Thoughts
Throughout this brief, I have questioned the need for this app.
I understand that, because it is in the early stages of development, the app is clunky, and often breaks; however, this app is not necessary. It contains a messaging stream, which already exists in the likes of Facebook Messenger, as well as Instagram. It contains a camera function to allow the user to share photos in these messaging streams – features which already exists in Messenger and Instagram.
It also seems very counterintuitive to expect clients and practitioners to immediately start working with the app – something which is unlikely to happen. If, as a practitioner, I start working with the app, and a client picks me up to work with/for them and I asked them to use LensLife as that is what I will be sending them updates and work on, I would be laughed out of the building. As the photographer, I would expect to work to the guidelines and with the technology specified by the client, and would likely stick with using email as the principal form of communication.
Emails, again, can do everything that LensLife is able to do. Email apps even allow you to take photographs within an email and send those too.
From the latest meeting with LensLife, I was introduced to the idea of being able to scribble, annotate, and provide linked comments on photos which are sent. This is something which is possible to do with most mobile phones anyway, as the built-in photo apps allow you to make copies, scribbles, and annotations.
I do agree that this app could have some benefits. As it is cloud-based, phone storage space is increased by removing the need for other editing and networking apps. But this raises another issue – networking.
This app will only work well providing it is rapidly adopted by the industry. The vast majority, I feel, will not. Until LensLife incorporates some kind of ‘practitioner search’ feature, the ability to network via the app will be next to impossible, and will just add yet another pointless step in the process of establishing networks and contacts.
LinkedIn exists as an app, it contains a feed, and a messaging feature with the ability to send images. It does everything that LensLife does. However, this is geared towards more white-collar businesses, rather creative practitioners.
LensLife has the chance to become a Creative LinkedIn, however, this already exists in the form apps like The Dots, or Cherrydeck. The Dots even brands itself as:
The professional network for people who don’t wear suits to work.
As this already exists, then LensLife could be a new collaborative working platform, however, this already exists in the form of apps and web clients like Slack.
Slack brings the team together, wherever you are.
The systems and apps which already exist to create, maintain, and collaborate with a creative network work perfectly well and don’t need to change.
Hashtags
In terms of hashtags, I find that they are fickle and do not tend to work well without a pre-existing network, which is something LensLife does not appear to currently possess. In this case, I have found a hashtag generator, and input several key terms in relation to each image. The generator created thirty hashtags (Instagram’s maximum) which combine high-reaching with niche hashtags to maximise exposure.
Ryan Trower 