Building an Automated Photo Booth Is Cheaper Than Renting One
YouTuber DIY Machines' homemade wedding photo booth uses a DSLR camera and an Arduino Nano for control.
Automatic photo booths at weddings or other events can be a lot of fun, allowing guests to take shots of themselves with silly poses, perhaps even with props to inspire their creativity. The can, however, be expensive to rent, and YouTuber “DIY Machines” was asked if he could instead build one for a then-upcoming event. The device was of course a bit hit, and he outlines how you can construct your own rig here and in the video below.
The system is triggered by a big round arcade button, in a housing that cleverly attaches to a standard tripod that can be positioned in front of the main device. After pressing the button, a countdown then starts, and subjects are instructed to “SMILE!” while a picture is taken. This repeats three times, with the resulting images displayed by a monitor on the front of the photo booth/box.
To snap each photo, an Arduino Nano signals the DSLR camera inside via a cable cut off of a shutter release. The Nano also controls a series of four MAX7219 matrices, which scroll the countdown and instructions. Besides being shown on the monitor, photos are stored on the DSLR’s memory card as well. These lasting memories that can be proudly displayed… or trotted out later as evidence!