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Setting up a Photo Booth

Uncle Joe Warning!
Danger, Danger, Danger!

Building a photo booth is EASY.
Building one that will fit your imagination (i.e. create great pics) is NOT EASY.

Example, Wall Curtains:
Black curtains and average camera and an average photographer will make:

  • Black cars vanish
  • Dark Blue Cars look more like black
  • White Cars will drive the camera's software nuts

And with White curtains, flip it all over:
White curtains and average camera and an average photographer will make:

  • White cars vanish
  • Dark Blue Cars look more like black
  • Black Cars will drive the camera's software nuts

Cars are like MIRRORS
Curtains with pleats will cause the waves to appear down the side of the paint.
ANYTHING overhead will be seen on the hood and front glass
The BEST studios have a "dark zone" overhead (this accentuates the lines of the car)

The floor will get LOTS of use. What you choose for the floor will be critical.
Consider a pebbled finish to hide water and wear.
Tire wear will leaves paths and skids (especially in the summer)

Great studio shots are a time suck.
Your design must include TIME TO SHOOT. Be aware if your studio requires a "perfect setup" then you are responsible for the potential reduction in # of vehicles that have their pic taken. How much time are you ready to devote to each shot?

Lastly, In all likelihood, YOU WON'T GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. Leave yourself enough time and money to "dial it in".
 
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It would be nice if there was a vendor of some kind that offered consulting in the Cincinnati area. I would be all over a contractor that had experience in building this kind of booth. The fact of the matter is that not all of us are shutter bugs and have little knowledge of what works and what doesn't. I don't want to spend thousands of dollars doing something the wrong way.

Anyone have access to that best practices PDF that was referenced at the beginning of this thread?
 
It would be nice if there was a vendor of some kind that offered consulting in the Cincinnati area. I would be all over a contractor that had experience in building this kind of booth. The fact of the matter is that not all of us are shutter bugs and have little knowledge of what works and what doesn't. I don't want to spend thousands of dollars doing something the wrong way.

Anyone have access to that best practices PDF that was referenced at the beginning of this thread?


I was at Brian Pasch's SuperBowl party last year and I told one of the exec's of eVox that there was a boat load of opportunity in consulting for photo booth consulting (I learned this after the jillion dollars I spent "learning" how to build a booth). eVox had exactly what the dealer wants, knowledge! I proposed that once the dealer creates this booth to eVoxs specs, they deem it "eVox Certified".

eVox would see add'l revs from being a supplier to the unique materials to build the booth. A booth will cost $5k to $50k depending on space avail and budget freedom the dealer has. Margins should be 50%. eVox could also host semi annual photo training classes at their facility.

IMO, If eVox turned out a handful of eVox Certified booths like that Phoenix caddy dealer that Ed B showed us, they'd have their hands full with referral biz.

I liked the concept. Oh well.
 
I was at Brian Pasch's SuperBowl party last year and I told one of the exec's of eVox that there was a boat load of opportunity in consulting for photo booth consulting (I learned this after the jillion dollars I spent "learning" how to build a booth). eVox had exactly what the dealer wants, knowledge! I proposed that once the dealer creates this booth to eVoxs specs, they deem it "eVox Certified".

eVox would see add'l revs from being a supplier to the unique materials to build the booth. A booth will cost $5k to $50k depending on space avail and budget freedom the dealer has. Margins should be 50%. eVox could also host semi annual photo training classes at their facility.

IMO, If eVox turned out a handful of eVox Certified booths like that Phoenix caddy dealer that Ed B showed us, they'd have their hands full with referral biz.

I liked the concept. Oh well.

Joe, eVox could be setting up people that could compete against them. Now, websites, like Dealer.com are just templates. Dealers need their vehicles styled properly, good descriptions and nice pictures, at the least. They also need some pricing strategy and in all of these things, you have extensive knowledge and a vested interest.
 
It would be nice if there was a vendor of some kind that offered consulting in the Cincinnati area. I would be all over a contractor that had experience in building this kind of booth. The fact of the matter is that not all of us are shutter bugs and have little knowledge of what works and what doesn't. I don't want to spend thousands of dollars doing something the wrong way.

Anyone have access to that best practices PDF that was referenced at the beginning of this thread?


Dealermade | Drive the web!
 
Examples of photos we take and a booths we build for dealerships can be seen from some the accounts that we have and take their photos in our facility, at Sharp Cars LLC, Zeiser Kia, St peters mo, or lou fusz dodge chrysler jeep, ofallon mo, Are just a few accounts we have. We offer much more technology than what is shown in those photos as well.
 
The studio they use for lou fusz, dodge,chevy,mitsubishi,subaru is our photo studio, basically we professionally detail their cars and they come out of the detail shop and into the photo studio where we photo them and place them online for them. Thats in our area near ofallon mo,