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Features That Make a Service

A photo processing shop owner leans into a photo booth to adjust a customer's poise before taking a ID card photo.

A photo booth without an in built camera seems counter-intuitive but that's simply a lack of imagination on our behalf. The physical presence of the booth signals to customers what service is on offer; it re-enforces the idea of a minimum level of quality (though naturally this will depend on the camera that is used to take the actual photo); the proprietor can easily upgrade the camera; and the camera can be used in other contexts not just for taking ID card photos.

In some ways this shop is ahead of its time - it enables a setting for customers to use their own widely available tools to create. There's no evidence that this happens here, but with the widespread adoption of personal content creation tools I consider it only a matter of time - todays high end cameras will be tomorrow's mass market both in terms of perception of image quality and after effects that are possible. Shop's like this will still perform a valuable role in the creation process - a providing a suitable ambience, backdrop, props, printing and naturally guideance on poise, but many consumers will choose to utilise their own tools.

A photo booth without an in-built camera. Whatever next?

Related research from Fujian Province, Lhasa and New Orleans.

Writing from Sé | July 23, 2006 | Permalink