Most image transfers are carried out using the synchronization client. This is an application that installs on the computer, like the box or dropbox application.
Each step in the production workflow is the subject of a folder, which you can choose to synchronize on your computer if you have access rights. When your folders are synchronized, you're guaranteed to have all the files you need, and to be up to date with the latest file versions.
Technical requirements
The application is compatible with the following operating systems:- Mac OS X 11 (Big Sur) or higher
- Windows 10 or higher
The computer must have sufficient disk space to store the images of the various productions being synchronized. It is possible to store images on removable hard disks or on disks accessible via the network.
To transmit images to the platform, a good-quality Internet connection is required. The better the bandwidth, the faster the images will be loaded, and the better the user experience will be for both you and your customers.
To give an order of magnitude, it takes 20 seconds to load a 10 MB image using a bandwidth of 4 Mbps. Under these conditions, it will take just over an hour to load 200 images.
Install the application
Download and install the latest version of :
Click on “Add a user”.
Log in with your email address and password.
If you've lost your password, access the web application at https://app.grand-shooting.com, then click on the “Forgot your password” link to reset it.
Note: if the computer is used by several people, the application lets you add other users.
Presentation of the application
The production list
The principle of use is very simple: when you have access rights to one of the workflow stages of a production (Live or Retouch), you see the production appear in the application. You can then synchronize the content of the step(s).
The brief and capture folders are accessible, if they were entered when the production was created. Capture folders are useful to ensure reliable file naming.
Each available step can be synchronized with a local directory.
To add or remove a production from the application, you need to add or remove access rights to this production from the Grand Shooting application web interface (contact the session producer).
Synchronization status
To the right of a folder to be synchronized, a pictogram indicates its current status.
In some cases, access is restricted to read-only. This is the case, for example, for a retoucher: shots (Live stage) are synchronized as read-only and cannot be modified.
Read-only access is indicated by an eye placed on the folder.
Application settings
To display the application settings, click on the icon in the operating system taskbar, then click on the “Preferences” menu.
The settings window has 3 tabs: Basic, Advanced and Network.
The essential parameters are grouped together in the “Basic” tab.
The “Network” tab lets you set up a proxy if your local network configuration requires it.
We do not recommend changing the settings in the “Advanced” tab, unless Grand Shooting user support asks you to do so.
Synchronize production folders
When a production is created, you will receive an email informing you that you are responsible for capturing or retouching a production. Launch the synchronization application: you'll see the production with its folders to be synchronized.
Good to know:
If the shooting session does not appear in the list of productions, click on the “Refresh” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the application.
If the session still doesn't appear, relaunch the synchronization application.
For a production, the application may present several folders to be synchronized, depending on your rights to the various workflow stages (Live / Phase 1 / Phase 2). The capture folder (Live) is systematically the 1st folder to be synchronized (to upload files as capture manager / to download files for retouching as retoucher).
A retoucher will need to synchronize the Live folder to upload files for retouching, and the Phase 1 folder to load retouching onto Grand Shooting.
To synchronize the folder containing the raw files, click on the Live button and then “Synchronize” at the bottom of the screen.
Choose the folder in which you wish to place the files to be loaded
in Grand Shooting.
Most often, as the person responsible for capture, in Capture One this is the folder where selected images are developed (often the “Output” folder).
As soon as files are added to your folder, they will be uploaded to Live (or Phase 1) and visible to users.
If your local folder already contains files or sub-folders, they will immediately be transferred to the platform. Conversely, if the capture folder has already been synchronized (i.e. if the platform already contains files), they will be immediately uploaded to your local directory.
The green cloud confirms that synchronization is active.
The blue link takes you to the WEB display.
Now every new image saved in your local directory is automatically transferred to the platform.
Synchronize the right data
The synchronization application works in the same way as a service such as box or dropbox: all the content of the local directory you synchronize is loaded onto the platform.
You are therefore free to synchronize the files you deem necessary for the rest of the workflow: Jpeg images only, undeveloped raw images, images in Capture One's EIP format, and so on. All synchronized content will be made available to the people in charge of the next step in the workflow.
On the other hand, Live (web application) will not generate rendered thumbnails for files that are not in these formats: JPG, PNG, TIFF, PSD or MP4.
In particular, Live will not develop raw photos (RAW, NEF, CR2,...) to display thumbnails. Developing raw photos requires the application of presets known only to you.
- If you wish to synchronize raw photos for transmission to retouching, you must also synchronize a development in JPEG format (one JPEG image for each raw photo).
- The raw photo and the JPEG development must have the same name (except for the extension, of course), but the files can be stored in different sub-directories.
- In this case, Live will present a single thumbnail from the JPEG development, and this thumbnail will also be used for the raw photo.
Another important point: on some productions, image selection takes place at the time of the shoot, and the person in charge of capture synchronizes only the selected images for transmission to retouching.
On other productions, selection at the time of the shoot is either non-existent or only partial. In this case, the synchronized folder contains more images, so that the final selection can be made on Live.
Both operating modes are valid. It's up to you to choose which one suits you best.
Upload without synchronizing
If you don't want to synchronize files/folders in a local directory, you can simply drag and drop your files/folders into the corresponding workflow step window of the synchronization client. All dropped files will be uploaded to the Grand Shooting web platform.
Track load activity
From the “Activity” tab, you can track the progress of your load.
Progress bars show which files are currently loading,
and those already loaded.
Please wait until all files have been transferred before quitting the synchronization client.
Advanced features
Advanced features are available by right-clicking on file or folder names.
- Synchronize: synchronizes a subfolder
- Unsynchronize: unsynchronizes the synchronized subfolder
- Open in finder: displays the file in the synchronized local folder
- Download: downloads the selected file
- Create folder: adds a folder to Grand Shooting
- Rename: renames the file
- Duplicate: duplicates a file in another subfolder
- Move to: moves a file to a subfolder
- Delete: deletes the file from the web application and places it in the synchronization client's recycle garbage can.
- Synchronize: synchronizes a subfolder
- Unsynchronize: unsynchronizes the synchronized subfolder
- Open in finder: displays the file in the synchronized local folder
- Download: downloads the selected file
- Create folder: adds a folder to Grand Shooting
- Rename: renames the file
- Duplicate: duplicates a file in another subfolder
- Move to: moves a file to a subfolder
- Delete: deletes the file from the web application and places it in the synchronization client's recycle garbage can.
If you have chosen to synchronize a local folder, the actions performed on the synchronization client will be reflected in your local folder as well as in the WEB application.