Sophie Adams and Sean Welsh, managing directors of Hawthorn & Kent, a UK-based distributor for the events and attractions industry and GoPhoto’s exclusive UK distributors, have shared insights into GoPhoto's new capabilities and what the technology could mean for guest experiences and attraction operators.
They discussed how GoPhoto's latest developments can enhance the guest experience and create new opportunities for attraction operators.
GoPhoto is introducing new ways to personalise attraction photography, combining digital backgrounds, themed clothing and adapted poses to create photographs that extend the visitor experience beyond the attraction itself.
For example, visitors stepping aboard a pirate ship could take home a photograph that captures more than the moment, with themed imagery and personalised elements helping to make the souvenir part of the adventure.
Beyond the traditional attraction photo
Attraction photography has long provided visitors with a tangible reminder of their experience. New technological developments allow photographs to reflect the worlds guests have stepped into rather than simply documenting their visit.
"We've always believed that attraction photography has the potential to be so much more than just a souvenir," says Adams.
Speaking onsite at this year’s IAAPA, Sophie sees these developments as an opportunity to bring more creativity and personalisation to the final image.
"When you can capture a deeper connection to the experience itself, it becomes another part of the story guests take home with them," she explains. "GoPhoto is building on this idea with new capabilities that deliver a broader range of unique customisation options, giving attractions more ways to create memorable photo experiences that feel personal to every guest."
These developments give operators new ways to connect photography to their attraction's theme, creating souvenirs that reflect the experience visitors enjoyed.
Personalised photos that still look like you
The latest developments offer more than customised digital backgrounds.
GoPhoto's new features can also adapt elements such as clothing and arm movements to suit the setting, while keeping the guest's key facial features. The technology is designed to preserve an accurate likeness, avoiding the unrecognisable faces sometimes associated with AI-generated images.
Visitors to a pirate-themed attraction could be photographed in themed clothing and poses tailored to the scene, creating a souvenir that places them more naturally within the attraction’s story.
For Welsh, this is an important part of the technology's appeal: "The photo can reflect the world a guest has stepped into without losing the person at the centre of it," he explained. "The result is a truly personalised image that feels connected to the experience, on a deeper level."
This combination of themed surroundings and personalisation gives operators more creative flexibility when developing attraction photography experiences.
It also creates opportunities to offer images that feel more individual to each visitor.
Making souvenir photography part of the experience
For Hawthorn & Kent, the potential of these developments lies in bringing photography closer to the attraction experience itself.
In immersive environments, storytelling and attention to detail are central to the visit. Personalised photographs can build on that storytelling, allowing guests to see themselves as part of the world they've explored.
Personalised photo experiences can add costumes, backgrounds and poses
A themed background sets the scene, while adapted clothing and poses add another layer of personalisation. Together, these elements extend the experience beyond the attraction and create a souvenir that feels connected to the visit.
This approach also gives operators more flexibility in how they present photography to guests. Rather than treating the photograph as a simple record of a moment, they can make it a more engaging part of the overall visitor experience.
The opportunity is to create images that guests enjoy looking at, sharing and taking home, while maintaining a strong connection to the attraction's identity.
Unlocking new commercial opportunities
Alongside the guest experience, greater personalisation offers potential commercial benefits for attraction operators.
A wider variety of backgrounds and image styles creates more opportunities to present guests with different versions of their photographs. Depending on how an attraction implements the technology, it could support a broader range of photo products and purchasing options.
For operators looking to expand their existing photography offering, the appeal lies in combining creative flexibility with the potential to increase each image's perceived value.
A photograph that captures a guest's experience in a more personal way may be more appealing as a keepsake. Greater variety could also encourage visitors to explore the different images available, giving operators opportunities to develop their photography proposition around their audience's needs and interests.
The commercial opportunity will depend on how operators integrate the features into each attraction and how visitors respond to the finished products. However, the ability to offer more varied and personalised images gives operators additional creative options to explore.
As Welsh explains, the aim is to bring technology and the guest experience together.
"We're always looking at how technology can improve the guest experience while supporting stronger commercial performance. GoPhoto's latest developments are a great example of how the two can work together."
Taking attraction photography further with GoPhoto
GoPhoto is creating new possibilities for attraction photography, from unique digital backgrounds to images that adapt to a guest's surroundings, clothing and pose.
For Hawthorn & Kent, the next step is helping operators understand how these capabilities could work within their own environments.
"As GoPhoto's exclusive UK distributors, we're looking forward to helping attractions explore what these features could bring to their own photo experiences," says Adams. "By combining creative variety with personalisation, GoPhoto is opening up new possibilities for attraction photography, souvenir photography and instant event photography."
For attraction operators, personalised photography offers another way to enhance the guest experience and provide visitors with distinctive souvenirs to take home.
Earlier this year, Hawthorn & Kent introduced a new brand identity, a redesigned website, and an expanded range of services as it enters its next growth phase.
