How to Make a Photo Booth More Fun – From High Tech to No Tech

January 24th, 2012 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

This past year saw a lot of action our YouBooth photo booth.  And we’ve learned a lot from these events!  We love distilling what these experiences have taught us and bringing new ideas to our clients.  Some ideas are pretty high tech and probably require a technician (like us!), but others are easy and anyone can do them.

Our latest and best innovation for the YouBooth photo booth is our Social Media Portal.  We’ve created a way that seamlessly allows everyone to email their YouBooth photos to anyone else, and to upload them to Facebook and Twitter.  People LOVE this feature!  The Social Media Portal makes sharing photos really easy and it extends the brand awareness for any corporate event.

The Social Media Portal requires a Wifi connection and our equipment.  The portals attach to almost any table or counter – the more portals you have, the better!  Easy image sharing guarantees your event will be remembered.

Another technical addition for the YouBooth is projecting the images onto large screens in the room.  People love to see their photos blown up on the wall – for most of them this is as close as they’ll come to being in the movies!

We’ve incorporated some fun No Tech ideas into our YouBooth events as well.  Props, of course, are always a hit.  We used holiday-themed props again this year and they were more popular than ever.

We’ve also included dry erase boards and large markers, allowing people to create their own fun signs.  The quick signs encourage creativity and yield some truly funny (and memorable) photos.  It’s fun to use a question-answer format, with a question printed on the photo above the shot, and the answer written on the board.

 

And remember, the photo booth backdrop can make a world of difference.  Some corporate clients use a standard step-and-repeat banner, but others (like Nintendo) take it a step further and use fantastic product artwork.  Of course, flowers always have great affect, softening the overall effect and adding shots of color. 

Smurfs light up the Green Screen..and the Big Apple!

July 28th, 2011 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

As some of you may know from our previous post – or may have seen in the news – this week was declared Smurf Week in New York City, tying in with the new Smurf movie that features locations in and around the city.  Most of the activities have been organized by NYC & Company, which turned to us to provide green screen photography at their big launch event on Monday, July 25th at Columbus Circle.

Judging by the crowds and the photos, the event was a huge success.  Our photographer, Stavros, said he felt like Santa at Macy’s right before Christmas, with the hoards of people waiting for their turn in front of the green screen.  Stavros reports that the line wound from the tent in Columbus Circle into Central Park.  Hundreds of people waited in the rain to get their photos taken.

It’s clear to see why they waited.  The photos are adorable!  Yet despite the rain and crowds, the event was well organized so everything ran smoothly.  People were friendly and patient, and they loved the photos, T-shirts and other fun swag given away in the tent.  Kudos to NYC & Company for producing another stellar city event! Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Smurf Week in New York City

July 25th, 2011 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

In celebration of the new Smurfs movie, New York City’s tourism agency, NYC & Company, proudly announces this week is Smurf Week in New York.  All are welcome to stop by Columbus Circle and check out the Smurf Village.  Marvel at the 3-D mushroom houses and a 40-foot-tall inflatable Smurf.  Today only (Monday, July 25), visitors can take pictures next to their favorite Smurf until 7pm.  You’ll also find Smurf merchandise giveaways, face painting and much more.  Bring your children and take home a photo of them with the Smurfs!  And be sure to say hello to our photographer, Stavros.
For a list of all the Smurf activities happening in the city go to the NYC & Company website

What We Learned From HBO

July 21st, 2011 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

Part of the fun of working at 5th Avenue Digital is learning new and often fascinating things about our world and the people in it.  And I usually learn them from our photographers and clients!  Most recent example: with photography and onsite prints we provided for HBO.

As a thank you to one of their sponsors, Verizon, HBO brought Bernard Hopkins to the Verizon office to meet and greet their employees.  Each person had their photo taken with Hopkins, which we printed onsite so people could take their photos home. Read the rest of this entry »

Golf Outings Resurge

May 18th, 2011 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Are golf outings back this summer?  We have been seeing the signs.  This seasonal corporate marketing basic fell out of popularity over the past several years, as corporate events – particularly those that smack of any lavish spending – ebbed with the economy. Read the rest of this entry »

Promoting Britain with Photo Sharing

March 21st, 2011 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

We’ve been talking about photo sharing, and how it’s becoming a more crucial element of corporate events.   This fact was illustrated yet again with a recent event produced by Fourth Wall Events.

First, it’s worth mentioning how much we love working with the Fourth Wall Events, one of New York’s most innovative event producers.  They always insert some kind of twist into what they do, adding details that make you stop and say, “Wow, that’s cool!”  For example, on their website they provide an event space calculator that helps you figure out how many people will fit in your space, or how much space you need to fit a certain number of people.  Check it out here! Read the rest of this entry »

Background Briefing for Photo Booths and Onsite Prints

November 18th, 2010 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

When 5th Avenue Digital provides photos printed onsite, whether via green screen photography or our photo booth, clients often ask if the background matters.  The short answer is YES!  Backgrounds can make a huge difference in how your photos look and (especially for corporate or sponsored events) what message your photos convey.

Consider photos printed onsite as an extension of your marketing efforts.  Branding for your prints is as important as branding for the other elements of your event.  Making the logo or branding message work seamlessly with your photo background is important, and we’re always happy to provide our insight and knowledge on how to best accomplish this.

If you want to convey new – fresh – fashion-forward as your event’s marketing message, we recommend incorporating bright, vivid colors into your background.  This was the impression Lord & Taylor wanted to create with the splashy launch event for their renovated flagship store on Fifth Avenue.  They brought in our YouBooth photo booth to entertain the crowd and reinforce their marketing message, and here’s the background they created:

What an impact these intense colors have on the photos!   And the logo placement is worth noting, because it connects the store’s brand with the photos’ bright, fashion-oriented style.

If course, there’s always the tried-and-true event marketing tactic of step-and-repeat photos, using a printed banner emblazoned with logos.  Step-and-repeat photography is used so much because it effectively and (somewhat) subtly communicates a sponsor message.  However, the design of the step-and-repeat background can reinforce or detract from your message, depending on how it’s done.  The most effective step-and-repeat backgrounds limit the number of logos and the colors to one or two, like these:

When the party portraits are converting to black and white photos, a plain white or soft color background is often best, or a background with a simple black and white pattern, because colors can look muddy when converted to black and white.  Sometimes, a simple architectural element in a space, such as a brick wall, works well for black and white prints.

When you want to glam it up, a glittery background adds some drama to your prints.  Add a few feather boas and other props to give the background added impact.  They work together to create a real party feel for your onsite prints.

Another option is to use a large printed image as a background, as shown in the examples below for Northface outerwear and Disney.   The only caution here is that you have to be careful about lighting, to avoid glare against the glossy finish of the printed background.  That’s why you have to rely on the experts (us!) to avoid these pitfalls.

Finally, no review of background options would be complete without mentioning the ultimate in background selection: green screen photography.  A green screen allows you to insert any background you want, so the choices are almost endless.  Whatever the focus or theme of your event, we can create a background that supports and reinforces it.

A New Year for 5th Avenue Digital

March 1st, 2010 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

This year marks a new path for us.  Last year was more about…what do we want to be when we grow up?  We did a lot of soul searching, deciding where we fit as a stand-alone company.  In 2010 we are acting on what we learned and rolling out our plans.

This is our first newsletter letting you know all that we’re doing at 5^th Avenue Digital and our sister companies.  Please let us know what you think!  We are always looking for new ideas and ways to improve, and we welcome your input.

5^th Avenue Digital started as an innovator in digital technology, at a time when the world was still using film.  We have taken that spirit of innovation and brought it into our mission, addressing our clients’ changing needs for our products and our services.  This month we are launching our deconstructed photo booth. Read the rest of this entry »

Fashionistas Love Green Screen Photography

February 23rd, 2010 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

It’s only natural, when you think about it, that the fashion industry has so quickly adopted the internet and all its permutations.  After all, fashion is a visual industry that relies on consumers picking up new trends.  What better way to make that happen than with fashion blogs and websites?

Fashion websites are popping up all over, almost daily, spawning a thriving new genre of the fashion industry.  Some sites provide a visual venue for fashion-hungry hipsters who like showing off their outfits, while others feature fashion bloggers.  For all these websites, photography is a vital component.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Photo Booth – Deconstructed

February 23rd, 2010 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

5th Avenue Digital has updated the photo booth experience with a modern, more streamlined operation and presentation.  We’ve deconstructed the booth, taking away the walls so people can move around in front of the camera and still have an onsite print experience.

Read the rest of this entry »