When I first started my photo booth business, I purchased the obvious items, the photo booth, prop table, props, hand-truck, totes, scrapbooks, USB drives, etc. But when you are new, there are things that you won’t think of until you’re working an event and realize, “_____ would really come in handy right now.”
Recently, I reached out to photo booth owners for suggestions of things that they wished they had before their first gig. In addition to the items below, these were other suggestions:
Batteries
Flashlight
Tool kit
Extra USB wire
Extra Micro-USB wire
Ipad Charger
Screen Wipes
Scissors
Leveling Shims
Eye drops
Breath mints
Tide Pen
Safety Pins
Damp wash cloth
Deodorant
Make-up
Extra change of clothes
Extra business cards
Extra scrapbook pages
Tent Stakes. Perfect for holding down your backdrop or enclosed photo booth at those outdoor, windy events.
Gaffe Tape. When there isn’t an electrical outlet nearby and you want to avoid a lawsuit.
Sand Bags. Hurricane or tornado threatening the event? Keep your photo booth or backdrop on the ground.
Extra USB Hub. These have just gone bad before, so now I always keep a spare.
Sewing Kit. Fix a backdrop or prop, or be the hero and mend the bride’s dress.
Ear Plugs. Remember that time you were setup right next to the DJ?
Zip Ties. Perfect for Jerry-rigging.
First Aid Kit. Be the vendor that is ready for anything.
Extension Cord. When the electrical outlet isn’t quite within reach.
Adhesive backed Velcro. Sometimes you just have to “MacGyver” something.
Double-sided roller tape for the scrapbook. You can never have enough of these on hand.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you would like to add something, leave me a comment below or drop me an email, and this will be a forever updated list.
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Comments
you forgot scissors to paper jams, opening up media boxes, new prop bar code tags, prop tags for care instructions, etc.
Good one!
Screen wipes,Tide pen, Spare usb for printer and iec power cables, vga for monitor and micro usb for camera teathering and for me my canon selphy printer you never know when your dye sub wants to die
Thanks Omesh.
On the extension cord you should bring the ones which are made to go behind sofas and such. There hug the wall and are less likely to get pulled out easily.
Although a lot of weight a voltage stabilizing UPS can be nice to carry too.
Thanks Art, could you send me a link to these items?
Scissors is second on the above list…torch, phone, ipad etc charger, tools like screwdriver, wrench, snips,, ,,
Good stuff Tania, I will ad a little toolkit. Just curious what you’ve used a torch for? Or is that another way of saying flashlight?
Yes a flashlight…we call them a torch.
What is a torch used for in your country?
Great post, we have an ‘oh s**t kit’ in the van which we have added to all season (our first year in business)
Perfect name for it Emma lol.
Safety pins and an extra usb cords
Thanks Debbie, good ideas.
Great tips here. There’s nothing worse than getting to the event and something has ripped or torn and you don’t have the solution!
Thanks Jordan, so true!
A dolly or cart, spare everything when possible (to include camera, printer, computer, cables, etc.), light bulbs for external lighting, etc. Also, having the venue contact person is useful for a number of reasons but relating to this article you can have that person give you load-in instructions! Great list!
Good stuff Nick!
Thank you for sharing this. I would like to add if no one mentioned it, snack… I know some clients will feed you and there are others who don’t remember you.
So I always take some snack and gum. This keeps during the hungry hours (when smelling food0.
Nice addition Jackie!
Would you recommend getting a power generator or inverter?
Fernando, I haven’t had the need for one. Part of my contract states that the client has to provide me with power and it’s never been an issue.