Snapped 3D Brings Tangible Photography to Carmel

Writer  /  Allison Yates
Photographer  /  Amy Payne

Snapped 3D, a photography studio that opened this May in Carmel, is transforming the way we understand the concept of memories. Keepsakes are no longer just 2D photos slid into an album and put on the shelf. Now, Snapped 3D is providing a new kind of nostalgia, what they call “moments you can hold.”

They’re like small action figures you can put on a shelf, and what owner Rod Wiesenauer calls the “ultimate selfie.” They’re tangible items you can touch and hold and become décor in your house.

Customers come in and stand in front of a scanner. Wiesenauer takes their photo – as many captures as they want – and this then becomes a file that’s sent to their printing partner. It takes around 7 to 10 business days to see your 3D print, so if it’s a gift make sure do it with enough time. While some 3D prints are made in plastic, Snapped 3D photos are made out of sandstone, a more affordable alternative.

So far, most of Snapped 3D customers have been people getting 3D prints of themselves. There have also been couples and dogs wanting to remember themselves in 3Dwith the help from a 3D printing company.  Wiesenauer is really hoping to find an engaged couple to be able to give them a wedding cake topper of themselves for the big day. Beyond that, the possibilities are immense: little league championship commemorations, trophies, corporate events, children in Halloween costumes and Christmas gifts.

Both Wiesenauer and his wife are amateur photographers, so when his wife went to Philadelphia and saw a similar 3D studio, they couldn’t stop thinking about it. Wiesenauer always wanted to run his own business. He decided to make a career change after years of working in insurance, and opening a 3D photography studio seemed like a fun and interesting endeavor.

So far, the challenge has been getting people to fully understand the concept. 3D printing made a big splash around 2012, but as Wiesenauer explained, it’s still not a prevalent practice. Especially when it comes to photographs. Explaining the concept to the public, says Wiesenauer, is only 50 percent of the process. Most people need to come in and see it in action to fully understand.

Being in Carmel has been great for Wiesenauer, and not just because he’s a Carmel resident. Wiesenauer joined the Chamber of Commerce, which he says has been a huge support. Here, he says, they embrace small businesses and do what they can to help them succeed. It’s also the people that make having a business in Carmel worthwhile.

“The population is more open to something like this than somewhere else,” he says.

There’s a $20 sitting fee for clients who don’t order prints the day of their photo shoot, but they’ll still receive the 3D GIF file to then order prints another day. Prices of 3D prints depend on size and how many people are featured. Price start at $32 for a bust and at $50 for full body.

Visit their website snapped3d.com or their Facebook page facebook.com/Snapped3D/ for more information, news and promotions.

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