DIY Complete Photo Booth Using PVC



 

It's almost Christmas, and the excitement in the air is palpable! For many people, however, 'tis the season for wedding planning! The warm months of June-October are the most popular times to get married, so those getting married in the middle of next year are deep in preparation for the big day. If you have gone to a wedding anytime recently, you have probably seen or even used a photo booth.

When you conjure up the image of a photo booth in your mind, you might think of the dark, cramped photo booth that used to be in your mall. This isn't the most glamorous thought, but never fear! This article will give you all the knowledge you need to make a spacious, bright, and fun photo booth that will capture all the memories from your special day! Renting a photo booth can be expensive, costing several hundred dollars for one day. This one can cost under $50 and can be reused! That's a great value if I've ever seen one.

Video:

This tutorial is based on the photo booth that blogger Dave Wirth created for his wedding. It uses primarily PVC materials for the frame, which makes it the perfect project for PVC enthusiasts like us! His videos and guides to making this DIY photo booth can be found here and here. In his guide, he creates the frame and rigs the camera system. Our guide will simply cover the booth itself, leaving the photography up to you!

Materials:

photo booth finished

3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Pipe:
-5' - x2
-6'1" - x2
-4' - x8
-2' - x6
-2'6" - x8
-12" - x7
-2'5.5" - x12
-2'9" - x1
-1.5" - x15 (for connections between fittings)

Instructions:

The first thing you need to do is cut all the different-sized PVC pipe segments. There are a variety of lengths, so to keep from getting mixed-up or losing count, start with the big pieces and work down. To cut them, you will need a PVC pipe cutting tool or a small handsaw.

Once you've cut all of the segments, you can start assembling the frame of your photo booth. Dave Wirth included the following visual to help with assembly.

instructions for diy pvc photo booth

This image associates each length of pipe with a color, making it easy to see where each piece goes! Don't forget, the 15 1.5" sections you cut should be placed between fittings that are attached to each other. When you assemble, all the pieces should fit snugly together. If you want to ensure nothing falls apart, you can use a rubber mallet to push the pipes into the fittings. Try to avoid using PVC cement if possible, because you will want to take this apart at the end of the day!

pvc photo booth with black and white curtains

Finally, you will want to attach curtains or sheets. This fabric will act as a backdrop and a way to keep the photo booth contained and more private. The original maker of this project used a dark curtain for the background, but it can be whatever you want it to be! To attach curtains, simply run the pipe through the curtain like you would with a curtain rod. If you use sheets, you may have to get a bit more creative with how you attach them.

When attaching curtains, it's important to make sure there is somewhere for the users to enter the photo booth. The picture to the right shows how Dave Wirth used two separate pieces of fabric for the side people will be entering. This allows users to enter and exit by simply pushing aside one of the curtains.

Once your curtains are attached, all you have to do is determine how the pictures will be taken. Often, photo booths have an operator, someone who takes the pictures from the outside of the booth. The originator of this design created a complex system that allowed occupants of the booth to take the pictures themselves, but this requires an amount of tech savvy that most of us do not possess.

For some more details on how this DIY PVC photo booth is made, check out Dave Wirth's great blog! Happy crafting!