Making a DIY Photo Booth for Your Party

One of the best aspects of a party is making memories. However, over time, details tend to fade in our minds, and something that was once so memorable can be long forgotten. The best way to ensure that you and your guests can make the most of your party is to have as many photographs of the evening as possible.

Anyone can take candid photos, but they are often of blurry children running, or people's backs as they walk to their next conversation. A great way to see every face from your guest list is to have a designated photo area, like a makeshift photo booth. See below for some great tips on how to create your photo area for lasting memories.

Make a great backdrop. You can use any background fabric you like, but solids will work best. Make sure to cut your backdrop into six by four feet, so it fits most camera formats. Find a cozy corner of the house or venue to hang your backdrop, and make a clever sign pointing out the purpose for your guests.

Light it up. Even the best cameras and the latest smartphones struggle with a low light environment. If you want your guests' photos to turn out great every time, it's important to make the photo area as bright as possible. Natural sunlight in an outdoor venue during the day will do the trick, but if you are having an evening get together, you'll have to fake it with lamps. A good trick to use the bulbs that simulate daylight in an ordinary tall lamp.

Make it interesting. No one wants to feel like they are taking their yearbook photo, so skip the boring stool and a bucket of hair combs and opt for something fun. Props are what makes for an entertaining photo booth. Hang an antique picture frame from two wires for black and white photo fun, or have a lightweight oval photo frame on hand for your guests to hold up if they want to frame their faces. Include funny items like fake facial hair, speech bubbles, goofy glasses or even wigs and encourage your guests to get creative.

Use hashtags to share photos on social media. Create a personalized hashtag for your event and have it printed clearly on a sign near the booth. Social media is where your guests are going to want to share their best photos, so adding a hashtag will help to gather them all in one place to look at later. This is also a good way to get out of the expense of providing a camera or professional photographer by encouraging your guests to use their smartphones.

Provide a mirror for laughs. If your guests just can’t wait to see how they look in your amazing props, provide an oval wall mirror for your party goers to perfect their looks before they take their best photos. The sound of laughter will be filling up the room as your guests create magical memories.