iPad Pro.

For lighting, the system includes Skylights and and an adjustable Striplight powered by custom designed Rotolight LED panels above the stage area.

Of course, this doesn’t negate the need for a photographer by any means. It simply frees them up from the task of handling a camera so they can focus on directing the shoot and interacting with the model.

Given that the need for brands to create and publish content on a range of social channels is constantly growing, it seems certain that StyleShoots has a winner on its hands. It’s available to lease for up to two years; you can also purchase it outright by first requesting a quote. And maybe now, I can consider getting back into photography.

Via Engadget