Last week Mashable reported how Topshop working was with social media agency, FreshNetworks, developing in-store photo-shoots* for their stores in Manchester, New York, Liverpool, Dublin and London.

These photo-shoots involve putting the iPad 2‘s camera to work, snapping of members of the public against a background and applying Instagram filters to the results. The photographs can then be printed out in store, uploaded to the Topshop gallery or posted directly to the ‘models’ Facebook profile.

The campaign got me thinking about how the same technology could be used in the setting of an arts, cultural or heritage venue. For years theme-parks and attractions have offered the opportunity to have your picture taken whilst being scared sh*tless on a roller coaster or with your fav oversized cartoon character. Does this idea provide museums, galleries and so on the chance to do the same with a much reduced overhead? Is it just me that would enjoy having my picture taken with the dinosaurs at the National History Museum? And maybe more interestingly provide a method by which to encourage the social sharing of a visitor’s day out to their own social networks linking the offline with the online.

*There’s still time to catch one of the shoots at Topshop if you’re in Manchester or New York between the 8th and the 11th June 2011.

Image c/o Jo Peattie licensed under Creative Commons.