So, you paid attention, took notes, and now you have a camera, a computer, a case, a stand, a printer, and all the cables needed. Photo booth set, right?

HA!

HA!

Like your wife says, it’s time to accessorize. And we do mean that. Many booths are just cameras on tripods without the ability to have something behind them. And by that, we mean backdrops, stands, and all sorts of ZANY accessories that people can play with like children. ‘Cause that’s what we really are, right?

Stands:

So let’s start with some more stands. Now you’ll need a stand that holds up the backdrop. Protip, these aren’t normal stands. They are usually special stands that are t-stands that have clips to support the backdrops. Oh yea, those too. Backdrops are kinda expensive-DEPENDING-but you’ll probably want some of these. Plain colors, green screens or maybe even an actual scene depending on the party. We’ll get into that in a second. And THEN depending on the party, you’ll need a bunch of goofy shit that people can put over their face, in front of their face, and ruin the photos that are being taken. YAY!

Booth:

Also, or in place of, you’ll need an actual booth. Sometimes a booth is best because it encourages privacy so that people can just let loose in photos and flash you! Er, I mean, be themselves. (Hint: nobody actually does this, but you can hope if you’re a perv) But a booth does encourage some privacy, and if you do the video booth, it can give some privacy to people that wish to give you a video message, which is nice and lovely for those that do. As a videographer, that was an annoying part of the job at weddings, if the bride and groom wanted it, so it’s always nice to have a service be automated in a way. Just be sure to provide directions if you aren’t manning the booth so people know how to activate that option. Check with your software.

Table:

If you have a bunch of goofy shit, then you need a place to put that goofy shit. The floor is no Bueno. Because people with bad backs could sue you for having to pick something up and then they might fall over and that’s bad customer service. So bring a foldable table that you can put stuff on, because it will make life easier.

Goofy Shit:

This is the part where you look at the most current trends (photobooths?) and then buy stuff that people want to put over their face or include in the photo. Now the easiest thing to do is to just skip this, because a normal photobooth where people are natural is best. But you can get hipstery and trendy and include mustaches, glasses, and other props that people can use to be goofy and encourage some creativity. I don’t have much of an answer for this one except find some cool stuff or don’t, it’s up to you, or whoever’s hiring you.

Backdrops!:

Now this part is really cool, and sometimes it’s the real kicker to how a booth goes. Fun backdrops aren’t really that expensive, and they can be cheaper than you think if you use them right. They can also come in many different sizes that can fit a small booth or backdrop, so you can hang different ones within the booth itself and change them out. Or you can go green-screen and then have a really custom backdrop. This requires good lighting, however, and a strong computer. Substituting a green screen isn’t always perfect, so you’ll need to be prepared on if your application works for your ideas. Some of the cheaper tablets and computers might not be able to handle it. So test beforehand or just don’t be cheap. If you’re doing this or offering this for a living, go with the latter to guarantee that you get the best images with rock solid results.