What lies behind a picture
“Have you seen that picture on Instagram? Asked my friend one day. “It’s amazing! I really want to go there.” She was almost hopping up and down when talking. I looked at that photo. I also scrolled through the ones posted on that page, looked at some tags under them and went to the webpage linked in the description just to find myself dreaming about having a workshop with the page owner and having the opportunity to take similar photos.
All that made me wonder about how easy it is to draw people’s attention and to inspire them to do something just with a picture. What I saw in it was a good quality camera and a skilled photographer. My friend, on the other hand, was thrilled by the opportunity to go horse-riding with the eagles in Mongolia. Two quite different desires inspired by the same catalyst. The result was that she did go horse-riding in Mongolia and she even took part in the Mongol derby. I bought a camera instead.
IT IS NOT THE DESTINATION WHERE YOU END UP BUT THE MISHAPS AND MEMORIES YOU CREATE ALONG THE WAY
-UNKNOWN-
When people are travelling, it is always because of some kind of need they are feeling and while travelling people may be in need of different things. These needs are being fulfilled by an ever-growing industry. By buying or planning to buy something, people become potential customers of this industry. For example, there are thousands of car rentals, restaurants, hotels and safari companies ready to fulfill people’s needs and desires. As a customer, I can choose what I like the most; what sounds most more interesting to me and what serves my purpose in the best way.
Therefore is the companies’ job to make me intrigued, to keep me satisfied and maybe even to secure me as a loyal customer. Touristic companies need to follow three different concepts to be able fulfill my expectations; Customer intelligence ,customer knowledge , customer insight . It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Only three things. It cannot be so hard.
Let’s assume that I am photographer looking for new locations and I see this picture of the Finnish Lapland. The need to travel to this destination has been generated. I would need transportation, so I would be looking for car rentals in Finland. To find a good car, I also need to know what kind of road I will be driving on. I need to know how weather will be and of course how to get there. I also would like to know if there are any hotels, food stores or restaurants in the nearby; if I could answer all these questions and how I could manage to even take similar photos. My expectations would be fulfilled, and I would be looking for something more. I would be a happy customer. I would fit the customer profile perfectly.
Just by taking that picture, the original photographer has thought about all of this. He picked a place that travelling photographers can find easily, where food and other experiences are also available. In other words what he is doing is creating a valuable marketing strategy just by publishing that picture. So next time you see something that makes your soul rejoice, just think about how many different parties were or will be involved to create that feeling in you. Before your zero moment of truth…
Inspiration photographers: