# Unmanned Photo Booth?



## Mistress Evilynn (Oct 11, 2005)

We set up a photo booth at our party last year and it was a big hit. Our party is held both in the garage and the house, we had the booth in the garage and the printer was in the house. For a little added fun we also set up a web cam inside the booth. The web cam feed was on our TV so everyone in the house could watch what was going on in the booth, it was hilarious. We used DSLR Booth, we're going to order the upgrade because now you can use a green screen with it to add any background you want. We used PVC pipes to build the frame, draped it with black fabric and used a shower curtain for the entrance into the booth. 

So to answer your question, yes it was worth it.


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## Sublime Nightmare (Aug 2, 2009)

Is dslr booth a program you have to buy or can you download it? I want to do a photo booth, too.


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## Blarghity (Sep 2, 2012)

See, if it was a photo booth for a halloween party, I'd definitely have it manned - the operator would be in a control booth behind the subject, with a curtain he can pull aside to appear in the photos with the subject - dressed appropriately for the halloween season, of course. Just imagine how people would react when they get in the booth for a photo, and it comes out with Frankenstein or Dracula in the picture as well, for example. Or maybe just an arm poking through the curtain with a knife in the hand.


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## Mistress Evilynn (Oct 11, 2005)

Sublime Nightmare, It is a program you have to buy.


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## selinamb (Sep 13, 2010)

Well after downloading multiple trials, patches, backwards-compatible files, etc., I decided that SparkBooth was going to work best for me. I would PREFER to use my old Canon Rebel DSLR, but unfortunately my six year old camera is just too old for DSLR Booth and DSLR Remote Pro. 

So I have purchased SparkBooth and it is AMAZING. It will run off of my 15MP external webcam . There is a fun witchy voice that tells the "Boils and Ghouls" to "Smile, kiddies"; "Say BRAAIINS!"; among other things. 

I have the space set up so that my laptop will be stored in the closet where the photos will be taken. That way, no one is actually touching my laptop. I have my desktop monitor and keyboard set up on a high table. People come in, press the spacebar, pose, the photos print automatically, and they get the option to share their photos to their facebook wall or email themselves a high-res copy. 

I had my husband sit in front of the camera for some test shots to see how it looked in my layout. The camera will be far enough away from the "x" spot that it will be their full body/costume the photo. 










I was able to customize the layout exactly how I wanted it. Overall, I'm pretty excited! $60 was more than I wanted to spend, but I've cut costs in other ways and this is something I think is WELL worth the investment!

I am going to post this on the wall next to the camera/monitor.


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## Defenestrator (Jul 27, 2009)

That ^ is tremendous!


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## ice456789 (Sep 10, 2013)

I agree, that's awesome. $60 is not cheap! I can't believe there's not a nice free photobooth program for Windows. I've been looking too.


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## Mistress Evilynn (Oct 11, 2005)

Awesome! Glad you found something that would work for you.


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## ice456789 (Sep 10, 2013)

Selinamb, does it have an option to store the photos to files on your computer automatically as well?


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## selinamb (Sep 13, 2010)

Ice: yes, it has the option to "save originals" to a folder of your choosing. It also saves the strips too.


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## amyml (May 21, 2012)

For anyone wanting a quick and dirty (and cheap) photobooth, we downloaded ClassicBooth on an ipad a few years ago. I built a box so people could use the touch screen, but not move or harm the tablet. We didn't mess with a printer, but guests had the option of emailing the strip to themselves. 

It's not as cool as the customizable features mentioned above, but it was free (assuming you already own a tablet).


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## Defenestrator (Jul 27, 2009)

Ok, it's probably a bit late for me to fit this concept in for this year, but I think I'm going to have to look really hard at how to achieve this for 2014.

It just looks like too much fun!


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## selinamb (Sep 13, 2010)

Yes, it stores all original photos locally as well as the strip photos. 

I have a general dislike for apple products, so using an ipad wasn't an option for me, but that is a great idea!


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## selinamb (Sep 13, 2010)

Spark booth just runs off your laptop Webcam and can email to themselves or Autopost to your Facebook or Flickr account so all you need is a place to plug in your laptop. If you eliminate the social aspect of it, you don't even need an internet connection


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## hallowsivy (Sep 20, 2013)

I want to do this too!


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## hallowsivy (Sep 20, 2013)

I want to post how I did it but need to post this before I can post links


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## hallowsivy (Sep 20, 2013)

Hello,

I want to do the same exact thing for our party this year. I thought I would share how we are doing it. I am doing it for about $10 total.
I have a Nexus 7 tablet already that I want to use. All of the apps I downloaded from the Google Play store (can't post links because I'm new)

The app called "Cymera" is what I have downloaded. It is free.
It has a photo booth type setting (four vertical shots). You can change the time intervals in between shots and some other settings. This app even has some after effects like instagram-ish stuff, touch ups, even virtual "props" to add. 

Then you can share via email. 
What I did for that was set up a new user on my tablet (so nobody would get into my emails or mess with my accounts I have synced with my tablet). I created a new gmail account I made up just for the occasion "house of__ @ gmail. com
After the pictures are taken, you have the option to share by email. It opens up gmail and they just type in their email address(es) and it will send to them from "House of __" 

I was worried about mounting the tablet as well as an anti-theft system (not that I think the people I invite would steal from me but you never know who could show up to crash it!) 
I found something on ebay called "ANTI THEFT HOLDER CABLE MOUNT FOR CELL MOBILE PHONE" (search it will come up) It mounts and locks. Though it is not super heavy duty, it definitely discourages theft and looks like the kind in stores. Someone would have to go through a lot to get it out of my house.

One additional precaution I took was to download "Prey anti-theft".
This is a backup for in the rare event that someone was able to take the tablet, I would be able to activate this app remotely and track it (like lo jack). Also it has an alarm you can activate if someone unknown tries to get in it.

Hope this helps as another way to do it. I can't wait until our Halloween party and to see all the pics!!!


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## ice456789 (Sep 10, 2013)

Ok I bit the bullet and purchased Sparkbooth for $60. I'm setting up my office as the photobooth and need some ideas for a backdrop. I have a black sheet but that is pretty dull. I was thinking maybe an orange sheet with some black burlap hung around it for texture, then maybe a spider or two coming down. 

As far as the Sparkbooth software, my main complaint is that it asks you if you want to print it BEFORE it shows you the previews. Also it slowly previews each picture (minimum 3 seconds each) so if you want to preview a 4 pic photo it takes 15 seconds (12 secs for each photo then 3 more for the conglomerate). I turned preview off because I don't want the action to slow down. 15 seconds doesn't sound like a long time but when you're waiting in line to be next it adds up quickly. 

Other than that the software is pretty cool. Once you figure out how to set it up it basically runs itself so you won't need to pay attention to it during a party. You can even lock it with a password so that people can't exit out of the program or mess with the settings.


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## selinamb (Sep 13, 2010)

I'm going to set up a full "scene" for my backdrop. For the actual wall, I will likely use the haunted mansion scene setter that I got from the Dollar Tree and some creepy cloth draped from the ceiling down the wall for texture. Then, to make sure I have enough light, I am going to put an end table and this gorgeous old table lamp next to a chair I plan on positioning in the frame. I'll decide later if the chair makes the final cut of the scene. 

Anyway I have three big spider egg sacks that I will hang from the ceiling at varying heights and then tack my fuzzy Dollar General spiders to the wall and possibly have one dropping in the frame. I want the scene to be 3-D without taking up too much space. However if other projects take priority over the backdrop then I am going to just put up the scene setters and call it done. 

As to the previewing of pictures, I turned the preview completely off like you did because it was just annoying. My thoughts on it are that whenever I have been out where there was a photobooth, I didn't get to preview it before I printed. I also have mine set to print automatically, so them previewing it doesn't really matter. They won't know what they're missing 

I'm so glad you like it! I used the trial for seven days and messed around with it every one of those days before deciding it would work for me. I was so happy with it, I even blogged about it on my invites site!


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## ice456789 (Sep 10, 2013)

That sounds awesome Selinamb. Can you take a pic when it's done? Also you did a great job on your "Bradley Manor" banner at the bottom. I was hoping that was something that shipped with the software that I could just change the title but no such luck.  

I'm going with a 2x2 layout with banner at the bottom. Yeah, they might have to print it twice to get two copies but I like it better. Thanks to amazon.com ink is all but free anyways.


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## selinamb (Sep 13, 2010)

I hope I remember to take photos of it. To be totally honest, my primary motivation for the booth is because without fail, year after year, I forget to take photos throughout the night, of my invites, the decorations, etc. I am trying to save me from myself lol

Also, if youd like me to whip up a custom footer for you, just let me know  I'd be happy to help!


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## ice456789 (Sep 10, 2013)

I'm planning to modify this image:








My last name actually is Ice and that logo is just BEGGING to be Halloween'd up.  The only problem is that they don't use that logo anymore and I can't find a nice hi-res version to play with. I may just make one from scratch.


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## ice456789 (Sep 10, 2013)

Here's what I'm going with. What would you change about it?


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## BewitchingHalloween (Aug 18, 2010)

selinamb said:


> I hope I remember to take photos of it. To be totally honest, my primary motivation for the booth is because without fail, year after year, I forget to take photos throughout the night, of my invites, the decorations, etc. I am trying to save me from myself lol
> 
> Also, if youd like me to whip up a custom footer for you, just let me know  I'd be happy to help!


Careful selinamb I may have to ask for you to do one for our party! we are on the edge of getting this program!!!


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## selinamb (Sep 13, 2010)

Hey, Ice!

Try this on for size:








You can download it here if you like it--> https://www.dropbox.com/s/gxgppbh7ebxv8cx/icehouse.png

Bewitch: the program is awesome! I'd be happy to help you out


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## ice456789 (Sep 10, 2013)

Thanks for the awesome banner SelinaMB! I'll use that for sure!


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