More and more couples are adding to the professional photography and getting their guests involved in the memory making of their special day! Join Belinda Coleman from Melbourne Wedding & Bride as she talks with Grant Higgins, owner and founder of GNE Group and head of Photo Haus – the group’s photobooth division – about all things photobooths.
We all have fond memories being in the photo booth, whether it be a retro setup with a printer and the classic photo strip, or a more modern setup with digital photo sharing and digital photo effects. People are reminded not so much of the exact setup, props and special effects of the booth but more about the people in the shared frames. The posing, the fun, the vibes – in short, all the moments you might miss without a photobooth to capture them. GNE Group is a one-stop-shop for all things wedding moments, supplying everything from wedding cars to Musicians, DJs, Photographers, Audio and Video Guestbooks, Silent Discos, Karaoke, and of course, Photo Haus’ Photo Booths. Photo Haus has a broad range of photo booths from more traditional varieties to their 360 Video Booth with its impressive 360° Cameras.
Photography courtesy of Photo Haus.
From Instant Print to Insta-Gram
Higgins explained how the photo booth industry used to be run on print and prioritised instant print features, in contrast to this, recent trends have gone almost entirely digital. While this trend has been going on for years, Higgins has noticed it more in the last two to three years, with a “definite dip in people asking for the prints.” Simultaneously, less people are pleasantly “surprised by digital sharing like they used to be.” Photo Haus have been prioritising digital solutions from day one, as they noticed that “wedding guests are far less likely to put a photo on the fridge than sharing the photo straight to Instagram.” Higgins adds that “very often we see couples taking a photo of their photo strips so they can digitally share them immediately.” This seemed a bit silly to the Photo Haus team, so they have sought to make all their most affordable photo booths digital with what’s called their “Social Booth.”
In addition to improving photo quality and access with the Social Booth, digital photo options have reduced lines and wait times on photo booths with digital rendering happening much faster and more seamlessly than the old print method. Higgins adds that “sharing stations play a large part as well, as they can be setup past the booth to keep the lines moving.”
Ahead Of The Curve With A Total 360°
Photo Haus has stayed ahead of the curve with their digital options, but they’ve gone even further in the last few years, offering a 360° video camera booth. Higgins spoke about the joy of seeing people embrace the 360° camera for all it’s worth! He describes how people are initially curious and even a little nervous as “people who haven’t been around the 360 booth before always ask questions about how it works, what they should do… we like to urge them to think like early 90’s Madonna, Vogue as the camera zooms by.” He then added that “those more unassuming people are always shocked at how good the results come out.” For Higgins, part of the joy of the photobooth is in seeing people learn its potential and start to get involved. “you can really see the night evolve through the chronological gallery … people are always figuring out what it can really do, and the GIFs and boomerangs start coming out more frequently. That’s when the real fun begins.”
Photo Haus adopted the 360 cameras early, and when they first brought them in very few people understood how they worked, but Higgins has noticed a significant increase in understanding of the system over the past few years as red carpets and big awards shows have started featuring similar setups. “I see a lot more kisses blown and poses struck at the correct time than back in the day,” Higgins reflects.
Advice From The Pro Photographers
Can a photobooth replace your wedding photographer? Absolutely not! However, it is an important addition to your wedding day. GNE Group also has a dedicated photography branch, Howler Photographic, and their photographers love when clients go for their Fusion Packages. The Fusion Packages give the best of both worlds, allowing the photographer to capture the specialised and high-resolution images that are so important for your wedding day! With the addition of the photo booth, the pressure on the photographer to get candid shots of all the guests is reduced, enabling them to focus on the main events and capture the happy couple. Having a photo booth encourages guests to make as much content as they can. The photo booth adds to the collection of special memories the couple collects on their day. The whole point of the photo booth is the experience, the vibe and the energy that the participants bring, it allows a whole new window into the wedding. Leaving you and your guests with vibrant keepsakes that are cherished for years to come!
So, what’s the advice from the pro photographers? Book in that photobooth now!