Demystifying Photo Booth Jargon

Renting a photo booth seems more and more complicated. Many of the terms presented in the business booth are lost on the actual customers. This article is an attempt to clear up some of the jargon, provide some advice, and help you make informed decisions. Fully assembled, you’ll be ready to rent the perfect booth for your event.

dslr camera

This is a term you will see used a lot. DSLR stands for digital single lens reflex. Basically the digital equivalent of the Nikon or Pentax 35mm your parents used to carry. A DSLR can certainly take quality photos. However, many point-and-shoot cameras also produce quality results. Your best bet is to look at samples of recent events.

Dye Sublimation Printers

Dye Sub is short for dye sublimation. Virtually all reputable photo operations use some form of this technology. Dye sublimation printers use a heat transfer process that uses film to produce the images on the paper. The quality is usually good and the print speed is fast. There is no noticeable difference between one dye sublimation printer and another. Stay away from anyone who still uses ink jets. While the quality is good, the time to get your print is at least tripled.

Green screen

Green screen is a feature often offered by photo booth companies. Green screen is the process used in television and movies. The actor stands in front of a green background. The software is used to remove the green background and replace it with the video clip of your choice. The same process can be accomplished in a photo booth with less accurate results. The stand will have a green background. When you go in and look at the monitor, you will not see the green background, but the custom background loaded in the software. Your strips will also be printed with the custom background.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that the cuts will not be perfect. Some green stripes are almost always present. Barely noticeable on the small strips. However, it is very noticeable in copies made of individual images after your event.

Social media integration

The integration of social networks is increasingly in demand. The idea is to allow you to instantly share your photo booth images on social media like Facebook and Twitter. This is accomplished by two different methods.

The first method involves an on-screen promotion where you can enter data and send yourself the photo. While great for low volume events, this method greatly reduces the number of sessions the booth can hold per hour.

The second method is to use a social media kiosk outside the booth. Although this can cause some congestion, it allows your photo booth to keep humming.

For your social media integration to work smoothly, you’ll need to have a reliable and fast Wi-Fi signal at your event. Be sure to check with your photo booth venue and company.

Unlimited Sessions vs. Unlimited Strips

Finally, let’s clear this up once and for all.

A session is generally defined as each time the photo sequence is started. It doesn’t matter if you are a group of 20 or a single couple. When the camera starts to rotate and the lights come on, the session has started. Unlimited sessions means you can use the booth as many times as you like. Typically, two 2 X 6-inch photo strips are printed per session.

Unlimited strips means that instead of the booth printing two 2 X 6s per session, they will print as many as you want. Usually one for everyone in the cabin.

Photo booth companies often use a lot of jargon in an attempt to convince potential clients of what makes them special. Best to keep it simple. Learn what the booth looks like, see some samples from recent events, get references, and check to see if you have adequate insurance. Have fun!