How To: Set Up a DIY Photo Booth Using Your Computer (Free Software Download Included)

By: Bruno Nov 09, 2010

A DIY MacBook photo booth (use a colorful shower curtain or table cloth as a backdrop)

If you have a computer and a printer, then you also have a DIY photo booth just waiting awesome-ize the next birthday party, wedding, or celebration you attend. Some people think photo booths are lame or cheesy; I assure you, they are not. They're a ton of fun, help guests get to know each other, and make guestbooks great. 

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Some friends of ours just got married (read about our DIY wedding gift for them here), and I wanted to set up a photo booth for their reception. It had to be easy (no work involved for the guests), print automatically, and take a series of timed photos in sequence. 

A little Googling turns up a lot of similar, but slightly unsatisfactory (for various reasons) solutions. To save you the hassle of wading through the internets in search of the one true DIY photo booth that will just work, I'm sharing mine with you here (see below for download/instructions).

What I came up with is an Automator workflow (read more) that makes the whole process seamless.

***Note: The software only works on Mac OS X computers. The approach will still apply to Windows or Linux machines, but you'll need to search for the appropriate software.

 

 

Just want the download? Click here to skip the details and get to the goods.

 

 

When you run the software, it:

  1. Prompts the guest to enter their name
    Prompts for the guest's name 
  2. Creates a folder specific to that guest
  3. Snaps three photos using the computer's built-in camera
    Uses iSight camera to snap 3 pictures 
  4. Saves the photos to the guest's folder (individually)
  5. Combines the three photos into a vertical strip 
    example photo strip 
  6. Prints the strip 
    Photostrip printing 
  7. Sleeps the computer, using the pictures taken so far as the screensaver
    Screensaver with photobooth photos 

Here are some examples from the wedding:

                   DIY MacBook photobooth examples

You can download the entire Automator workflow using the link below.

If you end up using this for a party of your own, please let us know in the comments (and include some pics!).

Enjoy!

Download:

Requirements:

- A Mac running OS X 10.6.4 (Snow Leopard) or later, with a built-in or USB iSight camera
- A standard ink-jet printer and sheets of 4x6 photo paper 

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Comments

this seems to freeze my computer everytime i open it. what am i doing wrong? I plan to use it at relay for life as a fundraiser. 

i tried on all my mac computers running the appropriate OS X and higher and it crashes on all 3.  Works sometimes but not all the time.  Good idea but wish it wouldn't crash.

Will your program work if I tether my camera to my computer? Also, can it print double strips rather than one?

I am having difficulty getting the printer to print the pictures centered on the 4x6, is there anything I can do on the software side to help them?  Been trying to fix it on the printer side to no avail

When taking a Video Snapshot, is there a way to change which camera to use?  I have a logitech webcam hooked up to my Mac.  Photobooth picks this up as the default however your photobooth workflow does not.  I'd like to use this webcame vs. the built-in isight because it takes higher quality photos.

Please help! My wedding is in 2 months!

OK, finally got it to work EXCEPT printing. I want to use a photobooth at an upcoming event. Because I don't want my PC touched I installed a PowerMate button. Using iPhoto and the PowerMate button, in four easy steps I can take the pictures (4), view, print and delete. I like how Curbly will put the pics in a strip (something iPhoto won't) BUT how can I get the pictures to automatically go into print mode? Am I missing something?

Anyone who is running into the New PDF Contact Sheet error, extract this file and place it in the 'System > Library > Image Capture > Tools' folder and then try again.  I found the makepdf.app file needed for newer OS's and instructions a few pages down in the comments.

Today, I tried the above link Click here to download the file once again. Now, it forces my macbook to go into screen saver mode. What's up with your download????

I would like to be able to print vertically and two rows like a photo booth picture is that possible?

Would like to use this program for an upcoming party, however when I try the download this is the message I get:The action “New PDF Contact Sheet” encountered an error. I'm using MacBook OS X version 10.6.8

Hi I would like to use this for my daughter's birthday party, but my Dad wants to take the pictures not use the computer to take the pictures.  Is that possible with this program?  I really like the photobooth print out look!  I look forward to your response.  Thanks

thanks, this is great. if we use it i will send you oictures.


Excellent setup. I have used a more elaborate setup for years and many occasions. I summarized it here.
http://vigorotaku.blogspot.com/2010/11/photo-booth.html

Dan at Vigorotaku

I'm having the same problem as SAW. Also on leopard 10.6.8

Any word on what to do? I want to use this for an upcoming party.

I am considering doing this for my wedding and I am wodering if there is a way to add a last box at the bottom with an icon or our names or something so people remember it as a pictures from our wedding. Thanks!

Pro Tip: Stick on one of those wide-angle cellphone "jelly lenses" to your isight camera to capture larger groups. Available online for a couple of bucks.

This seems like a really cool thing but you don't give enough detail about installing the pdf contact sheet properly. It seems to be the main problem people are having.  Any more instruction?  Thanks

I'm wondering if there is anyway to use this program with an external monitor and webcam. There will be children at my party and I don't want anyone messing with my laptop.  Thanks

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I also experienced the error when the PDF tried to load. I copied the MakePDF.app from Leopard into my Tools folder in Snow Leopard and it worked! Yeah! I still have the print problem.

Like many other posts, I cannot print in landscape with my printer. I found a work around that I am ok with. I used letter size photo paper. I created a template in Word in landscape. I added vertical dashed lines every 2.5 inches from the right edge dividing the page into 4 columns with a 1 in. leftover on the far left. I also added a text box centered in each column at the bottom with my event information. You have about 2.5 inches at the bottom that leaves room for the text boxes. I am using this for Back-To-School Night. You will have to test out your own printer, but when you have the paper in right you get 4 strips out of one letter sheet. You must trim the photo strip off each time and re-insert the remaining part of the sheet to print the next frame. The dashed vertical lines are cutting guides. Use scissors or a paper cutter. My printer feeds from the top, so this is super simple. I plan to have several sheets ready to go and just rotate them into the printer as needed since I will be right there running the photo booth anyway. Not perfect, but hey, it works with my printer and I have the event info printed on the strip. I like that! Thanks for a free program for a poor teacher!

i'm testing the workflow on Lion OSX and the actions seems to be hanging at teh pdf contact. I checked that the pdf file was created in the picture folder but the action does not complete. Anyone tested in Lion successfully?

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