Portland Photo Party FAQ: All your questions answered

What is Portland Photo Party?

Portland Photo Party amplifies the fun of a traditional photo booth with an instant internet connection to Social networks, permitting your guests to have a blast interacting with the photo booth, and then communicating the fun to friends and family around the world by Facebook, Twitter and email.

How is Portland Photo Party different from others?

Portland Photo Party has 3 big advantages. Unlike old-fashion photo booths, Portland Photo Party takes both photos AND videos; we offer a big range of special effects filters; and we're connected to the Internet. This gives you the ability to share your celebration with family and friends who were unable to attend your event.

What is the advantage of video?

Video permits your guests to make personalized messages or congratulations or "video toasts." The precious voices of your friends and family will be captured for all time. This allows your videographer to concentrate on the fun things. No more interruption from a microphone being passed around the tables!

How many people can fit into Portland Photo Party's Photo Booth?

We can fit up to 8-10 adults comfortably. Although with a little creativity, many more can be included in the pictures; we've had up to 15 people in the booth at one time! When used in "open kiosk" format, without the booth enclosure, hundreds of people can join in the fun.

How can corporate events use the video booth feature?

When used for corporate events, the video feature can allow customers to record spontaneous testimonials about your product or service. These videos are then yours to use on your company's website, e-newsletters, etc.

What is the role of the attendant?

Much more than a machine, Portland Photo Party is a service, and key to that service is the professional photo booth attendant. Our attendant is an elegantly dressed young man or woman guaranteed to charm your guests, guiding them into the Photo/Video Booth with a few quick pointers on how to interact with the booth and get the maximum fun out of the experience. He or she will also help children or others with special needs to get the most fun out of the photo party. The attendant also maintains the equipment throughout your celebration, change printing paper if required, etc.

What areas do you service?

Portland Photo Party offers service throughout the Portland, Oregon, metro area, including Vancouver, Washington, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego and Wilsonville. We also offer service to weddings in Oregon Wine Country as well as university events in Salem, Eugene and Corvallis.

How much do you charge? Per Hour? Per Event?

We offer several all-inclusive service plans, with prices based on rental time and included features. We can also offer a custom solution according to your specific needs.

How Portland Photo Party works

How will my guests make photos and videos?

With our intuitive touch screen, nothing could be easier -- even technophobes and the elderly among your guests will find it easy to have fun. It's as easy as touching the "Photos" or "Video" button on the giant touchscreen. If “Photos” is selected, a series of 3 photos will be taken and at the end, the guest can print photo strips and/or share the photos via Facebook, Twitter or Email. If “Video” is selected, the guest can record a video message to the newlyweds or guest of honor.

Will the photo booth work if my venue does not have internet?

Yes. Each of our Photo Booths is equipped with an internet data aircard, permitting a stable connection everywhere there is cell phone coverage. If your venue is out of range of the data aircard, the photo printing and video service will still function for your guests, but we would upload the images to your gallery afterwards

Are props included?

Yes! Creative and plentiful props are one of the keys to success in the Portland Photo Party concept. We provide a great selection of humorous and fantasy props designed to bring out the nuttiness in everyone, from little kids to Great Grandma. This includes colored hats, boas, inflatable toys, signs, etc. Every Prop is sanitized after every use. Unlike other photo booth rental services, we DO NOT charge extra for props.

Are the props child friendly?

Yes. Children love our props. Most of our items included in each package will fit on most kids.

Can we supply our own props?

Yes. We encourage you to bring along any special props that your guests may enjoy taking pictures with. Props that suggest inside jokes are always fun to build your pictures with.

How fast do the photos print out?

Our on-site printer will start printing immediately after your photos are taken. It takes about 8-10 seconds to print your photo strip.

Are the photos of high quality?

Yes. Our photo station kiosk uses a righ-resolution DSLR camera. You get the highest quality color photos, featuring sharp focus and vibrant natural tones. All prints have a matte finish and will last a lifetime.

What if I want more than one copy of the same image?

Not a problem. Keep in mind an extra picture is printed for your scrapbook. If yet another copy is desired, just ask our attendant. There's no limit.

Will our photos be available online?

Yes. We can stream them to your Facebook page in real time, or we can upload them to a Facebook album after the event. We will also upload all original high-resolution images to our online gallery. There, you and your guests can download hi-res images, order high-quality enlargements or transform the images into fun photo souvenirs such as mouse pads, jig-saw puzzles, t-shirts or coffee mugs. There are scores of products to choose from.

How will my guests know where to find these galleries?

The links to your Facebook album and gallery are printed on each photo strip, so your guests will always know where to go to share and download copies.

Will the photos fade over time?

The quality printer and paper that we use lessen the possibility of fading. According to the manufacturer of our printer, prints are "expected to last 100 years under proper conditions."

What formats are available for photo prints?

We offer a choice of 2" x 6" photo strip or 4" by 6" format, either horizontal or vertical. Typically the photo strip format is most popular for photo booth setup, while those using our green screen service prefer the 4" x 6" format, as it gives more display space to the fun backgrounds that we create for a green screen party.

How many poses are there in each print template?

It depends on the print format and the type of event. For photo strips, most clients choose a 3+1 template, i.e. three poses and a fourth rectangle containing the event logo. We can also create a 3-pose or 4-pose template without logo. If a 4 x 6" format is used, we typically design a single-pose template, but templates containing two, three, four or five poses are available as well.

Can we personalize the prints?

Yes. You have the option of adding text to the prints (such as your event name) a logo or your picture. You may choose to have a picture of the Bride and Groom, birthday girl, etc. as the 4th picture on every strip. You may also add a logo with a date or other special information. We will work with you far ahead of your event to design it just the way you want.

What if we lose a print?

There are several ways to replace images. A copy of every picture taken is put in your scrapbook. You will be given a flash drive of all your pictures and videos, in high-resolution format, after your event. All images will be posted on our website in real time or within 48 hours after the event (if the internet connection wasn’t sufficient enough to upload in real time). You can also contact us to obtain duplicates.

Do we get unlimited photos and videos?

Yes. With every package the "fun" is unlimited. Most guests return for more fun several times through the evening.

What exactly is the Scrapbooking service included in the package?

Our scrapbook is for you to enjoy forever. At the end of the event we will give the book to you. It will be filled with Photo Strips taken at your party. Roughly 4 photos and 4 hand written messages will fill the front and back of each page. So the book will provide for about 150 photos and 150 personalized messages. Additional pages can be added if needed. We guide each guest to fill out the book. We will provide glue and an assortment of colored pens.

Your Portland Photo Party web gallery

How long does it take to see the photos and videos from our event online?

If you ask us to stream to your Facebook page, the photos and videos will upload in real-time (immediately) as long as there is a stable internet connection on site. In cases where a reliable internet connection cannot be established we will have them up on our Facebook page and website the very next day if possible.

Do you charge to print images from the gallery or save them to our computer?

No. All the photos on the Facebook album and website gallery are yours to copy as you wish, for free. If you want to download a high-resolution copy (files are 5-7 MB) our web service charges a nominal fee.

Do you filter the content of the photos placed in the event gallery?

Yes. We may delete pictures that are not appropriate for a general viewing audience. If you have specific instructions for filtering please let us know before the event or shortly thereafter.

Can a photo or video be removed from the event gallery?

Yes. We can delete images and videos from the gallery upon request.

Photo booth set-up

How big is the Photo Booth?

The photo booth structure is flexible: It can be set up to any dimensions from 5' x 5' to 7' x 7' The booth is 7 feet tall.

Are there limitations as to where the photo booth can be set up?

No! Ideally we would like to be right next to a power outlet. We will get together with your contact person at your venue and pick the best location.

Can the service be set up without the booth enclosure?

Yes. We can configure the service with or without an enclosure. If space is an issue, the “open air” kiosk can fit anywhere (it’s about the size of a traditionally ATM machine). This is also a common setup for business events, where a curtain with the company's logo or its products can be seen in the background.

Can we have a booth enclosure with green screen service?

Yes. Typically our clients like to have "open-air" green screen parties for all to see, but they can also be set up within the booth enclosure for those seeking more privacy. In such a case, the background curtain, instead of red, white or black, would be green.

Can the photo booth be set up outside?

Yes, we can set up outside if there is shelter provided such as a tent or cover. Without adequate shelter, the elements could lessen the quality of the photos and damage the equipment. Keep in mind that electricity is required.

Is the photo booth wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the Portland Photo Party is designed for everyone! The entrance to the Photo Booth is more than sufficient to accommodate any wheelchair or special needs situation.

Booking information

How early do we need to reserve?

Our bookings calendar fills up quickly, especially for weekend celebrations. Summer weddings on Saturdays typically book up 6-12 months out. Otherwise, we recommend booking 3-6 months in advance of your event.

What is your payment policy?

We require a 50% deposit along with a signed Service Agreement. Payment of balance is due 1 month before the event.

How do we pay?

We accept checks, credit card and PayPal payments. You can also pay by direct debit from your checking account.

What if I need to cancel or change the date?

If you need to change the date of your event we will try to accommodate you, providing we are not already booked for the alternate date. There is no charge for a date change. If you need to cancel your service entirely, there is a 50% cancellation fee.

How much time is needed to set up the photo booth?

Approximately 45 minutes.

Do you charge extra to setup the photo booth?

No. Set-up and tear-down is included in the package price.

How long should I rent Portland Photo Party for?

You will want the service to be available from the beginning to the end of your event in order to accommodate all of your guests. In most cases our clients rent the photo booth for 3 to 6 hours.

Can we have the photo booth shut down for an hour or two during the event?

Yes. We can create a custom package based on your specific needs.

Do you offer any discounts?

We often run specials or deals -- just ask and we'll let you know what our current deal/promotion is! And we offer discounts to schools, churches and non-profits; please email us for details.

Can we use Portland Photo Party to help raise money for our charity, school or church?

Yes. Please email us and we can talk to you about ways to do this. We are also open to suggestions.

Do you have insurance?

Yes. We are fully covered by a $2 million business liability insurance pollicy.