MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, AKURE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study is on mobile photography in social media and its implications for commercial photographers in Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. The introduction of mobile cell phone and the use of photographs on the social media have brought a dramatic transformation to the practice of photography. Everyone with a contemporary cell phone has access to its inbuilt camera with which to snap shots and paste on any of the social media platforms. No one really knows where photography is going next. To achieve the aim of this study, data on issues relating to the specific objectives of the study were collected through structured questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered to two groups of respondents. They were: (1.) the registered commercial photographers operating on the campus of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. (2.) Staff and Students of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. The questionnaires were divided into two sections. The first section sought information on the demography of the respondents, while the second section contained questions associated with the use of mobile photography in social media and its implications for commercial photographers. A total of 524 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents. Out of the 524 questionnaires, 13 were administered on commercial photographers while 511 were administered on both the staff and students of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. The questionnaires were administered, collated and analyzed. Descriptive statistics that involves the use of Frequency Counts, Percentages and cumulative frequency were used in analyzing the data collected. The responses by the respondents to the items of the questionnaires were compiled into Tables according to the main variables being examined. Findings from the study indicated that Photographic postings on the social media were as a result of the availability and accessibility of mobile camera and this has implication for commercial photographers on campus as majority of the respondents no longer patronize them. It was recommended that the commercial photographers should trend