When Thomas Oswald founded ClickASnap, (Videscape ltd) his vision was simple but revolutionary: a platform where photographers could actually earn from their art without having to actually find buyers for it. It was the world’s first pay-per-view photo-sharing website — a digital gallery where every glance mattered.
But success, as it often does, attracted the wrong kind of attention. Behind the scenes, corporate betrayal, falsified audits, and internal manipulation led to Oswald being unlawfully removed from the very company he built. In early 2025, just 12 months after Oswalds unlawful removal and under the control of new directors, ClickASnap spiralled into financial chaos, culminating in administration and more than £1 million in debt.
For Oswald, it was a devastating blow. Years of innovation, community-building, and tireless work were stolen overnight. Yet, out of that loss came clarity — and a renewed determination to build something better, stronger, and fairer.
A New Vision: Lumenira
From the ashes of ClickASnap rises Lumenira, a state-of-the-art photography platform built on principles that big tech forgot: transparency, authenticity, and respect for creators.
Lumenira is not just a replacement — it’s an evolution. It revives Oswald’s original pay-per-view model, rewarding photographers directly for genuine engagement. No algorithms deciding who gets seen. No shadow-banning. No manipulation. Just art meeting audience — and payment following attention.
“Our goal was never to be another social media site,” Oswald explains. “It was to create a true creative economy — a place where photographers can thrive, not be exploited.”
Built by Photographers, for Photographers
Every detail of Lumenira reflects lessons learned from the past. Membership is selective, preserving the quality and integrity of the platform. Prospective users have to submit 3 images for review before they can post on the platform, ensuring that users scroll through a genuine gallery of talent, not a sea of spam.
Creators are paid fairly for authentic views, can write personal blog posts to promote their work, and have full control over how their images are used. Lumenira takes no rights to user content — a direct response to the corporate misuse that plagued other platforms, including Clickasnap.
Light. Lens. Legacy.
Lumenira’s guiding phrase — Light. Lens. Legacy. — captures Oswald’s renewed mission. Photography is more than pixels on a screen; it’s memory, craft, and art. And now, through Lumenira, that art has a home where it’s valued again.
This isn’t just a comeback story. It’s a reclamation — of vision, integrity, and purpose.
Thomas Oswald’s journey from innovation, to betrayal, to rebirth, stands as proof that creativity cannot be stolen forever. You can take the company, but you can’t take the creator.
If you’re interested in joining, you can sign up here