As UChicago students, it is universally understood that we are incredibly busy – and rightfully so. We basically only have time for class, meals, a couple of RSOs, the odd coffee date with a friend, and reliable meet-ups with our good old pal Joseph Regenstein. Unfortunately, even though we live in a world teeming with beauty, excitement, and opportunity, sometimes it is difficult to capture it all. This is what fourth year Salta Muslim-Ali hoped to address when she started ShotoSnap, an online photo journal outlining unique UChicago experiences, this past January.
“As a student here, I noticed that even though I am a fourth year, I still don’t know everything about campus – things like all the RSOs, some hidden study places, how all the dorms look, or even coffee shops,” Salta explained. “One day my 13-year-old nephew, Arlan Nurakhan, suggested to capture [the campus] in pictures and upload it online. We decided to create a photo journal, where photographers could upload photo essays documenting everyday student experiences through snapshots and short descriptions.”
According to Salta, ShotoSnap’s main goal “is to create the illusion of the actual experience through photos and in the matter of seconds take the viewer through that experience from start to finish, replacing the hassle of actually being there.” There are truly a plethora of interesting people, places, and experiences on this campus, and ShotoSnap aims to shoot it all.
So far, Salta, a Computer Science major at the U of C and the project manager, Arlan, the CEO and CTO, and their team of 12 photographers, marketers, designers, and bloggers, have covered a UChicago Mens Crew practice, Kuvia, UChicago at sunrise, UChicago Ballet’s Spartacus Show, The Hearth underground restaurant’s February dinner, and a tasting session held by dotCross coffee project. In the future, Salta said, “We hope to capture all the dorms and coffee shops on campus and cover stories about TEDxUChicago, Maroon Collegiate Sportswear, UChicago employees at the admissions office or dining halls. We are also hoping to turn some of the stories into photo series, keeping our viewers updated.”
While Salta, who originally hails from Kazakhstan, coordinates all of the logistics of the project, including finding local photographers, bloggers and marketers and arranging photo shoots, she said, “[Arlan] reserves the last word when it comes to any decisions.” He built the first version of the website and brainstormed the layout, design, and name. After she graduates, Salta hopes ShotoSnap becomes “an established student-run media website on campus that continues operating.” She said, “We might even expand this idea to other campuses, so that students in any community get to appreciate their surroundings and learn more about it through photo essays.”
ShotoSnap is, beyond a doubt, an asset to our school community and a unique source of entertainment for our college students. UChicago is incredibly lucky to have such an interesting, worthwhile project happening on its campus.
To check out ShotoSnap, head over to ShotoSnap.com!