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📸 Candy’s 12 Days of Christmas: Day 12 – Photo Booth Mode! 🎄🎉

📸 Candy’s 12 Days of Christmas: Day 12 – Photo Booth Mode! 🎄🎉
Hello, my festive photographers!

Candy here, and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.

We’ve arrived at the 12th Day of Christmas, and I’m thrilled to unwrap our biggest new feature of 2024—Photo Booth Mode in the Capture & Upload App!

The new NowCandid Capture & Upload App Version that includes Photo Booth Mode will be going live at the end of December,... this very month!

Let’s get into the holiday spirit and explore everything this mode has to offer. 🎁

What Is Photo Booth Mode? 🤶

Photo Booth Mode is a brand-new option inside our Capture & Upload App—you’ll see a shiny new “Photo Booth” button once you log in to an Event and create a Folder (after the update of course).

Give that Photo Booth button a tap, and voilà: your iPad turns into a photo booth station where guests can snap fun pictures with minimal hassle!

  • Multiple Camera Options: Tether a Nikon, Sony, or Canon camera, or use your iPad’s front-facing camera, depending on your particular photo booth setup.
  • Solid Internet Connection Required: The app downloads any custom overlays or backgrounds you’ve set on the web dashboard, and live-uploading images of course requires an internet connection, so stable Wi-Fi or LTE is essential!

It’s perfect for holiday parties, corporate shindigs, weddings, or any event where a lighthearted photo booth can bring on the smiles!

The Photo Booth Flow ⏱️

Here’s how Photo Booth Mode keeps your guests engaged:

  1. Tap to Begin Screen: A dimmed live view awaits guests to tap and start. Once they do, the booth will let them know to get ready for three photos.
  2. Three Countdown Shots: Each shot has a 3-second countdown followed by a short preview of the taken pic after each shot. If your event uses a Bottom Banner Overlay or Full Frame Overlay, it shows up in the live view, so no one ends up hidden behind the graphics!
  3. Instant Delivery & Overlays: In Events using the QuicPics Program, each photo is sent via MMS with the overlay art included! And with every NowCandid Program, a gallery link is delivered where retail site users can download images and order photo products.

Guests can hop in, pose, and receive fun, branded photos—no fuss required! 🎉

On-Device Backgrounds & Filters 🎨

Before finalizing those memorable pics, guests can personalize them right on the device:

  • Background Selection: If you’ve uploaded custom backgrounds on the web dashboard, the app fetches them before the booth session. Guests can pick from these in addition to several default backgrounds, great for holiday vibes or brand-specific themes.
  • Filter Options: Classic filters like Noir, Sepia, Clarendon, and others let participants get creative.
  • Reshoot Button: Not happy with the shot? Guests can “Reshoot” and start the session over at any time.

This ensures a lively, interactive experience that encourages guests to come back for more snaps. ⛄

Positive ID vs. Face Matching 🧐

After styling, the next step depends on your event’s workflow:

  • For Face Matching Events: Guests are guided to tap the faces they see on-screen, and then can enter contact info for each face! If this is their first or only reference photo for the Event, it will also match them to shots taken outside the Photo Booth!
  • For Positive ID Events: A simpler approach: participants just type in their contact info and send off the images! Easy peasy.

Either way, photos head straight to their phones via QuicPics (if you’re using that Program) and will always land in their personal gallery. 🔔

Seamless Integration with NowCandid 💖

Photo Booth Mode plugs right into your existing NowCandid features:

  • Selfie Check-In & LiveLoop: Photo booth images appear in your LiveLoop feed if you’re displaying one at the event. Selfie Check-Ins can still match participants to their booth photos too if they don't self-identify during their photo booth session!
  • QuicPics & PartyPics: The images upload instantly, letting your guests receive them right away via MMS (with QuicPics), or find them in their personal gallery for easy purchase or free download (with every Program).

It’s the same NowCandid ecosystem you know—just dressed up in a festive booth format! 🎄

Requirements & Limitations 🎅

A few notes to keep in mind:

  • Camera Orientation:
    • Nikon supports horizontal and vertical live view.
    • Sony/Canon currently only support horizontal orientation for tethered cameras.
  • iPad-Only for Now:
    • Photo Booth Mode works on iPad in vertical orientation, not on iPhone or Windows.
  • No Built-In Printing:
    • If you need on-site prints, consider setting up your own print station with a computer and a printer! Use quic.pics/portal to access your Event images, and then download images with or without overlays to print them on-site.
  • We Value Feedback:
    • Missing something? Let us know! Your input shapes our next updates.

Why Photo Booth Mode Is a Holiday Treat 🎁

  • Interactive & Fun: Guests love choosing backgrounds, filters, and overlays, making the booth a memorable attraction.
  • Fully Integrated: Works seamlessly with QuicPics, PartyPics, LiveLoop, Face Matching, and more.
  • Revenue & Engagement Boost: Branded overlays, holiday backgrounds, or sponsor tie-ins can lead to higher sales and delighted clients.

This mode is a surefire way to add a dash of cheer to any event—holiday-themed or otherwise! ✨

That’s all for now, folks.

We hope Photo Booth Mode adds a dash of magic to your season and beyond.

And thank you for following along with our 12 Days of Christmas!

Enjoy this new feature, and as always, keep capturing the moments that matter most.

Reminder: The new NowCandid Capture & Upload App Version that includes Photo Booth Mode will be going live at the end of December, this month!

Candy 🍬

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Hello photographers! Candy here, with some more news from NowCandid's tech-desk.

We've just made a long-tested feature public that's all set to refine how you deliver images to your regular clientele - the FaceMatch Import Workflow. Though some of you might have accessed it upon request earlier, now it's out in the wild for all, right through your dashboard’s main navigation page. Exciting, right?

Creating a FaceGroup: Your Step to Simplified Photography 📸

Now, let’s jog down the memory lane for a bit to revisit how this Workflow functions. To kick things off, you’ll be creating what we call a 'FaceGroup'. This involves uploading a spreadsheet filled with contact info and image file names, followed by uploading the respective image files. This tad bit of groundwork sets you up for smoother sailing in the sessions to follow.

Exporting to Any Face Matching NowCandid Event: A Click Away! ⚡

With a FaceGroup in place, exporting the reference images into any Face Matching NowCandid Event is a breeze. Hence the name, FaceMatch Import Workflow. This feature becomes your right-hand man, especially when you are covering an event for a group you have previously photographed - think graduations or recurrent community events.

Upcoming Features:

Your Feedback in Action! 🛠️We're not stopping here! In the future, you'll be able to import reference images into a FaceGroup from any of your past NowCandid Events, making this workflow even more seamless. Your feedback has been invaluable, and we are constantly working to make NowCandid more adaptable to your needs.

Legality and Consent: Better Safe than Sorry! 🔒

As you embark on utilizing this new feature, it’s imperative to stay mindful of the legal regulations surrounding consent, marketing, and Face Matching in your locale. Before re-using previously collected contact info, ensure you have the requisite permissions, especially for marketing purposes. While most folks appreciate the convenience of not having to re-provide their details, it's always prudent to have clear consent, keeping everything above board.

Closing Thoughts:

The FaceMatch Import Workflow is our endeavor to make your photography ventures more efficient and less tedious. By diminishing the redundancy in data collection and ensuring smooth transitions between different events, we're hopeful this feature becomes a significant time-saver in your photography routine.

So give it a try!

Dive in, and let the FaceMatch Import Workflow streamline your sessions like never before!

Until next time,

  • Candy
Event Landing Page: NowCandid's New Option for Event Sharing
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Event Landing Page: NowCandid's New Option for Event Sharing

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Hello there, photo enthusiasts! It's your gal Candy, always here with the latest scoops from the world of NowCandid.

Guess what we just finished cooking up? A brand-new feature that can be helpful to how you share your events. It’s a cool new Event Landing Page feature unique to your NowCandid account. Buckle up as I overview this new addition. 🚀

A Personal Hub for Your Events 🎡

Ever dreamt of having a central hub where all your Face Matching Events are displayed neatly? Your wish has just been granted! The Event Landing Page acts as a display window for all your Face Matching Events, providing people with the event name and date for each. However, do note that this page doesn't include Positive ID Events, as they are more inherently geared towards privacy and do not have an All Images Gallery to link to in the first place.

To access it, head to your Account Settings on the web Dashboard. Choose "Event Landing Configuration" to be able to change your password & copy the link to your landing page! That's it!

Password Protected Paradise 🛡

Security is our middle name! Well, not literally, but you get the idea! Your Event Landing Page is nestled safely behind a password of your choosing. This ensures that only those you provide the password can access your page.

Search Made Simple 🔍

With the handy search bar nestled at the top, finding an event is as easy as pie. Just type in components of the Event Name and voila, the list trims down to match your search text as you type.

Your Brand, Loud and Clear 📢

At the helm of the page, your business name features prominently alongside the advertised contact information of your choice. Whether it's a phone number, email address, or website, it’s all about staying connected with your beloved clientele. Check your account settings to review your advertised business info if you haven't previously!

A Click into the Gallery 🖼

A simple click on the Event name whisks the visitor straight into the All Images Gallery for that Event, where watermarked images from the Event can be viewed and purchased.

Keep Privacy in Mind ❤

While this feature opens up a new avenue of image sharing, it’s crucial to tread with thoughtfully. Always gauge the comfort of your subjects with having their images accessible in this manner. The default password protection is a gentle push to ensure you are maintaining some degree of boundary. Additionally, always consider whether or not there are any privacy regulations you could be in violation of in your region with a feature such as this.

To Use or Not to Use, It’s Your Call 📞

While some may enjoy this cool extra feature, others may find NowCandid’s existing setup satisfying enough! It's all up to you, we just want to provide your more options and more possibilities.

Until next time!

Keep those shutters clicking and spirits high,

  • Candy
QuicPics: Lowering Fees & Trying Something New
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QuicPics: Lowering Fees & Trying Something New

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Change is in the air at NowCandid!

It's all about creating more value for you the photographer and enhancing the customer experience! Here's a detailed look at the latest changes we're rolling out for QuicPics and what they mean for you.

1. More Room to Click with Reduced Fees:

The upload fee for each image on QuicPics is getting a significant trim, dropping from $0.31 to just $0.20. Our aim? To offer photographers greater flexibility, letting you focus on capturing plenty of shots without being overly conscious about the associated costs.

2. Unique Price Levels Tailored for QuicPics:

QuicPics is donning a fresh identity with its Price Levels. No longer a reflection of PartyPics Now, these new levels are designed to specifically enhance the QuicPics experience. There's now an expansive range of specialty products, including blankets, canvas wraps, metal prints, and much more. We've created fun themed packages, set very reasonable prices on premium items, and provided enticing discounts on the full-resolution digital downloads & packages. And here's the cherry on top - to the end consumer, all products come with free shipping!

+ Click here to check out the new Price Levels. +

3. Lowered Margin:

With QuicPics' new pricing strategy, photographers can anticipate margins ranging between 10% to 30%. While this is much lower than our other programs, our goal is to bolster the overall volume of sales through reasonable pricing on specialty items. QuicPics sales have been almost non-existent thus far, given you're providing "free" social media size image files of all images to all participants. We think these changes will help bolster the sales of QuicPics Events a bit. And remember, a smaller percentage of a bigger pie can often be more substantial than a larger slice of a smaller pie.

4. Continuing to Market with a Gentle Touch:

While we're working hard to boost sales, we're committed to keeping our marketing approach gentle and unobtrusive. With the new QuicPics Price Levels, the removal of weekly price hikes reflects this ethos, ensuring there's zero undue pressure on the end consumer to make a purchase.

5. The Bigger Picture:

Our new strategy aims to strike a balance. By nurturing a growth in QuicPics Event sales while ensuring a reasonable margin for NowCandid, we have been able to justify the reduced upload fee. Furthermore, if sales surpass our conservative estimates, we are planning even more substantial fee reductions in the future!

Some Parting Thoughts:

While the average sales from QuicPics Events have traditionally been on the modest side, our revamped approach aims to change that narrative. Higher sales volumes, even with the revised margins, should translate to improved profits for our photographers. Reducing the fee per image upload will allow you to both save money and take more images, and more images could result in slightly higher sales as well. We'd like to lower the image per upload fee as low as possible, but need a way to cover costs in the meantime, all while trying to provide a good experience to the end consumer. We hope this new direction can result in a win-win-win for all parties involved. More pictures taken of end consumers and more fun product options, less fees for the photographer, same revenue for NowCandid.

We're excited!

We like these changes and truly believe they reflect a balanced mix of value, quality, and profit. Your feedback matters, so if you have thoughts, queries, or concerns, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Here's to a brighter, more lucrative future with QuicPics!

Let’s get in touch

If you’re a photographer looking to add NowCandid services to your wheelhouse – set up a call by clicking the button below.

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