Something worth smiling about: for his current LOL Project, French photographer David Ken is using social tools to gather subjects willing to throw their heads back and laugh out loud (or, en français, « mort de rire »).
And despite its frosty reputation, Parisians are all over this, eager to turn their own laughing faces into the online contagion that a genuine smile creates in person. Per Monsieur Ken, the effort’s produced over 5000 Facebook fans and resulted in 600 charmed portraits in a paltry six months.
The rules are simple: become a LOL Project Facebook fan, then send your phone number to info [at] lolproject [dot] com. A LOL Project representative will contact you to set up your photography session.
As of this writing the LOL Project Facebook page has 6,534 fans, and Ken, who is managing this project, hastens to add it’s a worldwide effort. So whatever side of the ocean you’re on, it stands to reason he and his minions will find a way to contact you if you’re down to LOL for the global social web.
Among the LOL Project’s enthusiasts are a number of agency heads and creatives. Emmanuel Vivier, Chief Strategy Officer and cofounder of Vanksen, was shot, along with a handful of Paris-based influential bloggers. Here’s Emmanuel:
« David is among the few positive people in France 😉 and it’s great to see Paris support his work. He really puts outs amazing energy and creates a true relationship with each person he photographs. This bond is something you cannot explain, but that makes each photo special, » Vivier observes.
We love the idea of turning a photography project into a social movement, taking advantage of the universal desire to emphasize human spirit in digital connectivity. And hey — it ain’t a bad way to build brand equity, either
