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DIY Party Photo Booth {Expert Tips}

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party and wedding photo booth tips

If you’ve ever been to a wedding or event with a photo booth, you probably already know how much fun these can be!

Something about being in “party mode” seems to translate to guests loving to jump in front of the camera – especially with a friend or 3… and these photos always make for SUCH great memories afterwards!

The concept isn’t just for large-scale events either;  photo booths are a fantastic idea for home-hosted celebrations too – for everything from holiday soirées to birthday parties and even baby/bridal showers, and we’ve got some tips from a true expert to help walk you through it!

party and wedding photo booth tips

 

Jillian Bisinger {pictured above with her husband Tony} is a Wedding, Event and Family Photographer whose whimsical take on the photo booth is popping up at events all over LA – it’s something she likes to call the “Zany Photo Booth”.

Today, Jill gives us 4 easy steps to creating a successful photo booth at home…

party and wedding photo booth tips

Expert Tips for Creating a Successful Party Photo Booth
by Jillian Bisinger

Need a clever idea for your holiday party? Whether it be a high-end office party, or a quiet dinner gathering for your favorite friends, Modern-Day Photo Booth’s are being used to entertain guests on a whole new level. You can create your own booth with a simple point-and-shoot camera and a colorful backdrop that reflects the style of your party. Below are 4 easy ideas for creating a successful booth at your event.

party and wedding photo booth tips

 

1. Secure Your Backdrop

When deciding on a backdrop you’ll want to choose the largest piece of fabric that you have access to. King-sized bed sheets work the best. I prefer to stick with solid colors for my backdrops. However, IKEA has some great printed curtains that can work quite nicely. Choosing something that reflects the style of your party is the main objective.

Hanging your backdrop may be the easiest part. When I was starting my career as a photographer – I would simply use duct tape to affix my backdrop to any wall that was a.) flat and  b.) free of wall-hangings. There are all kinds of fancy stands out there you could buy to hang your backdrop – but I honestly think the duct tape is the easiest method – and  it usually produces the best results.

The final tip in this category – and perhaps the most important – after your linen has been hung, be sure to get out your trusty iron and steam out all the wrinkles….yup, you can do it right there on the wall.  Wrinkles in the background can be distracting in a photograph. Trust me, if you don’t follow this step, you may be disappointed with your final product.

party and wedding photo booth tips

2. Engage Your Subject

If you want to encourage your guests to act silly, consider playing the part of  “Director”. Shout ideas to your subjects like, “Choke Your Partner!”, “Blow a Kiss” or “ Everybody, make a funny face!”.

Think about it, every Hollywood Actor relies on a “Director” to produce the winning shot. Why not turn your booth into a mini version of Tinsel Town. You could even give an award for ‘Best Picture’ at the end of the night.

party and wedding photo booth tips

Another important element in pulling the “Zany” out of a picture is to include props. People tend to feel more comfortable when they have a something to pose with.

Sometimes the best props can be found right in your own home. Raid your closet for old hats, glasses, jackets and random frills….(these are the more obvious props).

party and wedding photo booth tips

If you’re looking for something more, enter the kitchen to gather bowls, whisks and food. With a little creativity, all of these things can be turned into great accessories.

Feeling extra adventurous? Take a step into the garage and incorporate boxes, shipping materials or power tools into your shots. There is really no end to how outrageous you can get! Your imagination is the only limitation inside the Photo Booth.

3. Frame Your Subject, Snap!

You don’t need a fancy camera to take a successful photo booth image, any point-and-shoot camera will do. The real secret comes in framing your subject.

party and wedding photo booth tips

The formula for creating an engaging and artful exposure is to fill the screen with your subject. So take a step closer when composing your shot. Ask your guests to lean in further, this creates a fun interaction with the camera.

Don’t be afraid to cut off parts of a person’s face – or the whole face altogether! Zooming in for a heavily cropped image can give the picture a more whimsical feel.

party and wedding photo booth tips

4. Too Busy Playing Hostess to Run the Booth?

Sure, you could appoint another camera person to take charge, but why not turn your guests into the photographer? Set your laptop on a table and arrange a sitting bench just in front of the backdrop on the opposite side.

Run Apple’s Photo Booth Application alongside a small set of printed instructions. Watch your guests entertain themselves for hours as they create their own images with a simple webcam….almost like an old-school photo booth…but in a completely new school way!

party and wedding photo booth tips

For more Zany Booth inspiration, or to find out more about Jillian’s Modern Photography Studio please visit her Modern Photography Blog and websites: Jillian Modern and Zany Photo Booth.

31 Comments

  1. Susan December 3, 2009 at 10:07 am

    WOW – these are fabulous tips!! Can’t wait to try this out at our party!

  2. David Smallwood December 3, 2009 at 10:18 am

    Love it! Great article, Jill! You guys really are pros at this. I can’t wait to see more!

  3. Kimberly December 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm

    GREAT TIPS!!!!!! Thank you! :)

  4. Sandra December 3, 2009 at 4:20 pm

    Great tips! I’ll be sure to use them when planning my wedding photo booth! Thanks a million!

    Cheers!

  5. Carelie December 3, 2009 at 8:09 pm

    Love your site. Very informative and professional!

  6. Ivy Colon December 3, 2009 at 8:24 pm

    Love the tips!!! I want to try this now!!!

  7. down pillow December 4, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    Such a fun idea :)

  8. Sadia Mirza December 7, 2009 at 1:04 am

    Just used your tips for my holiday party this past weekend… it was a HIT! Everyone had so much fun posing!

  9. write my essay December 7, 2009 at 10:50 am

    Thanks for posting it!

  10. Vicky December 10, 2009 at 10:46 am

    Thanks for sharing. What great tips. We just recently did a party video booth that was a lot of fun as well!
    http://asubtlerevelry.com/incoporating-technology-into-party-how-to-video-party-booth

  11. Divine Moments December 16, 2009 at 2:24 am

    Not for minors, of course, but alcohol creates better pics.

  12. ju March 14, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    oooooh i loved it, my next pajama party we’ll spend the whole night having fun with that!! thanks :)

  13. Jackie May 20, 2010 at 12:46 pm

    this is awesome… I have been trying to build a photo-on-wheel for years.

    I don’t favor the event photography anymore because most of the parties I handled, start late and finish late….

  14. resume services November 18, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    Nice photos! I also have very creative thinking but unfortunately I don’t have a camera good enough to make such photos. Maybe this year I’ll buy something appropriate.

  15. Kym November 8, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    What kind of lighting setup do you suggest for both an indoor wedding and an outdoor wedding?

  16. Candice Nantais November 15, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    for a Bar Mitzvah April 21, 2012 at the Long Beach Yacht Club

  17. Jacqueline Madima May 25, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    I love the ideas, I have a party coming and this will come in very handy for my project.

  18. Jayma Hollister June 16, 2012 at 5:57 am

    I'm throwing a Girls Night Out Pink Party at my house tomorrow complete with a photobooth, because I know some of the ladies might be a bit shy I am making a small basket with pre-written silly pose ideas and they will draw one out of the basket and do the pose, and then of coarse make up their own!

  19. Flavia Bonfadini August 2, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    Thank you for sharing! I wish I had seen this before… I just linked back to these tips from my blog. If you want to check it out: http://fete-a-fete.blogspot.com/2012/07/sneak-peak-at-our-party-photo-booth.html Cheers!

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  22. wittnittLinda r February 18, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    But you need to be careful with the duct tape on the wall idea or you could be paying to have the wall repaired….just keep this in mind.

  23. Callie October 2, 2013 at 10:02 am

    How could I do a set up like this is a dentist office waiting room for the teens to do themselves? I need some kind of timed camera to take it for them.

  24. Bow Point Nursery October 6, 2013 at 11:40 pm

    Hahaha, i might use some pose on my next pictorial, lol! nice picture btw.

  25. Bow Point Nursery October 9, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    Such a wonderful post. Thanks for the share. It was very interesting and informative.

  26. FDH Limousines October 27, 2014 at 10:17 pm

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  27. Fdh Limousines October 28, 2014 at 5:56 am

    If you wish to get a little creative, hire the best photo booth. They have user-friendly features which permit you to alter lighting and backgrounds, change hair colors, retouch blemishes, and a lot more.

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  30. Newton Moses May 27, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    This post has given me a lot of nice ideas about photo booth. Next time that I will be in a party mood and just wants to jump infront of camera to take a photo I will be sure to keep the above four tips in mind. Thanks for sharing this post. Visit whenever you are in need of reliable college researchproject writing services.

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