Photobooths have been around for quite a while now and I always seem to see the same thing. The first time I was asked to set up a photobooth, I fell into the "trap" of following the style most photobooths have - that boring flash and plain backdrop. Not that this is necessarily bad, because the photos get the job done, but I personally don't like to do things the same every time. Challenging myself in the photography/filmmaking world has always been a better teacher to me than just doing things by the rules.
Searching for "photobooth" on Google not only proves my point, but goes to show that photobooths have been quite literally made into a physical "photo" "booths." This is great for those trying to have a user-friendly on-the-go setting to take a photo with friends, but I would stay far away of making something with a similar end product if asked to set up a photobooth. Why would I want my photos to look like they were taken in a boring old box-booth? Especially if I'm taking them in a custom built photobooth setting. It's like saying - why should a custom built, hand-crafted shoe fit, feel, and look like a factory built, production line shoe? It shouldn't.
I've decided to take my filmmaking cinematics to the booth. I love cinematic lighting, cinematic shots, cinematic everything. There seems to be something that really appeals to me about, and you might like it as well. If I had to quickly break it down, I'd say what I really love about cinematic photobooths, is that the characteristics of the image play together cohesively. From the lighting to the props, everything works together to tell a story. Take this Great Gatsby themed photo for example:
I believe it's important to think about the "why's" of your photos. Why do I have that backdrop? Why should I light it this way? Why - Why - Why? Your "why's" may be different from the next guy's, so train yourself to think less instinctively and more dynamically. This is what I believe will really set you apart from the other photographers. You need to develop your style, but really develop it by use of thought in pre-production. Sit down to think why you do things the way you do them and why you want to do them that way.
If you enjoyed the photos, I wanted to show you a behind the scenes look of how the photobooth was shot. I know this isn't your conventional way to host a photobooth, but I worked with what I had at the time. Some will say, those lights aren't supposed to be used for a photobooth, or your camera set up is crappy - but in the end why does it matter? I got what I was aiming to get, and to me that's all that matters. Hopefully I was able to at least inspire you to get out and try something different. Don't be afraid to stand out and make something amazing at the same time - knock out two birds with one stone.