Project Red Party: Photo Booth

FILIPINO TIME - Not a good thing for party planners. You always want to follow a timeline for your party because every second counts. It is expected that the actual programme starts one to two hours late than the time stated in the invites. You may expect your guests to come late but there are diligent guest, too, that come on time or earlier. Since the programme has not yet started, what will the guests do while waiting? You don't want them to get bored. So what you can do is provide them activities to do during this time period.

First, they can sign the guest book or better yet a fun guest frame where they can do more things than just writing their name. Check out the guest frame i did for the party here. Next, make a game for the guests to find their seats using escort cards. Check out 10 great escort cards ideas for your party here . You can also provide cocktails or something to nibble and hire a band to entertain your guests while waiting. And of course, to make the most of the spare time, set up a fun photobooth.

Photo Booths are trending party must-haves nowadays. It has become the alternative for little figurine tokens given during wedding receptions. It is more personalized and you can have the printed photo in a matter of seconds or minutes. Many photographers package this in their services or you can rent a photobooth machine in photo shops. It may cost 5,000 to 8,000 pesos depending on the number of prints or hours. But, you can also set up your own photobooth as long as you have the necessary skills. Here are things that you must consider in setting up a photo booth.

1. Backdrop. Have a good backgorund for your photo booth. This may range from simple tarps to elaborate themed sets. If you dont have a budget, you can use a nice fabric with patterns. I prefer woven patterns than printed ones. If you want a customized design, you can print your design in tarpaulins for 25-50 pesos per square foot. You can also make a 3-dimensional set by adding props (e.g. sofas, tables, sculptures, etc) coherent to the theme or motif of your party. You don't want you guests to blend with the background, right? So, for me, the simplier the better. Here are some backdrop ideas for your event.

2. Lighting. Provide good lighting for your booth but make sure you don't disrupt the overall lighting and ambience of the venue. You can turn off your lights during the program. Good lighting will prevent harsh shadows in face and glares in tarps. You can use flourescent flood lights or LED lights provided by the sound and light suppliers. Just make sure the backdrop is clear but the subject must pop out from it.

3. Props. This puts "fun" in fun booth. You can provide props like hats, shades, and frames. Let your guest do crazy poses be creative in using their props. Don't let them rush in thinking for a pose but don't let them take too much time in the booth. There are people waiting in line, too. For our party, we prepared chalkboards, moustaches and bowties for props.

4. Camera. Professional photographers use DSLR cameras but Point-and-shoot cameras and even webcams may also be used as long as the image resolution is high. You can use a USB cord so the photo is saved directly in the computer. But you can also manually save the files from the memory card. Laptops usually have a memory card reader.

5. Laptop. Desktops are too bulky and hard to transport. Use a laptop equipped with right softwares and specs like memory card reader and USB ports.

6. Template. The design and layout makes your photo souvenir unique from other photos. Your layout indicates when, where, and what event the photo souvenir was taken. It has a photo of the celebrant(s) taken from their pre-shoot. It also has 2 to 3 empty frames where the photo will be placed. Graphics may also be included as long as it's relevant to the theme of the party.

7. Software. We use photoshop and its feature actions to automate the layout process. Click here to learn how to make photoshop actions. After laying out the photos in one layout, we immediately queue the file to the printer. There are also photobooth softwares that programs it all for you - from taking pictures to layout to printing. However, it may cost you a little money.

8. Printer. We use the handy Canon Selphy printer to print our photos. Its a small printer that lets you print high quality postcard size (4R) photos. However, it may take a minute or more to print one photo. There are lots of photo printer out there that prints in a matter of seconds.

9. Presentation. After printing, you can place your prints in frames or envelopes. You can also make a claiming station where guests can also see the photos of the other guests. We clipped the prints in abaca rope using wooden pegs along side the old photos of our parents. You can decorate the area according to the theme and leave your Thank You message for the guests.

10. Facebook. Lastly, post the photos online and tag your guests. Upload it in high resolution so they can download it and reprint it afterwards. Let your party be a memorable and talked about one with these photos.

So there you have it. Just be creative in setting up your photobooth and have fun! Of course, if you don't have the patience and luxury of time to think about all of these, Seed Interactive is always at your service :D Check out some of the pics during the party.