DIY photo booth?

sirsloopsirsloop Registered Users Posts: 866 Major grins
edited January 16, 2007 in People
Hi folks... I'll start off by telling you all that I am not a wedding photographer. I'm a sports shooter and have hired pros to shoot photo & video at my wedding and reception, 9/1/07. They are aware of my desires to have a booth - and we all understand that this is something that I would do. They have no obligations towards this.

As you can imagine I've been out to visit a ton of local wedding photographers and have liked some things, disliked some things, and thought some of the stuff I could pull off by myself - such as a photo booth. Does anyone have any tips they could give me on setup for this? It needs to be stupid drunk proof and completely maintanence free. Now the wedding and reception is going to be at my fiance's horse farm, so I can setup this up any time from now until then and get the settings down. This can be setup days before the wedding and taken down days after if need be. I would set it up, but I would show my best man how it works and how to take it down so I dont need to deal during the reception.

I was thinking...

- Place the camera up on a tripod, or possibly attach a small tripod to a desk/frame so I have a place to secure wires (from people yanking on it).
- Rebel XTi with either the ef10-22 or ef35/2 on there depending on available space. I like the idea of the 10-22 as it looks crazy when the subjects get close to the camera.
- Canon RS-60E3 Remote Cable release w/ extension cable secured to the desk. I have the wireless remote but I figure some drunk person would take by accident. Are there any other releases that are longer w/out having to source an extension? Its just a 1/8" jack right?
- AC power adapter attached to the camera
- A pair of light boxes on each side of the table portrait style - possibly hook my 580 up to a stand w/ an umbrella. Sandbag/tape on the tripod feet to keep them upright.
- Background is up in the air... may just use a simple white backdrop attached to a wall. Probably cloth for durability. I like the idea of putting up some sort of draping around the entire booth so people cannot see whats going on inside. If its out in the open then you are less likely to get crazy insane photos. icon_smile.gif

as far as camera setting.-

If I use flash I can simply set it to manual mode and dial it on via the histogram when there are a couple people standing there. If flash is used, the camera will be 1/200th manual - lens probably at f/11 or so. I'm thinking I should leave AF on incase anyone wants to get crazy w/ closeups... AF on w/ all points enabled.

How does this sound? Does anyone here use one of these booths or have any suggestions on how I can pull this off while making it drunk party animal proof? Any of these ideas off, or is this pretty sound?

Thanks! icon_smile.gif

Comments

  • sirsloopsirsloop Registered Users Posts: 866 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2007
    anyone seen one of these or have any ideas?
  • cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2007
    how about connecting your Xti to a laptop via EOS Utility. This gives you a harddrive to save to, for unlimited shots, and if you turn the screen toward the subject, they can see the shot afterwards.

    The remote would work, you can always tape it to a block of wood or something.
  • sirsloopsirsloop Registered Users Posts: 866 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2007
    cmason wrote:
    how about connecting your Xti to a laptop via EOS Utility. This gives you a harddrive to save to, for unlimited shots, and if you turn the screen toward the subject, they can see the shot afterwards.

    The remote would work, you can always tape it to a block of wood or something.

    I thought about the laptop as well, but I don't have one and it would probably get abused by all the women pawing at it trying to see the photos. I like the idea of them not seeing the photos. Less likely for them to want to play with the equiptment. Ive got a 8GB microdrive so there's PLENTY of room even shooting RAW.

    Heh heh... I thought about the remote thing as well... but then you would have someone holding a hub cap with a remote attached to it rolleyes1.gif
  • flacoflaco Registered Users Posts: 19 Big grins
    edited January 16, 2007
    I wanted one of these for our wedding and both my MIL and Fiance slapped me down like I was crazy.

    Way too hard to do, way too expensive...said they.

    Soon after I figured out that I'm just a rubber stamp on this entire process...things have gotten easier since this realization.

    Flaco
  • sirsloopsirsloop Registered Users Posts: 866 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2007
    lol... what my baby wants my baby gets! She wants a booth rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gifrofl
  • photodougphotodoug Registered Users Posts: 870 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2007
    tell guests it's voice activated, man it with a person behind smoked glass, setup at the reception and let the fun begin!
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2007
    Article here and here.
    Moderator Emeritus
    Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited January 16, 2007
    bubby could run it for you!-

    92395660-L.jpg
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