Tips for selecting the right photo booth
Is the company you are hiring insured?
While this may not seem important to some, if you are
hosting your event at a reputable venue, it’s very likely they will ask all of
your vendors (including photographers, DJs, decorators, and photo-booth) to
provide a certificate of insurance. Without it, they may not be allowed in the
venue. This is certainly not something you want to be dealing with the week of
your celebration.
Ask if backup equipment will be on site
Most photo-booths consist of a complex combination of
computer hardware and software combined with camera equipment, lighting and
printers. Technology has a mind of its own. From time to time, things happen.
It’s imperative to have back up equipment at the event.
Ask to see setup photos of the booth
prior to booking it. In many cases, (especially with upscale
events) hosts spend a fortune on decorations, theming, and an attractive venue.
There’s nothing worse than a giant hideous photo booth becoming a focal point
and eye sore within a party. Many services offer a “pipe and drape” enclosure
for a booth. Too often, though, the setup is cheap looking, old or even clashes
with the event’s color scheme. A close friend of mine has said to clients “do
you want an attractive photo booth to match your event’s feel? Or, would you
rather something that looks like it should be at carnival for Madam Cleopatra’s
tarot card reading?” While he says this in jest, the point is 100% true. To
make this point clear, I suggest you to go to google images and type “pipe and
drape photo booth” and look at some of the results.
Speaking of props
Are they fresh or re-used? This may sound silly, but all too
often sweaty guests put on hats, boas, sunglasses, etc. and pose for photos. At
the end of the party, the props get boxed up and sent to the next event. Gross!
Choosing the Right Photo Booth Style
Enclosed Photo Booth
This is where it all began, a small box! We call ours a
“Traditional Enclosed Photo Booth”. Nowadays enclosed photo booths come in a
number of different styles and sizes. Generally with the enclosed photo booth
they normally have a hard sturdy wall or a curtain (or an inflatable shell, but
we will talk more about that later).
Open Photo Booth
Rather than having a curtain or wall that boxes you in and
make you feel claustrophobic (unless you like to be close to other people),
this booth has more space. Hence why it’s call “open air” photo booth. Some
people also refer to them as a kiosk photo booth. Open air photo booths have
more options when it comes to backdrops. You could go with one the photo booth
company can provide, which are normally a curtain or print design on a portable
stand. There is also the option of using the venue’s wall or creating your own
backdrop. Lastly you could use the beautiful view outdoors or from inside.
GIF Photo Booth
A GIF Photo booth can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Whether it is an enclosed, kiosk, open or tripod. The key feature with the GIF
booth is that it takes GIF images. A GIF (which stands for Graphics Interchange
Format) is a series of images that are played one after the other. You could
say they are like the old flipbook with the drawing of the stickman, running.
Inflatable Photo Booth
It’s exactly what it is called “inflatable”. The inflatable
photo booth is a backdrop or shell that goes around most photo booths. For
example, you can use it with our traditionl or vintage photo booth. They come
in different colours and normally have
LED lights built-in which change the colour of the shell. There is a
motor that normally runs but you can never hear it over the music or people
talking. Also check to see if you have room for the one you want, they can be
big!
How To Choose The Best Photo Booth Rental
Budget
The amount of money you want to spend is always important
because you don’t want to go over the allocated budget you have for your event.
Pick a dollar amount you feel comfortable with before choosing your photo booth
rental company but keep in mind that a low budget will likely prevent you from
finding top quality photo booth rental companies to hire. Also, remember that
sales tax will usually be added to the base price.
Customer Service
One of the most important things to consider when booking a
photo booth rental company is the quality of the customer service. A photo
booth rental company needs to be able to respond to inquiries quickly and make
potential customers and clients feel like they are being taken care of. The
on-site attendants also need to be polite and help guests have fun during their
event. The last thing you want is a photo booth rental company failing to
respond to you leading up to an event, and this brings us to our next important
aspect which is reviews.
Reviews
Researching a photo booth rental company’s reviews are
important because it will help you feel more confident knowing that others had
a great experience working with that photo booth rental company. Companies with
little to no reviews doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t do a good job but it’s
more of a risk. Photo booth rental companies with more reviews, and that have
been in business for several years will likely provide a more predictable and
smooth experience.
Features
Photo booth rental companies have many features to offer but
sometimes they will charge extra for each feature you want to add. Some popular
features that clients want are: green screen technology, social media sharing,
online digital photo access, filter prints, GIFs, and more. If you’re looking
for the most features, make sure you check if there are additional add-on fees
for each of those features or else you will be in for a surprise when you see
the final quote.
Type of Booth
There are different styles and types of photo booths that
you can choose from. This will help you in choosing the best tool for the next
party.
Enclosed Photo Booth-This tool can help you in getting and
experiencing the feeling of an old school. An enclosed tool is obtained by
drawing the curtains you can make this tool by drawing shut the curtain and
letting it loose. This means that you will have nothing to worry about since
people will not be looking at you.
GIF Booth-This tool has made it easier to take photos and
create animated images, which can be distributed easily. It has become one of
the popular alternatives for parties.
Insta Booth-People uses this machine to take selfies on
their phones, creating hashtags and orienting photos for their parties.
Open Air Photo Booth –Open-air booths don’t have secrets. It
is the best place where people can have fun.
Tips For Choosing the Best Photobooth For Your Event
Take away
Photobooth companies have always been around in many past
years. Photobooths add up more happiness and help in the creation of memories
for you and your guests. Selecting the
right company for your event should never be difficult when you use the right
tips.
The cost
When hiring a photo booth company, make sure you always have
your budget. Companies that offer the best services will always tend to be a
bit pricier as their equipment is of high value.
The backdrops and props
You have to decide on the background and accessories you
want for your event. Make sure you always do some research, even trying to ask
your event guests what they like.
Picture quality
Quality is an essential factor that you shouldn’t forget
when choosing a photo booth company. You will hence have to check on camera types
that the company you’re hiring.