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. 

The YouBooth photobooth was a huge hit at The Knot gala, the first event I attended in my marathon week of networking events.  We brought in our YouBooth “photobooth” to give everyone there a chance to see it in action.  Carley and her dynamo team at The Knot were lovely to work with and many industry friends stopped by to check out the photobooth.

To give the picture-taking a focus, we decided to pose the question, “What’s Hot in Weddings?” and provided an erasable white board on which everyone could write their answer.  This infused the YouBooth photobooth function with some creativity and gleaned many interesting answers.

Bottom line: everyone found the YouBooth entertaining, and best of all, they had an opportunity to upload their photos directly to Facebook, Twitter or email.  This was the first time we’d offered the image sharing feature for a large group, and it was a huge hit. I was beyond thrilled to hear Xochitl from Always A Bridesmaid declare it was the best photobooth she’s seen.

The next night we made our yearly appearance at the BizBash pre-tradeshow party, and brought along YouBooth photobooth.  The social media mavens were in full blast and the crew enjoyed our new social media feature.  We included props for this event, which reminded me yet again of what a difference adding a few fun props makes.  Everyone seems to smile more when you add props!

The following day was the BizBash Expo, where we did double duty.  Our YouBooth was in the social media lounge, and at the ISES booth we offered headshots with professional make-up, beautifully provided by Filis Foreman Make-Up view images here.  Everyone who signed up with ISES at the Expo received the make-up session and a professional headshot.  The promotion was a huge success for ISES, yielding 15 new memberships in one day – a record number that’s sure to be envied by other ISES chapters.  We’re happy to have been a part of that.

I treasure the relationships I’ve developed in our industry, and these events give me wonderful opportunities to reinforce them.  It was so gratifying to show the newest developments of the YouBooth photobooth to the world and to hear all the valuable feedback from my friends and colleagues.  Working these events takes some finesse – and stamina! – but the payoff is invaluable.

What’s a Photobooth?

It’s a self-contained, attractive unit that allows you to take your own photos. They print right in front of you in just seconds. It’s the easiest, most memorable party favor around!

How Does a Photobooth Work?

All the magic is in the unit. All you have to do is book the photobooth and smile. Unlike other photobooths, YouBooth photo booth, is free-standing. No squeezing into a tiny booth  Plus, we bring the YouBooth, photobooth to your event, set it up, stay with it to assist, and take it away at the end. You get unlimited, full-size 4×6″ prints (not little strips) – and lots of compliments.

Why has the Photobooth gained popularity again?

Digital photography lends itself to many instant photography options. This together with the fact that the DIY generation loves anything that can be done themselves, makes the new round of photobooth perfect for the new generation of users.

What are the photobooth options?

The best part of the YouBooth Photobooth is the ability to customize the experience for your brand or social event.  Photos can be printed with a custom border, a logo or the guest of honor’s name and the event date.  The backdrop can be customized in numerous ways: with streamers, fabric, a printed background, or a beautiful element in the room, such a painting or decorative wall.  You can even use green screen technology, which will create a photo background that represents any place you want.  Tell us what you want to create, and we can probably find a way to do it.

Last month, a communications and media agency called AKA featured our YouBooth photo booth at their summer company party.  And WOW, do they know how to have fun!
Their selection of props was truly inspired.  With some thought and creativity, their props they took the YouBooth photos to a new dimension.

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Take a look at the web gallery on this link and you’ll see a life-size cardboard cut-out of Kate and Wills, a child’s inflated pool float, barbeque tools, straw hats, a boa, picture frames (we provided those!), balloons, plastic boats, and – perhaps the key to it all – Jello shots!

These photos are so much fun to look at, and it’s mostly because the props bring out the playfulness in everyone.  (Though some might argue the Jello shots had something to do with it!)  Kudos to AKA for showing us how to do it right!

]]> http://www.5thavenuedigital.com/photography-blog/index.php/corporate-events/photobooth/how-the-right-props-maximize-photo-booth-fun/feed/ 0 http://www.5thavenuedigital.com/photography-blog/index.php/corporate-events/photobooth/5th-avenue-digital-introduces-a-newer-sleeker-youbooth-photo-booth/ http://www.5thavenuedigital.com/photography-blog/index.php/corporate-events/photobooth/5th-avenue-digital-introduces-a-newer-sleeker-youbooth-photo-booth/#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:37:12 +0000 Beth Baynum http://www.5thavenuedigital.com/photography-blog/?p=1106 One of our company tenets is to stay ahead of the curve and look for new ways to innovate and improve.  Even when we do something well, we look for ways to make it better.

That’s why, despite the strong reception our YouBooth has gotten in the past year, we looked for ways to make it even more attractive and fun to use.  I’m using the royal “we” here but actually it’s all the work of our exceptional Producer and resident Genius, Rylan Crooks.  Even though the booth he invented has been a huge success,  he envisioned some tweaks that could make it even better.

So improve it, he did!  Thus is born our new, even more beautiful YouBooth.

The new YouBooth is translucent white, so it blends with any décor, and can easily be branded with a logo or customized images.  It’s smaller and lighter.  The photos print even faster, and can of course be branded as well.  Another innovation is a count-down monitor that alerts people when the photo will be snapped.  Very cool!

If you haven’t tried the 5th Avenue Digital YouBooth before, now’s the time to find out how much fun it adds to any event!

Recent Events Using You Booth, Photo Booth

When it comes to Bar and Bat Mitzvah photography, some traditional elements remain unchanged, such as family portraits, bema shots and photos of the candle lighting.  However, other aspects have changed and new trends are on their way to becoming new traditions. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in Bar Mitzvah photography.

Model for a Day Photo Session

For the Bat Mitzvah honorees who love to dress up and release their inner Cover Girl, we’ve been providing photo sessions that make every young woman live the life of a top model – at least for an afternoon.  We will arrange for a stylist to help select outfits for the photo session, along with a hair and make-up artist to prep for the shoot.  Then, the Mitzvah girl gets to spend a couple hours with one of our top shooters, posing and having fun just like a real model.  We’ll usually also take some shots with mom and dad as well.  We then pick the best shots for a video montage to show at the Bat Mitzvah and to include in the photo album.  This is a guaranteed thrill for the Bat Mitzvah girl, a day she’ll remember forever.

Portraits with a Twist

In addition to the traditional family and bema portraits, we’re seeing a trend towards more unusual Mitzvah portraits.  In a way, this is the boy’s version of the Model for a Day session, putting him in a grittier, usually urban setting to achieve more spontaneous and distinctive photography.  Even the Bar Mitzvah boys – or, excuse me, young men – are comfortable with this approach.  The results are more distinctive and personal portraits that parents truly cherish.

Focus on Artistic Detail

These days, when parents review their kids’ Mitzvah photos, they’ll probably see a lot more images of the venues’ architectural elements, the flowers and other décor details than they saw when they were kids.  There are several reasons for this.  First, because Mitzvahs today are way more produced than they were years ago, you see a lot more flowers and décor – and photographers shoot what they see.  But there’s a more tactical reason as well.  Photographers shoot, in part, with the future photo album in mind.  They know that album designers use the event’s attractive details as backgrounds for photo montages, so they will seek out these details to ensure they provide lots of choices for the album designer.  It’s attention to the details that sets our experienced professional photographers apart from the newcomers and amateurs.

Photo Booths
Photo booths have been around quite awhile, and were considered passé for a time, but there’s a new breed that give the old concept a twist. The new photo booths, like our YouBooth, aren’t booths at all, but free-standing units that allow kids to take their own photos of themselves without squeezing into a little box. This allows for more movement and more spontaneous, fun photos.  YouBooth uses a foot pedal, which is easy and fun to operate, and entertains the kids for hours.  And unlike the old strip of photos you used to get, YouBooth delivers full size glossy prints that can include a name and date. Even better, parents get a website gallery and DVD of all the YouBooth photos, so everyone can enjoy looking at them later, and they can be included in the photo album.

Green Screen Photography
Although it’s been around for years and had waned in popularity, green screen photography seems to be making a comeback, probably because of the improvements afforded by today’s technology.  The backgrounds are more interesting and interactive, and it’s now easier to offer choices.  For Bar Mitzvahs with a sports theme, this is the perfect tie-in, because we can create photos that actually put kids in the field with or as one of the players.  Plus, the prints are created faster and their quality is improved.

Any decent photographer can shoot adequate Bar and Bat Mitzvah photos.  But with important milestone events, there’s only one chance to get it right.  There are no do-overs.  As professional event planners know, your best bet is to choose a photographer who is experienced, who can show you excellent work done for other Mitzvahs and is backed by responsive, caring personal service.  And that’s what 5th Avenue Digital provides.

We continue to pursue our goal to create a company that provides a quality product with exceptionally responsive service.  The wonderful news is that our planners and clients who work with us are recognizing the value we offer them, and our company continues to thrive in an environment where most photography businesses falter under the weight of intense competition and shifting consumer needs.

Our YouBooth photo booth has proven to be the most successful product we created this year.  It stands out from the other free standing photo booths because it does it all: high quality prints that pop out in seconds, simultaneous transmission to A/V screens and the ability to customize back drops and branding on the prints.

Essentially, the photo booth is a custom party in a box!  Corporate events, bar mitzvahs and weddings have been enjoying the benefits of having the guests take control of their picture memories.  And each guest gets to take home a memento!  It’s much more memorable to give your party guests a real print instead of sending a photo to their computer after the party.

We have noticed a change in the type of photographers that people want to shoot their weddings, and we have responded by collaborating with some of the best in the business.  Photojournalism is out and editorial photography is in.  This has been brought about by all the gorgeous photos found on wedding blogs and in the proliferation of bridal magazines.  Photographers are getting more creative with the pre- and post-wedding shoots and about finding ways to add this editorial flavor to the actual wedding day photos.  We are very excited to share these new photographers and the beautiful work they are doing for our clients

Bar Mitzvah photography has not changed as radically as wedding photography.  Our clients still want wonderful family pictures and artistic candids of their family’s special occasion.  The biggest difference we have found in this economy is that value is king!  We provide photographers by the hour, so our clients can document the events that are most important to them and can choose how to preserve their images.  Our photography services are offered a la carte, so our bar mitzvah families get more their money – excellent values on top notch photography.  Most of our clients still want albums, because in the end, isn’t that what you have left?

Also this year, we have seen a return of the monumental social occasions.  Consumer confidence seems to have returned enough for people to again host large celebrations of the special birthdays and anniversaries.  We have had the opportunity this year to photograph sweet 16’s, 50th birthdays, 80th birthdays, graduation parties and some special anniversaries.  These images are suffused with love!  Truly, there is nothing better than being in a room full of the people you adore, who adore you in return, and having the lasting images that commemorate these occasions.

In the corporate world, we have seen a steady increase in using photography to document events.  Holiday parties returned as a way for companies to thank their employees and supporters.  We photographed a number of golf outings and client appreciation parties.  We didn’t see a lot of excess but still the events are back and that’s a great sign.

The big news in corporate events is branding.  Whether it’s with the YouBooth or with onsite printing, companies want their guests to take home a picture with their logo or tagline on it.  Thankfully, we have become known for being able to execute high-end green screen photography fast and efficiently, even with large print counts, and always backed by our responsive customer service.  With corporations, these are the things that matter and we are happy to say we’re now the go-to company for many PR, marketing and advertising agencies.

My wish for the coming year is to keep the momentum going so we all can experience even greater success in the year ahead.  Thank you to everyone who has helped bring us to where we are, and we look forward to working with you more in 2011!

A major benefit of our photo booth that the others don’t have (aside from our lower rate) is that all the workings are inside.  You don’t see the printer or the computer; just a sleek, attractive wooden case.  When the prints pop out at the side, it seems all the more magical!

Another thing that was exclusively ours was the use of props.  I know what you’re thinking: props are cheesy!  While we admit to some cheese-factor, this is truly outweighed by the fun that props lend to photo booth snaps.  Props bring out everyone’s playfulness.  Props make mugging for the photo booth camera more natural and lighthearted.  It’s much easier to strike a pose when you’re wearing a feather boa!  

Props are a simple addition, but they make all the difference in how people interact with the photo booth.  Props add fun, and people having fun make for better pictures.  Rest assured, your guests will keep their photos to remind them how much fun they had at your event.

Props also can make the booth photos more topical.  A holiday party can use mistletoe, elf hats, candy canes, giant snowflake cut-outs.  For birthday parties, add a crown and scepter, pointy party hats, noisemakers.  Wedding photo booths are more fun with a bouquet, veil, top hat.  You get the idea.  Just about any event or theme can be reinforced and played out with the photo booth props.

But you don’t need a theme to have fun with photo booth props.  Any type of party can have more photo booth fun with empty picture frames, goofy hats and glasses, and of course the aforementioned feather boas.  

When you’re hosting the photo booth but you’re out of creative ideas or you just don’t want to bother with the props, allow us to provide them for you.  For a small additional charge, we include a prop tree with your photo booth booking.  All you have to do is stand and smile!

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.

Over 10 years ago, while still a part of SMP, 5th Avenue Digital started by doing corporate photography, and we continued to focus on this segment after the split.  However, we soon realized we’d need to expand beyond this rather narrow market.  The companies officially separated shortly before the start of the economic meltdown.  Subsequently, the corporate work (particularly with our larger clients, Lehman Brothers and AIG) dwindled drastically.  We knew then that we’d need to regroup, find ways to reach new market segments and develop new offerings, if we were going to survive.

While the market has yet to truly rebound, we’ve been able to stay in business because we looked beyond our initial scope.  We now provide top-notch photographers for weddings, mitzvahs and other social events, offering a flexible range of talent, rates and services.  By offering these services at hourly rates, we differentiate ourselves from our competitors, and we’re meeting the demands of today’s consumers, who want tailored services to match their specific needs.  check out our  website for our social photography business.

We’ve also developed new products for our corporate and social clients, most notably YouBooth, our streamlined, modern version of the photo booth.  Most of our clients (especially event planners) prefer to keep things simple, working with as few vendors as possible.  By providing another service they may previously have sourced elsewhere, we’re able to be more of a one-stop-shop for all our clients’ photographic needs.

As any shrewd business person knows, thriving in this sluggish economy takes more than talent and drive.  Being a successful business owner also requires the ability to analyze and respond to the ever-changing dynamics of today’s marketplace.  And we don’t do it alone.  With help from my industry colleagues, family and friends, we plan to push forward and make the next two years even better than the first two.

Thank you, Howard Givner for the ispiration for this post on your thought provoking blog,  and thank you to all the industry professionals that have supported our growth and trusted us with your clients!  Lastly to my incredible team in the office and the photographers that work with us:  Thank you for working as hard as you do to see this business thrive!

What steps have you taken to survive in today’s economy?  I’d love to hear your stories so we can all share in each other’s successes, and we can all help each other thrive.