Paint Sew Glue Chew: DIY Photo Booth for Kids Party (unmanned).

If you believe everything you read on the internet, a party isnt really a party these days unless you have a Photo Booth. Most of these involve hiring a professional photographer, or relying on friends to take the photos.

I wanted to set up a Photo Booth for a kids party (11 year olds) away from the main party room that didn't require any (or minimal anyway) adult intervention...partly (mainly) because I wanted to enjoy the party, but also because I thought the kids would be more candid and uninhibited without parents around.

I also needed the kids to be able to see the photos as they were being taken, so they wouldnt have to wait for them to be uploaded after the party.

A lot of the kids have been together for the last 7 years, and now are moving on to a huge range of different schools. While I'm sure many will keep in touch, this gives the kids a chance to take photos with their groups of friends.

Even allowing for some very boisterous fizzy drink fuelled children (my son included), we managed to get some fab shots.

The basic things you need are:

* Camera obviously (I used a Canon EoS 450), tripod and compatible remote control (cheapy bought from ebay worked fine. Spare batteries for both of these are useful too.
* Computer (Macbook), with long cable and remote capture software

* Background (Dust sheet hung over a frame with a few garlands to brighten it up for ours)
* Props
* Instructions

A few stiff drinks so you dont spend the evening worrying that the kids are trashing your computer and camera.......

Basic setup:
The camera on the tripod is attached to the computer via a USB cable. I bought a 5m cable so that I could position the computer off to the side (for safety and also so the kids could see the shots as they were taken). Its a good idea to tape down all the loose cables.

The software I used is "Remote Capture", an application that came in a bundle with my camera. It allows you to shoot remotely from the camera (as the name suggests). The camera needs to be set to remote capture (on mine it was part of the single / continuous shoot setting) .

Position the camera in front of the background, far enough away to get as many people in as possible ( mine was about 10ft) Mark out a capture area in front of the background, that shows what will be "in shot" so that guests know where to stand.

For props:
I asked all parents to contribute props...wigs, hats, tutus etc....anything that didnt constitute a family heirloom really. I made a bunch of moustaches, monacles etc (there are loads of website you can copy) on sticks and some thought and speech bubbles. It was a fab array...some people have a crazy dressing up box to plunder.

For the backdrop:
The sky is the limit. There are some amazingly creative and beautiful backdrops....for mine, I used an old dust sheet, and the star bunting I made for Abbis party a while back.

For instructions:
I put signs on my computer and on the camera (front and back) telling the kids not to touch the settings (ha ha....like that would stop them).

I also printed an instruction poster and stuck on the wall:

I drew a square on the ground with "X-Marks the Spot" showing the "range that the kids would have to stand in to be in shot for the camera as set up.

Finally I marked the button on the remote that the kids were to point at the camera and press to release the shutter remotely.

I set it up, and then resisted the (overwhelming) tempation to go back and see how it was going. I didnt go back in until just before the end. Clearly my instructions had been largely ignored (esp the no touch stickers!)

The blurry photos, and the ones out of position are a great memento of the kids having fun as well, and against all odds, camera and computer survived unscathed.

Poster outside to drum up some trade.....