A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Photo Booth Rental Business
A Photo booth rental business is great for anyone who likes or has interest in photography. Photo booth rental service is a great addition to any event planning business or even as a single service offering. This service provides guest and attendees the ability to take photos during events and social gatherings. There are many types of events that use photo booths such as parties, weddings and commercial events. Today’s photo booths offer a variety of photo-taking options. Some photo booths offer the ability to instantly print, create GIFs and also share to social media.
Where should I begin to start a photo booth rental business?
Starting a photo booth rental business is fairly easy and relatively inexpensive as well. You’ll initially want to come up with a business name and register it with your state and the federal governement for legal and tax purposes. You’ll then want to obtain a logo, website, phone number and email address. Once you have these things in place, you can establish business insurance, banking and credit.
How much will it cost to start a photo booth rental business?
Initial start up cost can vary greatly depending on the type of equipment you invest in. You should plan on anywhere between $3000-$10,000 as an average. This will also includes the fees associated with making your business legal and compliant.
The bare bones equipment you’ll need to get started include a booth, camera, laptop, software, printer and printing paper. Should you choose you can also invest in props and additional backdrops.
What type of photo booth should I invest in first?
For your first photo booth, you’ll most likely want to invest in an ‘open air’ type. Open air photo booths give the operator the ability to fit a larger number of people into one frame. The main types of ‘open air’ photo booths in use today are iPad/tablet or DSLR photo booths. Their cost and functionality vary greatly. iPad/tablet photo booths are great for those who aren’t very familiar with shutter speed, ISO and aperature. The ease of use with your photo booth using an iPad/tablet might be the better option. If you’re a quick learner you or you know how to use a DSLR camera then the DSLR route is likely better suited for you.
iPad photo booths use the touch screen and built-in camera of the iPad to create digital photos. There are many software options for the iPad. Many include backgrounds, built-in props, filters, effects and social media sharing capability. This is the perfect way to get started with your photo booth rental business when you’re just starting out.
DSLR photo booths usually offer more functionality and tend to be more expensive as well. These types of booths usually include a built-in touch screen interface, separate PC, photo printer and DSLR Camera. The benefit of this type of setup is the enhanced photo taking ability, top of the line photo quality and fast processing speeds.
What other equipment will I need to invest in?
Now that you have chosen the type of booth setup you’ll need, you’ll also want to purchase additional lighting, backdrops, props and photo booth software.
Lighting
While many photo booths include some sort of lighting, it may not always be sufficient. For this reason you’ll always want to have additional lighting on hand to ensure that your pictures are crystal clear. Lighting can be purchased
Backdrops
With ‘open air’ style photo booths it is best to have several backdrops that are interesting and attractive as well. You may also want to invest in a double sided backdrop that is white on one side and green on the other as well. This will allow you to add green screen effects from within your software.
The most common size for a standard backdrop is 8 feet by 8 feet. To accommodate a larger groups you may also want to have on hand a 10 feet by 20 feet back drop as well. This is a good starting point that will lend versatility to your initial arsenal.
Software
There are dozens of photo booth software choices on the market. Most DSLR booths include software with the built-in PC so you won’t have to worry about this if you go this route. If iPad is your choice of booth then you’ll have a plethora of choices.
The type of software you purchase can also eliminate the need for physical props and backdrops. Many of these elements are built into today’s latest software and can be pre-selected. This also makes your setup more portable and will take less time to setup and breakdown.
How much should I charge for Photo booth rental service?
Starting a photo booth rental company has huge upside potential. Not only will you be able to generate revenue from the rental itself, but you can also charge for hard copy photos and social sharing as well. As your business grows you can also add additional booths.
The average photo booth rental cost per rental is about $250 per hour with a minimum rental of period of 2 hours. You can easily make $500 per event with the minimum number of hours and as much as $2000 in an 8 hour day. With low overhead which basically includes gas, film and your time, profitability can be reached quickly.
How do I get my first photo booth rental client?
Networking
Like with any business you’ll need to get the word out. A good place to start is to connect with event planners, DJ’s, caterers, wedding venues and those connected to the private and commerical event industry. You may want to price your services more competively until you get a few clients to get the ball rolling and give you business a jump start.
Online Marketing
Online marketing is also a great way to promote your new business. Promoting your website via social media is an effective way to connect with the other professionals that service the entertainment industry through outreach.
What event types should I focus on?
There are a good number of events that use photo booths. Weddings are the obvious one, but you can also target commerical events, like trade shows, seminars and conferences. On the private end you can go after mitzvahs, birthday parties and milestones like anniversaries.
We hope that you found this information helpful and gives you a good foundation to start with. Please share this with others who may be looking for a new career or something that start up as a side hustle.
