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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.
