But as good as 2009 was 2010 holds even more promise. I’ve got several inquiries and a couple of consultations to set up for weddings this year, and a birthday party needing a photobooth on the schedule.

Speaking of photobooths, we brought in 2010 with an impromptu photobooth at Peter and Jana’s Roller Skating Capes and Bling NYE party.

All the images are up on Facebook, but Facebook wrecks images so I wanted to post a few here.

This is the opener, the guest of honor Ryan

What I love about the photobooth is it lets everyone get into the act. All night whole families came over and got what amounts to mini family portrait shoot. I would do 3 -4 shots of each group. One “normal” and then coach them to be a little more – uh not-so-stick-up-your-butt like. Which isn’t all that hard in this case considering the context (hello, capes AND bling) and who the party goers where.

Case in point, check out these sets:

Another thing I love about the photobooth is I have absolute control over the light. Place the subject, pose and compose. Super rad.

The more willing people are to get a little wacky the better the images – which is why this would be great at a wedding or a party with an open bar. Or in this case a party with my friends who are all just a little off anyway.

For you technique geeks I set up two SB 600s 8ft up on stands, with diffusers on the heads fired through shoot through umbrellas. They are at about a 45 degree angle to the backdrop. Triggered by an SB 800 on camera (hint:set it to — so it won’t ad to the exposure). They are at full power (didn’t complain a bit and I didn’t have a single misfire, you will want to give em a brake every 2 – 3 shots but you will need to talk and compose people anyway so it works out). I shot at 1/40 at 5.6 with a 17mm lens, hand held. The backdrop is a 10x seamless gaffer taped to the wall on one side and clamped to a light stand on the other.