Ultimate Guide to Using Photo Booths in Events

Photo booths offer an unlimited source of entertainment. When installed correctly and equipped with appropriate functionalities, they can boost community engagement, help people make connections faster, and offer a fun experience for event attendees.

New technologies have made photo booths more advanced than ever. The new AR upgrades offer an unparalleled level of authentic photo booth experiences. This article shares when and why using photo booths is an excellent idea and identifies the most popular machines.

Why Use a Photo Booth

A photo booth is a self-served or hosted booth that takes photos of guests and visitors of an event or venue. It usually comes in the form of a vending machine or modern kiosk with an automated camera and film processor.

The first photo booth emerged in 1888 when William Pope and Edward Poole created a patent for a machine that would make automated photographs.

Benefits of a Photo Booth at Your Event

Let’s look at some of the benefits of having a photo booth at your next special event.

Space-Efficient

Photo booths only require a small space in the corner (or in the middle of a passageway) of a hall or function room. Together with props, they require less room compared to many other event entertainment options.

Memory Making

A photo booth is a perfect addition to any event because it helps the guests create unique memories. This aspect is especially important if you’re hosting tradeshows, corporate events, and on-site or in-store promotions and campaigns.

Fun

Photo booths are fun, there’s no doubt about it. Suitable for all ages, genders, and preferences, they can spice up any event. When you use an AR-powered booth, you can create an otherworldly experience for photo takers that will keep them coming back for more.

Social Sharing

Photo booths help people share fun moments from your event on social media. If they use a hashtag, everyone will see the photos when they search for your event.

Conversation Topic

Guests can discuss taking photos together, choosing photo effects or backgrounds, and sharing props. The photo booth helps break the ice and creates a bond between event attendees, especially if they’re meeting for the first time.

Data Collection

Photo booths are an easy way to collect consumer data. When the user agrees to the terms and conditions, they share their email address or phone number. You can then send them personalized offers to make sure they come back.

What Types of Events Are Suitable for Photo Booths

Photo booths are suitable for all types of events:

Corporate events. Team building activities during large corporate events bring teammates closer and create an immediate bond between departments.
Sports events. Photo booths enhance the team spirit and allow fans to take home great memories from the game.
Conferences. If you’re looking to boost community spirit and make your next conference more enjoyable, consider adding photo booths.

Event Photo Booths That Guarantee Success

The market is packed with photo booths of different types. Here’s an overview of the most popular options.

Open-Air Photo Booths

Open-air photo booths are great for large events. They create a party atmosphere, accommodate many people, don’t need much space, and are easy to set up. These booths are available in many forms and shapes, from simple constructions to modern machines for luxury stores.

Classic Photo Booths

Classic photo booths are still some of the most popular options for events of all types. These easy-to-use machines offer printouts in 4R size and work great for formal events.

GIF Booths

Arguably the second most popular photo booth type, GIF booths take multiple photos and turn them into GIFs. They can also create boomerang videos. These interactive machines allow people to dance or move to have their photos taken, creating a fun atmosphere and making the photo booth experience more enjoyable.

Enclosed Photo Booths

Enclosed booths are perfect for guests who need privacy while taking photos. These machines are similar to vintage shopping mall booths and can fit up to two or three people at the same time.

These photo booths are excellent for audiences who are reluctant to take photos in front of new people.

Slow-Motion Video Booths

The slow-motion effect adds to the drama. These machines have a high frame rate camera that slows down videos up to ten times. As a result, viewers can enjoy unparalleled attention to detail.

These videos are fun to watch afterwards, and friends, colleagues, and conference attendees will certainly have an opportunity to share a laugh following the photo booth session.

180-Degree Photo Booths

These matrix photo booths allow users to take cinematic footage at any event. The booth has multiple cameras set up in a semicircle. The cameras each take a photo from a separate angle, and the machine creates a GIF from that material.

Note that these photo booths need more space than other machines. They may not be suitable for events taking place in small venues. Their rental is also more expensive due to the larger amount of equipment and skill required for the setup and operation. If you’re flexible with your budget and are hosting a large-scale event, then 180-degree booths are an excellent choice.

360-Degree Photo Booths

The 360-degree booth is designed to take photos or videos from any angle, including panoramic content. These booths are some of the newest additions to the market and capture high-quality footage.

Revolving Photo Booths

Revolving photo booths are flexible, affordable, and practical. They offer a similar effect as 360-degree booths but only use one camera. They are more cost- and space-efficient as well.

Green Screen Photo Booths

Green screen photo booths aid creativity. Users can take pictures with any background, including the space, the top of Mount Everest, or the bottom of the sea.

Combine green screen photo booths with props suitable for the background (hiking poles for Mount Everest, snorkels for the bottom of the sea, etc.)

AR Photo Booths

Augmented Reality photo booths are the go-to tool for live engagement in major league stadiums, on cruise ships, during major brand campaigns, promotions and in retail spaces.

They are ideal for brands seeking to revolutionise the way they engage, entertain and create shareable moments for their customers and fans.

Leading AR company INDE launched the original AR photo booth concept to market called HeroMirror. HeroMirror allows users to take photos with their favorite athletes, pop stars, or animated heroes.

INDE's augmented reality studio has developed HeroMirror AR experiences for a large variety of clients and brand partners including Major League U.S. Sports Brands and Premier League Soccer Clubs, alongside working with the largest retail companies and brands in North America and Worldwide. Here are some excellent examples:

HeroMirror AR Kiosks Bring 49ers NFL Stadium Experience to the Next Level

HeroMirror AR kiosks at the San Francisco 49ers stadium offer a unique experience where fans can take photos with nine players of the famous NFL team. As a fan engages with the photo booth, they leave their email or phone number, making data capture effortless. Fans can share their photos and videos through their HeroMirror emails.

Visa AR Experience at Super Bowl LIV

INDE created an AR HeroMirror fan experience that promotes the giant financial service company’s new tap-and-pay tech during Super Bowl LIV. Visa’s campaign is similar to the 49ers stadium idea where fans can take AR photos with top NFL players and share them on social media. HeroMirror provided the opportunity for fans to meet, interact with and create unique moments with their heroes - some of the biggest stars of the NFL season.

HeroMirror AR Experience for New York Red Bulls

INDE’s HeroMirror provides Red Bulls Fans with an exclusive opportunity to meet and create a unique AR experience with their favorite Players. These priceless moments are captured automatically by the HeroMirror AR Kiosk so fans can safely create and share those images and videos with their friends on social media instantly.

HeroMirror AR Experience for Warner Brothers with Pikachu

Warner Bros. celebrated the release of the live-action/animated film, “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu,” with a unique HeroMirror AR photo booth experience that created a photo-realistic picture with fans and their favorite Pokémon and movie-leading cartoon – Pikachu. With an easy-to-use touchscreen interface, the AR experience guides the user through a simple, two-to-three-step process for a photo with the animated character.

Kroger's Wonderful Holiday Ad Comes to Life in AR

Kroger’s "The Magical Cookbook" ad is one of the most genuine and touching Holiday commercials of the past few years. INDE was tasked with translating "The Magical Cookbook" experience into a modern in-store customer engagement in multiple Kroger and Fred Meyer stores across Portland, Columbus, and Atlanta. HeroMirror was the perfect fit for Kroger’s brief, so INDE created a series of Augmented Reality experiences that allow holiday shoppers to meet and interact with their favorite Krojis onsite and share their unique experiences on social media.

The Home of Elvis Presley for “Virtual Elvis” Exhibit

Elvis Week 2020 marked the 43rd anniversary of Elvis Presley's passing, and Graceland prepared for the gathering of fans and friends from all over the world. This installation features four HeroMirrors, each offering Graceland visitors the opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime photo-op with one of six different possible “versions” of the King, himself—each from a key era of his music or film career—chosen based on a fun and unique personality quiz.

SEGA Supercharges 2022 Anime Expo Experience with AR Kiosks

SEGA Corporation, the legendary Japanese video game and entertainment company commissioned INDE to bring SEGA's 2022 Anime Expo booth experience to the next level. INDE created a bespoke Augmented Reality mirror experience that allows fans to meet and interact with Ringo, the star of the game. The unique moments are captured automatically by the HeroMirror AR Kiosk, so fans can safely and instantly share the SEGA-branded images and videos with their friends on social media.

Tips on How to Make Your Event Booth More Efficient

Make your photo booth interactive, attractive, and creative.
Identify the needs for the photo booth depending on the event theme and audience.
Create hashtags to use for social sharing.
Encourage attendees to share their photos on social media.
Place the photo booth in a strategic position.
Collect user data from the photo booth and leverage the data set during your marketing campaigns and promotions.

Need an AR-powered Photo Booth? INDE Has You Covered

From pro-athletes to movie icons via pop stars or animated heroes, HeroMirror creates the ultimate way for fans to meet their idols 24/7. Operating on a kiosk-size footprint, HeroMirror offers the ultimate plug-and-play entertainment solution in any location with limited space size. Learn more by visiting the official product site.