How to Make a DIY Photo Booth for This Years Holiday Office Party

Are you looking for the perfect way to thank your employees for a great year? You can’t go wrong with throwing them a party!

You’ll probably spend a lot of time deciding on the “big picture” aspects, like location, food, and music. And, of course, each of these elements is important. But don’t forget to offer some sort of entertainment, too (aside from music).

A photo booth is a great way to help employees cut loose and have fun with their coworkers. But hiring a company to set up the photo booth can get costly. If there’s just no room for that in your budget, consider making a DIY photo booth.

Do you want to know how? Keep reading to learn more!

Find a Good Camera

It should come as no surprise that the camera is the most important element of a photo booth. Without it, your guests will be posing for nothing!

Look for a decent quality camera and a sturdy tripod to ensure nobody goes home with blurry pictures. Of course, cameras can get costly too.

An estimated 224.3 million Americans own a smartphone. So, chances are, your employees are already coming to the office party with a great camera built right into their phone.

Instead of dropping big bucks on a quality camera, you can purchase a smartphone printer. Your employees can take the pictures with their smartphone and print them out immediately.

If you really want to bring back the nostalgia, consider getting a classic Polaroid camera. Your employees will have a blast, and you’ll save tons!

Opt for Remote Shutter Release

If you do opt to go the camera and tripod route, consider splurging on a remote shutter release. This will allow all your employees to get in the picture instead of someone having to sit out to take the photo.

Plus, those cameras are expensive! A remote shutter release helps ensure nobody will be touching and possibly damaging the camera. All they have to do is grab the remote and push a button.

Consider Getting Additional Lighting

Any photographer will tell you that lighting is crucial in a good photo. Even the best techniques can be overshadowed by poor lighting.

If you want to give your employees the best (and most flattering) pictures from your DIY photo booth, consider getting additional lighting. There are tons of different options, including a remote flash, a spotlight, a lighting umbrella, or a dimmable ring light.

All this equipment may sound expensive (and it is!), but it doesn’t have to go to waste. You can reuse it at every office party, and you can even open your own photo booth business on the side using FireBooth to promote it.

Of course, if splurging on lighting supplies doesn’t fit into your business’ finances, consider moving floor lamps behind the camera. If your party is during the day, consider setting the camera up in front of a window.

Find the Best Props

What fun is a photo booth if there aren’t any cool props? You want to give your employees tons of options to choose from.

The best part is that these don’t have to cost a ton. Hit your local dollar store or thrift shop and see what they have. Consider including the traditional props, like oversized sunglasses, masquerade masks, and silly hats.

Mustaches (and other objects) on dowels are also a great idea and can be purchased online or at a party store for less than $10.

Of course, you’ll also want to include some festive props to celebrate the holidays! Look for Santa and elf hats, reindeer antlers, and the like.

Have a Backdrop

While your employees and their chosen props will be the main attraction of each photograph, you still want to provide a nice backdrop. The boring office wall can take away from the fun of the photo.

Much like props, backdrops don’t have to cost a ton. You can make your own by hanging a sheet or piece of fabric on the wall. Since it’s a holiday party, consider going for a bright green or red piece of fabric or one with a festive pattern.

If you want to take your backdrop up a notch, consider purchasing a metallic or tinsel backdrop. Again, these can be found online or at your local party store for around $10. Plus, your guests will love how it makes their pictures stand out without taking away from the props.

Keep it Out of the Way

Once you have collected all your photo booth materials, the last step is to set it all up.

Start by finding the right location in the office. You’ll likely want to keep it in the corner, so people aren’t bumping the camera or having to go out of their way to avoid it. This also helps ensure there’s no random elbows or shoulders that are poking into the side of the picture.

If you didn’t opt to purchase additional lighting, find a corner near a window. If that’s not possible, find a corner with an outlet so you can plug in a lamp without needed an extension cord which could pose a possible tripping hazard.

Set the backdrop up and move the camera back far enough that almost the entire backdrop is included. This will allow several people to squeeze into one picture but will prevent the edge of the backdrop from being visible on the images.

Lastly, set up a table against the wall to store all those great props you got. This way, people can swap out their props between pictures.

Create a DIY Photo Booth for Your Next Office Party

If you have an office party coming up in the near future, you need to include a photo booth. It’s a real crowd-pleaser, and it’ll give your employees something to remember the night by. Just follow our guide to create a DIY photo booth, so you can save some money and give your employees a good time.

Are you looking for more tips and tricks to help your company succeed? Then check out our business blog page today!