Photographer Shantanu Starick is living the dream traveling the world with no money and getting by using a pixel trade.
The way it works is Starick is trading his photography services for simple things like food, shelter and transportation. Any additional offerings are just a bonus. Starick does any and every means of photography for anyone willing to do an exchange. He does fashion, special occasion and even portrait photography.
Starick’s whole concept to travel by this means is astonishing, and the fact that he is pulling it off is even more amazing. The pixel trade takes him all over the world. After each photograph is edited he then asks the person he’s traded with to recommend a new prospect for trading.
Starick is shaking up the way you can travel, so check out his autumn 2013 photos, and next time you’re planning a trip consider the pixel trade.
Photography-Focused Currency
Shantanu Starick is Travelling Penniless Using the Pixel Trade
Trend Themes
1. Service Barter System - The trend of bartering services for goods or services creates an opportunity for disruptive innovations in the marketplace by facilitating exchanges without cash transactions.
2. Experience Economy - The trend of valuing experiences over possessions, as demonstrated by Shantanu Starick's pixel trade, creates an opportunity for businesses to create unique and shareable experiences for customers.
3. Travel Hacking - The trend of finding unconventional ways of funding travel, like trading photography services for food and lodging, creates an opportunity for startups to connect travelers with hosts willing to provide alternative exchange opportunities.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality Industry - The hospitality industry can capitalize on the trend of service bartering by offering amenities and services in exchange for skilled services rather than currency.
2. Gig Economy - The gig economy can benefit from the trend of valuing unique experiences by empowering freelancers to offer their services in more creative ways, like trading services with others for travel opportunities.
3. Travel Industry - The travel industry can take advantage of the trend of travel hacking by creating platforms that connect travelers with hosts willing to trade goods, services, or expertise for alternative accommodations and activities.