Photo booth business

[circuitboy]

Does anyone knows about this business? I am a photo booth operator in the Philippines and I'm just thinking that this photo business will be a big hit here. I already saw few operators here in Singapore but not totally the same concept as what we have there. Any feedback or comments on this concept of photography?

 

[Agetan]

Hi,

Here is what I think. Concept for photography generally only last for a while or as long as you can make the business a selling point.

It will hit a peak and once a new things are here, this will be replace unless u can find a niche on how to market it uniquely. There might be differences but to clients, it is a same thing unless they know the differences.

Any type of new concepts need to be hitting the market quickly and hit the volume.

So it will largely how you market it and what market are you pitching on and at what selling point.

Wish you best of luck.

Regards,

Hart

 

[circuitboy]

Hi,

Here is what I think. Concept for photography generally only last for a while or as long as you can make the business a selling point.

It will hit a peak and once a new things are here, this will be replace unless u can find a niche on how to market it uniquely. There might be differences but to clients, it is a same thing unless they know the differences.

Any type of new concepts need to be hitting the market quickly and hit the volume.

So it will largely how you market it and what market are you pitching on and at what selling point.

Wish you best of luck.

Regards,

Hart

yah. that's true. every business will have their highs and will get to the point that it will stabilize. however, i see this business as a legit photo biz and not only some fly-by-night or gimmick. photographers can really market this as part of their service aside from traditional ones.

the cultural differences make me think twice of setting this up here. i don't know how the people here will welcome this service.

 

[Agetan]

You are right. Every business will hit a peak but how to make the peak higher is always another questions.

Any legit business will experience the same.

I don't believe in general perspective or cultural, if one market the business well, they will penetrate through the market regardless of the cultural differences. That is why I mention, creating a niche on how the business is marketed.

Regards,

Hart

 

[catchlights]

whatever things you want to start, you need to make it quick, once everyone start to come in, they will drive the price all the way down till everybody hug and die together,
so whenever you see everyone want to have a slice of cake, it is time for you to pull yourself out of it.

 

[Reportage]

Does anyone knows about this business? I am a photo booth operator in the Philippines and I'm just thinking that this photo business will be a big hit here. I already saw few operators here in Singapore but not totally the same concept as what we have there. Any feedback or comments on this concept of photography?

It depends what you have to offer to the events companies here for them to consider you rather then their usual tried and tested operators.

 

[sjackal]

whatever things you want to start, you need to make it quick, once everyone start to come in, they will drive the price all the way down till everybody hug and die together,
so whenever you see everyone want to have a slice of cake, it is time for you to pull yourself out of it.

Indeed, if one remembers this thread about instant printing: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/photo-biz/916872-instant-photo-printing-gone-dogs.html

Which is quite similar to Photo Booth - except real photo booths probably have higher setup and startup costs.

 

[allenleonhart]

i prefer neoprints any day actually...

 

[circuitboy]

whatever things you want to start, you need to make it quick, once everyone start to come in, they will drive the price all the way down till everybody hug and die together,
so whenever you see everyone want to have a slice of cake, it is time for you to pull yourself out of it.

this is true too. but base on my experience, once everyone starts to jump in and the prices dive, one by one these operators pull themselves out of this biz. operators with poor quality are the first to be hit. it's just a law of supply and demand. it's quite easy to judge a quality photo booth. the photos will speak for itself.

 

[circuitboy]

i prefer neoprints any day actually...

this instant print biz has been with us for a long time actually and neoprint is one.

photo booth does more than neoprint as the photos can serve as souvenirs and depending on the crowd, photo booth can be enjoyable.

 

[ziggy]

this instant print biz has been with us for a long time actually and neoprint is one.

photo booth does more than neoprint as the photos can serve as souvenirs and depending on the crowd, photo booth can be enjoyable.

For this to really work, where the booth is located becomes very important. High traffic areas mean high rental, if you are allowed to put a photo booth. To minimize costs, most photo booths are quite basic, therefore not very appealing to the shopping mall owner, and perhaps even to the targeted consumer. That is why it is tough.

The souvenir photography business at high traffic locations like theme parks, zoo, etc on the other hand is big business. They had started as photo booths but now have actual photographers (they are more salesperson than photographers). Capital investment and operating costs are very high but so are the returns.