(Newswire.net -- July 29, 2019) -- Ultra-rich resorts, cities and parties are helping boost an industry that has been in stagnation: photo booths. The photo booth is common at parties and big events, but social media has helped change the industry.
Events in Martha’s Vineyard and New York have focused heavily on the photo booth rental market, adding new ways to bring photos to the extreme.
Event designer David Monn added a photo booth among pink clouds and hydrangeas for a wedding in the East End. One company worked with +Pool, a nonprofit company, to create an underwater photo booth in the pool. The extreme photo booths are a hit with guests who are quick to share their photos on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Museums are renting photo booths with unique themes and events. An event last year at the Parrish Art Museum benefit included a photo booth which was a mini-hall of infinity mirrors. Budgets in the industry have swelled and can range from a modest $2,000 to $2 million for the most extreme experience.
Event designers claim that the industry’s move to extreme photos works so well because “everyone is a narcissist.”
Green-screen technology was used in one event for a National Geographic photo exhibit which allowed guests to pose virtually in front of wildlife, such as hippos and pandas. Other events include posing in front of old farmhouses with a pitch fork and overalls.
Photo booths are also becoming popular at the world’s most famous travel destinations, such as Amalfi where tourists are lured into photo booths.
Social media has led to the rise of the selfie culture, and event planners claim that the photo booth is a way to expand on the selfie without the use of a person’s phone. The photo booth allows for a shared experience with other people in a way that the selfie cannot match.
Photo booth rental companies also offer extreme options, such as a mobile 1976 VW bus which is painted with a 1958 color and is rented for $2,000 to a wedding. The bus acts as the backdrop for the photo and offers photos for up to 12 people at a time. One rental company offers flamethrowers in the background of the picture to create the ultimate party experience.
Luna PhotoLounge is offering additional photo booth options, such as creating memory books for guests for $125 which feature handwritten messages next to the person’s photo. Event planners state that photo booths are as popular as the dance floor at weddings.
