When the going gets tough, the tough take photos
While the global economy has taken a downturn, celebrity stock has never been higher.As a result, enterprising members of the public are giving traditional celeb snappers a run for their money, and banking on celebrities to help stave off the credit crunch. New Europe-wide research from Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot™ takes a look at this and other emerging trends in the world of cameraphone technology.
Celebrities in the Frame…
Citizen journalism is widely recognised as an established part of media output, and is an example of how user-generated photography has irrevocably changed the face of modern news. But now, celebrities increasingly find themselves in the frame, as citizen journalists turn their lenses on them.
Where once upon a time celebrities could slip out the back door to avoid the glare of the flashbulbs, these days they can expect to be snapped anytime, anywhere by anyone. And thanks to recent advances in cameraphone technology, such as the Cyber-shot C905 and C902 share facility, they can now expect to see those images online and syndicated around the world in mere seconds. Leading trend forecaster Tom Savigar of The Future Laboratory explains, “As our appetite for celebrity pictures grows, consumers stand to profit from celebrity spotting as never before.”
The research shows that an enterprising 2% of people in the UK have already sold digital photographs to the media, whilst a further 6% have taken photos of spectacular events with the express intention of selling them on to the media.
You’re so vain…Here come the ‘web-lebrities’
The research also puts paid to the age-old notion that the camera never lies.As 9 out of 10 Europeans now own a cameraphone with the ability to document and share their photography, the significance of the quality of their digital or online image has increased dramatically.According to Tom Savigar, “Before now, photos would only be seen by a small circle of friends. Now people can become mini-celebrities, famous to millions of internet users.”
Controversy has raged about celebrity air-brushing, and many campaigns have recently sprung up in support of ‘real’ beauty. But in an era of web-lebrities, people want to look every bit as good as the celebrities they so admire – a tough job given the armies of stylists, make-up artists and photo-shoppers celebrities have at their disposal.
So it’s understandable that 41% only share images online where they look their best. However an emerging trend shows 25% are taking their quest for perfection beyond the gym and employing technical wizardry to give their online images a boost. Says Savigar, “This has led to the rise of the ‘impression management’ industry, a trend in consumers controlling their online image, resorting to professional retouching.”
Capturing life in the moment
For the majority of people 43%, the best photos are spontaneous.Whether it’s getting a shot of a celeb, a breaking news story, or something more personal, it’s all about being in the right place at the right time.While the need to live in the moment means that when inspiration strikes, today’s army of image-makers aren’t always equipped with their digital cameras, an overwhelming 85% always carry their cameraphones, allowing them to get the perfect picture any time, anywhere.
Pioneering style photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten sums it up: “I’ve been amazed by the impact of digital technology. A freedom and casualness with imagery is being replicated all over the world. I always have a small camera or cameraphone, like a Cyber-shot™, in my pocket, to grab it when I need to capture that moment in an unobtrusive way. It’s an inspiring time to be a photographer.”
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