Photo Booth

I'm interested in doing open air photo booths. I've read through a lot of discussions on here, but still have some questions.

1. What triggering mechanism do you use? I was thinking about supplying a corded remote and having the camera on a 2 second timer. Then having basic instructions on the tripod.
2. Is it a must that I have an LCD displaying the pictures either live or just after or at all?
3. Is it a must that I provide prints on site?

I was reading a thread here a while back and can't seem to find it, but Lloyd and siddr20 were showing their past booths and I was intrigued. A few days later a client asked me to do something similar and here I am.

Basically, around here photo booths are pretty expensive, so I thought if I could offer something simple to set up and save the bride a few hundred and make myself an extra few hundred it'd be win win. I'd really prefer not to have a live view or offer onsite prints. I want to keep it super simple, but I want the client to feel like they're getting their money's worth too. And I was thinking of having a sign over a basket of cards saying Like our facebook page, photo booth photos will be on FB this week.

Any thoughts on the matter will be appreciated.

Adam,

I have been working on doing a photo booth, and this is what I have come up with so far.

I built a frame that connects the backdrop stand to the camera holder - I may ditch it now that I have some other things, but you arent asking about the background.

My idea, although I havent sold one yet (I also havent marketed it yet because I still have a few kinks to work out) is not to do onsite prints. I feel in order to give good quality prints (and have a backup), its too much work for the value.

As for the triggering mech, I have wired a cable release to a floor mat that triggers when you step on it, and the camera fires after the 2 second timer. This way they know exactly where to stand and dont accidently walk off with my trigger.

I do use a laptop and hook it up to the canon software to show the image right after its taken. I found this was a big hit for the photo booth. It is really quite easy to set it up, and I had the computer record images to the hard drive and to the CF card (backups!).

Sorry if I am rambling - its been a long weekend.

Thanks Bryan! Did you build your floor mat trigger or is it a product that's available?

What Canon software are you using?

I have a shutter release cable that I plug into another cable with a female 3/4" plug that I then spliced to a floor mat. These types of mats are the ones you see at Halloween that when you step on them, they trigger.

Now that you say that now, I need a new shutter release cable - mine died on me not too long ago.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #14878946
I have a shutter release cable that I plug into another cable with a female 3/4" plug that I then spliced to a floor mat. These types of mats are the ones you see at Halloween that when you step on them, they trigger.

Now that you say that now, I need a new shutter release cable - mine died on me not too long ago.

Oh wow ok. I think I could handle that.

What Canon software are you using?

Oops - I think its something like DPP? It is the one that can use it to shoot remotely.

We charge $400 for a photo-booth add-on too our packages. That includes an attendant (I pay them $100 for 4 hours of work) and prints. We use a photo printer to make the prints (this one: http://www.amazon.com …=as2&tag=ecofri​eandfru-20) and offer 200 4x6 prints with the package. It's not too shabby of a deal for our area and makes us a nice little side income since the gear wasn't really that expensive. The prints take about a minute to process and then send to the printer which takes another 45 seconds, so people can't do back to back to back images, but it tends to work out OK timeline wise.

I just take the photos myself.

I allocate 30-45mins max for the photo-booth.

Simple white backdrop. One strobe with BD.
Hoping to do different backdrops soon and expand my photo-booth a little.

My setup:

I do it similarly to peacefire. Just set up a backdrop and have an assistant run it. I use speedlights through umbrellas and wireless triggers. Run tethered to a laptop running lightroom. Run that to my printer that shoots out 4x6's in about 15 seconds. I can take a shot of a group of 10-30 people and shoot out 10 prints in only a couple minutes. Prints are huge at the venue. People love them! I just need to find a way to make the whole setup of the booth less stressful on the day of the wedding!!

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #14877943
Adam,

I have been working on doing a photo booth, and this is what I have come up with so far.

I built a frame that connects the backdrop stand to the camera holder - I may ditch it now that I have some other things, but you arent asking about the background.

My idea, although I havent sold one yet (I also havent marketed it yet because I still have a few kinks to work out) is not to do onsite prints. I feel in order to give good quality prints (and have a backup), its too much work for the value.

As for the triggering mech, I have wired a cable release to a floor mat that triggers when you step on it, and the camera fires after the 2 second timer. This way they know exactly where to stand and dont accidently walk off with my trigger.

I do use a laptop and hook it up to the canon software to show the image right after its taken. I found this was a big hit for the photo booth. It is really quite easy to set it up, and I had the computer record images to the hard drive and to the CF card (backups!).

Sorry if I am rambling - its been a long weekend.

Bryan's setup is awesome! I witnessed people having a great time with it during Bryan Brother's Wedding but it is too much work for me so I go with Siddr20 set up ... and I got these during my trial session.

1. Yongnuo YN-602 - Shoot by me
2. Tether to laptop + LR
3. Print on site or not (optional)