BEFORE the recent proliferation of smart phones, photos weren't always so easy to take.
There was even a time not too long ago when family and friends crammed into small booths to capture memories in four small frames. Photo booths reached their peak of popularity in the 1950s, but maintained their presence (mostly in malls) well into the 1980s.
After being relegated to the role of kitschy relic, photo booths have made somewhat of a comeback, and one North Vancouver company is updating the idea to suit the new era of digital photography.
"Over the last couple of years there has been a resurgence in popularity of traditional photo booths where it's quite common for people to have them at weddings or corporate events as a form of entertainment, but the booths themselves haven't really evolved very much," explains Scott McInnes, CEO and founder of TapSnap in North Vancouver.
Described as an open-concept photo booth, Tap Snap features an interactive 42-inch touch screen that allows users to take photos, manipulate images, and immediately print the photos or upload them to social media sites.
"We wanted to really take advantage of new technology and build something that was really the evolution of the traditional photo booth business," says McInnes, who has been in the kiosk and self-service business for about 12 years, primarily with DVD-rental vending machines.
Because the traditional photo booth equipment hasn't really evolved to keep up with technology, McInnes and his team saw an opportunity to create their own piece of equipment that was better, he notes.
"If you're having a wedding it can function as both entertainment and then also as a digital guest book," says McInnes of TapSnap.
The TapSnap machine takes photos of an individual or a group of people and users can then write messages, such as congratulations, on the photos on the screen with their fingers, or they can draw on the pictures (such as adding a mustache or a jaunty cap). It's similar to using an iPad.
The machine features digital props, such as hats and glasses, that users can drag and drop onto the image. The images can then be emailed or uploaded to social media sites.
"The social media aspect of having a wedding is becoming more and more important," says McInnes. Weddings are a big event, and are a lot of money, and brides and grooms want everybody to see what a wonderful event they had, he adds.
The TapSnap machines started renting out in July of last year, and McInnes says the reaction has been "wonderful."
"We call it the TapSnap effect," he says. "Everybody gets up and it gets them out of their seats and it's one of those things that draws people over to it and it has a real 'wow' factor."
The cost of the rental is comparable to the cost to rent a traditional photo booth, he says, and ranges from $500 for a couple of hours to $1,200$1,300 for a longer event. The cost also depends on what sort of extras are included, such as printing and photo albums.
"We have some really fun pictures," says McInnes of the events attended so far.
He says they attended one wedding where the bride's mom brought in props for people to wear.
"It really encourages people to loosen up and relax and have a good time."
TapSnap is also available for corporate events.
Mcinnes, who is a North Shore resident, says traditional photo booths sometimes don't appeal to guests who are dressed up and may not want to cram into a small booth. Traditional photos booths are also limited to taking pictures of no more than two people at a time. TapSnap can take images of a whole bridal party together.
McInnes notes, however, that the system would not replace a traditional wedding photographer.
"It's meant more to be on the entertainment side of things."
