Renting a photo booth seems to get more and more complicated. Many of the terms that are used in the booth business are lost to 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 are ready to rent the perfect booth for your event.

DSLR camera

This is a term that you will see very popular. DSLR stands for Single Lens Digital SLR. Basically the digital equivalent of the 35mm Nikon or Pentax that your parents used to carry. Sure, a DSLR can take quality pictures. However, many point-and-shoot cameras also produce quality results. Your best bet is to look at samples from recent events.

Ink printers

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

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 done in a photo booth with less accurate results. The stand will have a green background. When you walk in and look at the monitor, you will not see the green background but the custom background loaded into the software. Your strips will also be printed with the custom background.

That is the good news. The bad news is that the cuts won’t be perfect. There are almost always green stripes. Barely noticeable in the small strips. However, it shows a lot in the prints made of individual images after your event.

Social media integration

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

The first method is an on-screen promotion where you can enter details and submit the photo to yourself. While great for low volume events, this method greatly reduces the number of sessions the booth can run per hour.

The second method involves the use of 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 will need a fast and reliable Wi-Fi signal at your event. Be sure to check with your venue and photo booth company.

Unlimited Sessions vs Unlimited Strips

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

A session is generally defined as every time the sequence of photos is started. It does not matter if it is a group of 20 or a single couple. When the camera begins to rotate and the lights come on, the session has begun. Unlimited sessions mean you can use the booth as many times as you like. Typically, two 2 x 6-inch strips of photos are printed per session.

Unlimited strips means that instead of the booth printing two 2x6s per session, they will print as many as they 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. Better to keep it simple. Learn what the booth looks like, see some samples from recent events, get references, and check for proper insurance. Have fun!

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