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Found Footage: The do-it-yourself wedding photo booth

by Steven Sande Aug 17th 2009 at 2:00PM

What do you get when you mix a MacBook, a US$99 printer, some Ikea shower curtains, and lot of wedding guests?

In the case of Mac user David Cline, you end up with a very happy sister! During planning for his sister Helen's recent wedding, Cline looked into renting a wedding photo booth that would take pictures of guests, save a digital copy, and then print out a strip of photos for the guests to take home as a keepsake. The cost for the rental was prohibitively expensive -- about US$2,000 a day.

David quickly decided that by combining his Mac, a special Automator workflow that he created, an Epson PictureMate Dash printer, an old wardrobe frame, and colorful shower curtains from Ikea, he could inexpensively re-create the functionality of the expensive rental.

His Automator script prompted wedding guests for their names, took 3 photos, arranged the photos in a vertical strip, displayed the photos on the screen for the guests to view, printed out the photo strip, and then saved the individual photos and photo strips in digital form onto the Mac. After the wedding, the photos were uploaded to an online photo album.

From the looks of the happy wedding guests, the Do-It-Yourself Photo Booth was a success. I'd venture to say that David Cline is ranking high in the standings for the "Brother of the Year Award."

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What do you get when you mix a MacBook, a US$99 printer, some Ikea shower curtains, and lot of wedding guests? In the case of Mac user...
 

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Angie

Hi I donated yesterday but did not receive a link...?

Thanks,

Angie

September 10 2009 at 11:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jack

After I viewd the video and post. I just found it is a article about how to use a tools to DIY your photo ablums.

Just this, I think I muse do a photo booth for my pictures in http://www.discount-laptop-battery.co.uk/

August 20 2009 at 3:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Roy

I was wondering what programs the automator uses? Is it all built in stuff with the mac? I am assuming its photobooth, but after that what program is being used to have the photos imposed 3 up?

August 19 2009 at 9:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Roy's comment
david

It completely utilizes Automator; it in fact doesn't use the full Photo Booth application. Check it out :)

August 20 2009 at 4:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ryan Messick

I just donated and got an email for the download link right away. I setup a new user account on my mac and setup the resolution to it's lowest (so that the photo booth countdown preview looks larger). Then I made a border in photoshop (like David did) and I'm all set for my wedding photo booth next June, thanks a lot David!!!

August 18 2009 at 7:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
DM

I donated via PayPal and didn't get a link for the Automator action. So I would be very skeptical of donating money for this or to this person.

I went against my better judgement.

August 17 2009 at 6:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to DM's comment
david

@DM
I emailed you the link to the automator a few minutes before you posted your comment here. Please check your email! :)

Thanks for checking it out

August 17 2009 at 11:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark

I'm getting married in May and was thinking of doing a "video confessional" booth with Photo Booth. Any ideas on how to do that with Automator?

August 17 2009 at 3:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Mark's comment
Tony

Checkout my video guestbook at www.ivideoguestbook.com

Tony

August 19 2009 at 7:36 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Leif

This is very cool! The only thing I would add is a script to post photos to facebook :)

August 17 2009 at 3:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
david

Hey everyone,
its David Cline here
check out the blog to download application, and please consider donating :)

http://davidcline.wordpress.com/2009/08/16/diy-wedding-photo-booth/

August 17 2009 at 3:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to david's comment
Max McBucks

Thank you very much for letting us see and download your Automator workflow.

August 17 2009 at 3:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tristan OTierney

If you're looking for a more digital photobooth, FlickrBooth's probably a better fit. I'm not a big printer/paper person.

August 17 2009 at 2:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Tristan OTierney's comment
david

well the printer/paper part is the 'wedding favor' part of the set-up

also, this script is set up in such a way to allow more automation, which was REALLY easy and fun for the older crowd!

August 17 2009 at 3:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Martin

I'd love to see the script too. Nice post.

August 17 2009 at 2:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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