Flea market portrait booth

KyPink · May 10, 2011

Anybody ever heard of a portrait booth in a flea market? Not necessarily for profit but mainly for fun and gaining experience.

vtf · May 10, 2011

50 cent photo booth, can't see the worth of a manned booth.

fokker · May 10, 2011

If you have some lights you can set up, and a screen to display the shots and a printer that can print and sell photos to people on the spot, you could probably make a few bucks - but it's a big equipment outlay. And if you're going to do it half-assed then there'd be no point.

KyPink · May 10, 2011

fokker said:
If you have some lights you can set up, and a screen to display the shots and a printer that can print and sell photos to people on the spot, you could probably make a few bucks - but it's a big equipment outlay. And if you're going to do it half-assed then there'd be no point.

I do have a laptop, printer and some lights... even a couple of backgrounds. I just really want to get some experience shooting, I know I'd have to charge something to not lose money but I wouldn't even know where to start.

fokker · May 10, 2011

$10 a photo or more for larger prints, why not give it a go if you have the gear.

480sparky · May 10, 2011

IMHO, unless you're taking 'themed' photos, it won't do very well. Most folks don't go to a flea market to have a portrait made. They're not going to be all gussied up / going to Sunday church.

Bitter Jeweler · May 10, 2011

What about Sunday church photo booth?
Sparky, you're a freaking genius!

bentcountershaft · May 10, 2011

Rent a wild animal for them to pose with. A local photog did that last fall at a festival (baby tiger) and people were lined up and down the block to get their $15 photo taken with it. I'm assuming the handler got a percentage. They made out like bandits. Also, make sure tiger is well fed and your liability insurance is good.

burdock87 · May 10, 2011

My friend and I were talking about doing photos at a farmer's market today. I think it would be fun to try, though I don't have the equipment to make it work. I say if you can make a few bucks, you've done well! Why not give it a go?

AJRacca · May 11, 2011

Interesting... alot of people go to the flea market here every Sat. Getting a photo for $10-15? I bet they would be interested. They may not be dressed, it could be something fun. But then again if they asked you if you'll be back next week so they can be prepared to take a pic, I think it would work. Why go to the mall to get your picture taken, when you can get it done at your local flea market?

lol keep us updated if you ever plan on actually doing it. :thumbup:

c.cloudwalker · May 11, 2011

Not only have I heard of it, there were two of them at one of the flea markets I used to go to in Augusta, GA. They were basically set up like a WallyWorld portrait studio and seemed to be doing plenty of business. All of it with a chromakey background. Never looked at their rates but I'll bet they were similar to Wally World's.