South African startup Tapsnapp has launched its “Uber for photography” platform, which connects customers to photographers across the country.
Co-founded by Vije Vijendranath and Jaiprakash Sewram, Tapsnapp is currently being trialled in Johannesburg and will be expanding to Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria in the next few months.
“We’re the “Uber for photography services” that connects customers to photographers anywhere in South Africa. The customers can simply select the photographer of their choice or they can put an open proposal and the photographers will propose shoots with suggestions for the customer to choose from,” Vijendranath told Disrupt Africa.
“Tapsnapp is unique in that it provides fixed upfront pricing for all shoots booked so it gives customers what they want without budget surprises. It has also been designed to help startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses leverage good photography to improve their business.”
Customers pay for the shoots upfront using Tapsnapp’s secure payments platform, and once the photos are delivered the money is released to the photographer.
“This ensures customers get the service they pay for and photographers always get paid when they deliver their work, thus protecting both parties,” Vijendranath said.
Tapsnapp also helps photographers to build their business beyond the traditional referral system. Photographers are currently signing up and setting up their profiles, while customers can start booking their shoots in Johannesburg.
The self-funded startup has already taken part in the Venture Incubation Programme hosted at the University of Cape Town earlier this year, and has also completed the Y-Combinator Online Startup School. It plans to expand elsewhere on the continent next year.
