What Is a Glam Photo Booth? (And Why Everyone Wants One)

Every family has an Aunt Linda. Aunt Linda has hated every photo of herself since 1987. She ducks out of group shots, she “just needs to grab something from the car” when the camera comes out, and she has personally untagged herself from more Facebook albums than anyone in recorded history.

Then she steps into a glam booth. Ninety seconds later she's asking for a second print, and by the end of the night it's her new profile picture. That's the glam booth.

What is a glam photo booth?

A glam booth is set up like a portrait studio instead of a party corner. The difference comes down to four things:

• A professional camera. A DSLR, not a tablet, so skin, hair and tuxedos come out sharp.
• Studio lighting. Soft, flattering light that fills in shadows instead of a single bright flash that finds every one of them.
• A clean backdrop. Usually solid white or black, so all the attention stays on faces.
• A beauty finish. A soft filter that smooths skin and evens out tone, like a good retoucher, then usually a black and white finish on top.

The result looks less like a photo booth strip and more like something out of a magazine. Aunt Linda would like you to know she always looked like this.

The Kardashian photo booth: where the look came from

The glam booth is widely credited to the Kardashians, whose holiday party photos around 2013 made black and white studio portraits on a plain backdrop the thing everyone wanted at their own events. A few years later, booth companies were getting requests for “the Kardashian photo booth” by name. The look stuck around because it's simple, timeless and flattering on just about anyone, whether or not your family has a reality show.

Glam booth vs. a regular photo booth

Neither is better. A rubber chicken prop has its place in this world. But if your event has a dress code, the glam booth is the one that matches it.

Why black and white?

Black and white is the secret ingredient. It flatters every skin tone, goes with every color palette, and never looks dated. A color photo from 2014 looks like 2014. A black and white portrait from 2014 just looks good. It also forgives the third glass of champagne, which Aunt Linda appreciates more than she'll admit.

The best events for a glam booth

• Weddings. Black and white portraits that look right next to your wedding photographer's work.
• Galas and fundraisers. Everyone is already dressed for it.
• Holiday parties. Velvet, sequins and a booth that makes the office party feel like an event.
• Milestone birthdays. Your 40th deserves better than a blurry phone selfie.
• Brand nights and launches. On-brand, polished content your marketing team will actually use.

How to get the most out of a glam booth

• Pick a clean backdrop. Solid white is classic and bright; black is moody and dramatic; sequin adds sparkle for evening events.
• Keep the props curated. A few good pieces beat a pile of inflatable guitars. (We say this with love for the inflatable guitar.)
• Put it where people are. Near the bar or the dance floor, not down a hallway next to the coat check.
• Tell Aunt Linda it's there. She'll pretend she isn't interested. She'll be back three times.

At Memori, the glam finish is included in Everlasting, or you can add it to Timeless for $200 with the beauty filter included.