Camera pod that captures images or video when triggered by a mobile device

A method of using a mobile device to remotely control a camera pod to capture a visual record of a mobile device user, the method comprising:

• transmitting from a mobile device to a camera pod service a message indicating a request to use a camera pod to capture a visual record of the mobile device user, the message containing information identifying the camera pod and the mobile device, wherein the mobile device utilizes a wireless telecommunications network to transmit the request message;
• receiving from the camera pod service a composition interface through the wireless telecommunications network, the composition interface allowing the mobile device user to specify one or more parameters to control a camera in the camera pod;
• transmitting to the camera pod service, utilizing the wireless telecommunication network, a user-specified one or more parameters associated with the capture of the visual record, wherein the camera pod captures the visual record in accordance with the user-specified one or more parameters;
• and
• receiving from the camera pod service, through the wireless telecommunication network, a confirmation of the captured visual record.

A system for capturing and providing a visual record to a user of a mobile device, the system comprising:

• a camera component configured to capture a visual record of a user upon receipt of a trigger command;
• a management component communicatively coupled to the camera component and configured to:
• receive a request transmitted by a mobile device to capture a visual record of a user of the mobile device at a location of the camera component, wherein the request is transmitted from the mobile device via a wireless telecommunications network and includes an identifier associated with the mobile device;
• transmit a composition request to the mobile device via the wireless telecommunications network, the composition request allowing a user to specify one or more parameters to control the camera component;
• receive a response from the mobile device via the wireless telecommunications network, the response indicative of the one or more parameters specified by the user;
• and
• send a trigger command to the camera component upon receiving the request, the trigger command causing the camera component to capture a visual record of the user in accordance with the one or more parameters specified by the user;
• and
• a storage component coupled to the camera component and configured to receive the captured visual record from the camera component and store the captured visual record in association with the mobile device identifier,
• wherein the management component transmits a confirmation message to the mobile device following the capture of the visual record.