Having a completely portable office with multiple screens will revolutionize how you shoot on location. The good news is that this particular set-up is easy and it doesn't have to break the bank.
If you ever shoot on location there are usually compromises to be made with your "desk" set-up. After all, you can't possibly take your whole office on the road with you. These trade-offs can often lead to a drop in productivity and in a worst-case scenario, result in negative issues around the work you make. This week, Nik Moe of Work From Hype talks about this very issue in his video and attempts to make the ultimate portable office for when he is traveling.
The video starts with Moe addressing the way he uses his laptop and how including a laptop stand can dramatically help with ergonomics when working outside. We also see the clever use of a tablet stand to better help position multiple screens together as well as some peripheral suggestions in the form of a keyboard and mouse. What really makes this set-up especially desirable to photographers is the ARZOPA Portable Monitor 15.6 inch Ultra-Slim Monitor which adds considerable additional screen real estate. What piqued my interest about this particular screen was how thin it was and how Moe was able to power it by plugging it directly into the laptop itself.
The video goes on to show the integration of a third screen with the help of an iPad where Moe shows a way to navigate around the fact that some Macbook laptops won't allow more than one screen connected to them at a time. The video concludes with some real-world examples of using his set-up and his assessment of it all. One point he makes is about the weight of everything but for photographers who are used to lugging around large amounts of gear I don't see this being a problem. Personally, I think it's a small price to pay to have such a setup that can be used anywhere. I have struggled many times to shoot to a small screen set-up which has always slowed me down and has sometimes resulted in mistakes being made. Having multiple screens may seem excessive to some of you but if you are working with several people on a shoot it really does make sense. Many of us already have iPads and laptop stands at our disposal so the addition of a $180 portable monitor isn't going to break the bank but could dramatically improve how we shoot on location. Â
What are your thoughts on this monitor set-up? Think it would improve your shoots on location? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
For years, I've been pairing my iPad as a second screen next to my MacBook when away from home. Easy as pie.