Mobile photography is in demand

People with DSLRs dangling from their shoulders will probably stop doing whatever they are doing and sneer, ‘What? Mobile photography in demand? No way!’ Well, let me just say that a good picture doesn’t always have to come tagged with high mega-pixels and full-frames. Good pictures do not always need digital single lens reflexes or an expensive lens or a camera that is expensive. All that a person needs is a great sense of composition, the ability to sense the right moment, and a reasonably good camera that anyway comes with smartphones these days.

If you did not notice, the keywords in the title were not just mobile or photography but there was also a mention of demand.

The keyword here is ‘demand’

By the way, what does one do with the pictures clicked? Obviously, we store them in our laptop or PC and see them whenever we want to. We may sometime print a few. Some really prolific photo-enthusiasts manage to hold and exhibition and sell a few. Some may send them to publishers or to be a part of photo-contests and win a prize or two. There are also organisations and individuals who need pictures that they wish to use for online promotions. Bloggers who do not click pictures may want to use some without getting attracted to stealing pictures and diving into copyright hassles. There are small businesses not needing hi-res pictures at exorbitant prices. There are small pr and ad agencies and individuals who wish to use relevant pictures for emailers or presentations and cannot afford expensive pictures being sold on the net.

A demand for low-res pictures is certainly a reality.

How can this demand be met?

The funny thing is that there are thousands of people with smartphones who sometimes click really wonderful and perceptive pictures but all they get is a few smiles or hugs when they post them on their social media platform.

What such people need is a platform where they could upload their low-res photography output and be able to sell them at a reasonable rate. This is where SnapCape enters.

How does SnapCape help? 

Photography too has its own consumers and producers. SnapCape, as I understand it, readily helps both these segments. Let me explain how.

As a mobile photographer I can click and upload pictures through the app on my smartphone (both iOS and Android platforms are valid). The picture that I upload is linked to one of the pre-existing categories there. I can give my picture a title and a short explanation and once the app has used its algorithm to ensure that the picture is unique and not already owned by someone else, it gets its visibility. Yes, I also have the option to choose a price upto 5 US dollars. This does sound interesting, doesn’t it?

Any of the buyers (and I have mentioned a few buyer types earlier) interested can login to their buyer account and purchase the picture. The FAQs on the website states that ‘on uploading of images, SnapCape bears the copyrights. But on the purchase of images SnapCape permanently transfers the publishing rights to the buyer following the licensing terms and also ensure that you receive the agreed-upon compensation for transferred rights.’ The money transactions through this app are real and obviously, the producer who ends up earning will also need to pay his taxes. The fiscal policies are explained on the website and I advise all potential users to go through the FAQs there at least once.

The benefit to a buyer

Well, it isn’t just the mobile photographer who smiles because he has managed to sell a few pictures. The buyer of course is having access to a large database of some really great low priced creativity with the camera… but wait, there is more for the buyer.

As a buyer an individual or an organisation can also ‘create a task requesting the images you need, from SnapCape, to meet your exact requirements. You can create a task for SnapCapers within a specific geographical area or globally. Also, tasks are a great way to absorb your online and social media audiences.’ Let me put this in another way. The buyer is, in effect, creating a sort of race to make the producers or photographers click the image that he, the buyer, has in mind… for free!

The mobile photographer is now in demand

This is true. This app is making an effort to get some attention to the photo-enthusiast who was otherwise almost lost in the crowd. By the way, even a DSLR or a camera clicked picture can be converted into a low res version, uploaded on to the mobile and finally uploaded through this app. There now, I’ve shared a little known secret too… may you mobile photographers go out and make some money now!

Download the app here:

SnapCape For iOS phones

SnapCape For Android phones

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This post was published in ‘The Education Post’ dated 18 July 2016:

2016_07_18_The Education Post_Snapcape review

Snapcape – a mobile app for mobile photographers

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Arvind Passey
15 July 2016