This article will detail everything you need to know about 360° photography. You will find out what 360° photography is, its brief history and how you can use it effectually to market your business. We have also collated brilliant samples of 360° photography in Singapore. Read on to find out more!
Table of Contents
What is 360° Photography?
There are essentially different domains of 360° Photography. It pertains but is not limited to;
360° Interactive Photography
According to this article, 360° interactive photography are photos that allow the viewer to interact with the image and explore the entire environment around the camera that captured it. It is the most efficient in showing off sceneries, businesses, stores, or tourist spots as—it gives the users a virtual tour of the place or area through their computer or mobile device.
360° Video
On the other hand, according to Wikipedia, 360° videos, also known as immersive videos or spherical videos are video recordings where a view in every direction is recorded at the same time, shot using an omnidirectional camera or a collection of cameras.
360° Product Photography
Lastly, as defined by Wikipedia, 360° product photography refers to a photographic technique by which a series of photos give the impression of an object rotating. These photos can be displayed as an interactive animation on web pages and apps, allowing a user to control the rotation of an object.
A Brief History of 360° Photography
As we learn from this story by Lomography, the first 360° camera introduced was the Japanese Panorax Zi-A from 1958 in which it utilised 35mm film. Since demand for high-resolution images was better met by larger format films and the cost was secondary in the professional sector then, this camera was the sole 360° tool working with 35mm film until the early 1980s.
The 1980s finally saw more 360° panoramic cameras hitting the market. Panoramic cameras that sported high-end optics, electrically powered drives and fully manual controls were developed.
Although these cameras produced marvellous results, they were still limited to the professional sector due to their price. You couldn’t get any true 360° panoramic camera under 1000 USD then.
Nevertheless, this is all history and a whole new era of 360° photography is about to begin!
Why 360° Photography?
You must be wondering, what is the point of a 360° photo, when a normal photo can capture the very same thing/ place/ memory?
Well, look at it this way; if a photo is worth a thousand words, a 360° photo is worth ten thousand because people will do more than just look at it—they will interact with a 360° photo. They will move about in the photo trying to get a sense of a place.
If you’re still not convinced of the advantages 360° photography bring to your company, read on as I get more in-depth on the benefits your business can reap from entailing 360° photography as a marketing campaign.
The 360° Photo Speaks to Your Audience
Looking at 360° photographs, target consumers will get an idea of what your business offers.
Many businesses, especially E-commerce, use 360° photography as a marketing tool on their websites to advertise their goods, providing customers with an extensive range of opportunities to browse them to their liking. Instead of painstakingly taking 15 regular photos of a product, one 360° photo will summarize plenty, as it enhances your consumers’ view and immerses them in the setting. According to a study, organic 360° photos performed much better, gaining 45% more interactions than conventional photos.
Hence, you can deduce from the above that 360° photos make conventional photos pale in comparison. 360° photography is a more practical and sustainable marketing campaign for your business, as it boosts your customers’ satisfaction but it does not come with a price of a heavier workload.
360° Photography Boosts your Website SEO
With a 360° photograph (and a better web design service), your business will not be presented as a drab and static website to your consumers. Integrating 360° photos into your website unequivocally makes your site more attractive.
On top of that, 360° photos compel your website visitors to stay longer on your site. This factor will boost your Search Engine Ranking (SEO) comparatively. Once you are on the top page of search results, your web presence increases exponentially and you will attract even more organic traffic to your website, which will without a doubt, garner more sales and brand awareness for your business.
Thus, 360° photography is a win-win strategy for your business.
Who Uses 360° Photography?
Besides healthcare, hotels, construction sites, universities, airlines, manufacturers, businesses and real estate listings, one primal example where 360° photography is sought out is the education sector.
Imagine a parent looking for a preschool, kindergarten, or daycare centre that would best fit their child. Perusing a 360° photo of your centre’s interior from the comforts of their own home will consequently save their time, as they do not need to visit your centre physically; which I believe parents would greatly appreciate.
Likewise, 360° photography have elevated digital marketing on real estate projects by giving users a more intimate look at the physical experience of a space. Hence, 360° photos of each real estate listing published online may attract more prospective buyers and garner more sales for you.
Best 360° Photography & Videography in Singapore
After keeping you updated about the revolution of the camera industry that is 360° photography, I shall present some exemplary samples of 360° photography in Singapore. Read on to find out more!
Note: The samples shared on this page are sourced from online channels and are not produced by our team.
30 Kallang Place, 360 Photography Video by Vivid Snaps
YouTube supports 360 video formats and this could be one of the most accessible platform for your 360 virtual tour videos in Singapore.
D Solutions’ 360° Virtual Tour, Singapore
D Solutions empowers to create sustainable workspace interior furnishing solutions that ensure high productivity and maximisation of every investment in your working environment.
Their 360° visual tour allows you to move around in their space by tapping on your phone. As you manoeuvre around, interior furniture is showcased impeccably. They are placed neatly and pristinely at their spots—gracing you with inspiration on how you may best use their furnishing solutions.
On top of that, an interactive floor plan of the area is included as well. Should you wish to go to an area specifically, you may click on it on the floor plan and you’ll instantaneously appear at your desired area, where you can explore the space even further.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s 360° Virtual Tour, Singapore
Ngee Ann Polytechnic has produced a 360° virtual tour where you may drag your fingers around the screen and explore the campus!
The opening photo of the virtual tour is an Aerial 360° taken at 60 meters above; which manifests a birds-eye view of the campus. You may click on any of the transparent white boxes and it will take you to that specific place; where you can further explore the area within the comforts of your own home. Besides, there is a description field at the bottom right of the interface where it contains information about each 360° photographed location.
SUTD’s 360° Virtual Tour, Singapore
The virtual tour opens with an Aerial 360° which shows an overview of the campus. Similar to Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s, clicking on the red arrows will directly bring you to the area you wish to visit.
If you observe carefully, there are students posing for the photos, exhibiting a vibrant campus life at the university. Besides, customised hover hotspots that show either a video, text or weblink are integrated with SUTD’s 360° virtual tour.
Raffles Hotel’s 360° Virtual Tour, Singapore
This is a 360° virtual tour of the Courtyard Suite at Raffles Hotel in Singapore. It features 360° images that create a virtual walk-through of the suite from the courtyard, through the foyer, bedroom and bathroom. To add on, there is a side navigation menu as well as floor navigation hot spots with a dynamic movement effect.
Guests who wish to explore the hotel rooms before making an informed decision about their next staycation will greatly appreciate this 360° virtual tour at Raffles Hotel.
McLaren’s 360° Virtual Showroom Tour, Singapore
By dragging your fingers across the screen, you may easily explore the showroom’s surroundings. When you click on a car, its functions and specialities are highlighted in white text, as you can see from the above. You may even click on the link embedded in the interface and discover more about your potential new car.
National Neuroscience Institute’s 360° Virtual Tour, Singapore
National Neuroscience Institute’s 360° virtual tour features a top menu system, a description box on the right and a navigation bar at the bottom. Integrated custom hot spots allow the viewer to navigate within the virtual tour, and move to other areas of the location. You can also see a video playing on the TV screen as an animated video hot spot in the reception area.
Ergoworks’ 360° Virtual Tour, Singapore
This is a sample of a shop, Ergoworks where its 360° photography is embedded in Google Maps. Ergoworks is a business selling office furniture. By pressing on the arrows, you can move ‘left’ or ‘right’ and view their carefully curated array of furniture, right from your phone.
The Interlace’s 360° Aerial Photography, Singapore
This is an Aerial 360° created at The Interlace in Singapore. Potential buyers of the apartments may immerse themselves in this 360° photo at The Interlace to explore its vast landscape filled with greenery and speed up their decision making.
Conclusion
In conclusion, 360° photos are generally easier to use for consumers—and digital marketing professionals say therein lies the secret to success. In this 21st century when there is so much content and noise on the internet, user engagement metrics are more important than ever across all forms of digital marketing.
From the preceding paragraphs, it is recognised that 360° photos perform comparatively better than conventional photos in engaging your target consumers. Thus, many businesses and companies have jumped on the bandwagon and adopted 360° photography as one of their marketing campaigns. Who is to say that you can’t adopt the use of 360° photography for your business too?
