We are thrilled to announce that Steve Bliesner is joining Breeze as Brand Ambassador. He has been using Breeze since 2011 . We can’t think of anyone better to spread the word about our software and how to best to use it.
Steve is known to many of you from Facebook groups, his innovative photo booth businesses Wilkes, The Lab and Photobooth Guys; and his presentations at Photo Booth Expo and PBPI. If you haven’t come across him already you are in for a treat…
Sue & Chris April 2018
This post contains brief notes about the new Breeze Booth Event Editor, used to create and modify events for Breeze Booth for iPad.
More detailed ‘how to’ notes will be released later.
The Breeze Booth Event Editor is a powerful Windows based program which can be used to create and edit events for Breeze Booth for iPad.
The first beta version of the editor has a basic user interface, which will be given a friendly front end and further features before the full release.
This beta is provided for Breeze DSLR Remote Pro users with experience using profiles. Please don’t be concerned if you don’t find it accessible at this stage.
Do join the beta program and explore Breeze Booth for iPad before using the editor.
At present the easiest way to create a new event is to copy an existing event and edit it.
You can use the iOS 11 Files app to view the files used by Breeze Booth for iPad and to copy event ‘assets’ (screens, print layouts, profiles etc) to an iCloud or DropBox folder.
Tap Browse in the Files app then On my iPad under Locations and you should see a folder named Breeze Booth. Tap on the folder to pen it and there will be two folders: “assets” which is where the event configuration is stored and “photos” where photos, animated GIFs and MP4 movies captured by Breeze Booth are stored. (More details can be found here)
Upload the demonstration events from your iPad to the PC you are using to run Breeze Booth Event Editor.
The Windows based Breeze Booth Event Editor software can be downloaded using the link below. After downloading the software unzip the file and copy it a suitable folder on the computer’s hard disk. (I copied the folder to the desktop on my PC.)
Download version 1.0 beta 20180304
This YouTube video demonstrates downloading and opening the Event Editor, then takes you on a quick tour. There is more detail in the rest of this post.
Start the Event Editor, and select Open.
Load the events by selecting events.xml
Select an event to edit, then Edit event
This brings up a list of profiles for the event you selected. ‘GIF only’ is a simple event with one profile each for landscape and portrait orientations:
To make changes to a profile select Edit
The Photo Booth Settings Screen is displayed for the profile you selected. This has four tabs : General, Photos, GIFs, Share. There are layout editors for touchscreen actions, print layout and GIF layout. More features will be added to these editors in future releases.
Use the editors to customize events; saving your changes will update settings.xml.
Select Touchscreen actions… to display the Touchscreen actions editor
Touchscreen actions can be moved and resized. Right click to add and edit actions etc.
Note: This screenshot is from the ‘Photos only’ event as the ‘GIF only’ event does not need a print layout.
Select Edit Layout to access the GIF layout editor
Breeze Booth Event Editor works in a similar way to DSLR Remote Pro and other Windows based Breeze photo booth software.
append _loop to the filename (e.g. ready_loop.gif) to play the animated GIF in a continuous loop.
By default the GIF will be displayed in the center of the screen. The size and position of the GIF can be modified by appending modifiers enclosed in curly brackets. The h and w modifiers specify the size as a percentage of the screen width or heighta and the l, r, t, b modifiers specify the position relative to the left, right, top or height of the screen respectively. If conflicting modifiers are present (e.g. l and r) the last one will used.
Example: to place a ready.gif animated GIF which is half the width of the screen and 1/4 the way down the screen set the filename to ready_{w50%t25%}.gif (or ready_loop_{w50%t25%}.gif to play it in a continuous loop).
Don’t forget to save the changes you have made. When you are ready to transfer them to your iPads running Breeze Booth for iPad, you can either
Method 1: Copy the files to a folder on iCloud or Dropbox that is visible on the iPad. Then use the Files app to copy the files to Breeze Booth for iPad’s assets folder.
Method 2: Upload the files to a folder on a web server then go the to the settings screen in Breeze Booth for iPad and edit the URL for the sync server to point to the folder on the web server. Then use the events screen in Breeze Booth for iPad to sync the events.
Important: This method can only be used with secure servers that have https e.g. https://breezesys.com. It will not work with http URLs.
It’s your feedback which makes Breeze products stand out – please email comments to techsupport:@breezesys.com .
If you find this post useful please share it with others.
© 2018 Breeze Systems Limited
Breeze are delighted to announce that beta testers can get their hands on Breeze Booth for iPad today. If you haven’t signed up yet you can join here
You can also try the app at Photo Booth Expo at the Breeze booth #923.
When you are accepted onto the program you will receive an invitation email from Apple TestFlight
Your iPad needs to be running iOS 11. To email photos and GIFs from the booth you will also need to have a mail account set up with iOS Mail.
Download TestFlight from the Apple App Store and click on Redeem to show the apps you’re able to beta test. Select Breeze Booth for iPad and install.
Tap the Breeze icon to start the App, then Events
The first time you run Breeze Booth for iPad the event list will be empty. You need to download events from a server to get started. We have set up a server with four demonstration events for you to download and try out.
Tap on “Update” in the top right corner to download a list of events from Breeze Systems server.
After downloading the event list tap on < Events to return to the events screen. You should see a list of events:
Swipe right to left on an event and select Sync to download the files from the server to your iPad. (Sync is also used to ensure that you have the latest version of files for an event.)
Be patient, and wait until you see Sync. completed successfully.
Tap < Events to return to the events screen after syncing the files.
Now swipe right to left on the event and tap “Run” to run the event.
In this example you will see the ready screen for an event called Simple ‘photos only’ photo booth
Take your first photos and explore the other events we have set up for you to try. (You will need to Exit the event, return to the Events screen, choose a new event and Sync to download the settings fron the server before you can run it.)
You can shoot and share photos and boomerang GIFs by email, play with virtual props and see semi-transparent overlays.
You will be able to install Breeze Booth for iPad when you receive an email invitation to the email address for your Apple ID.
Breeze Booth for iPad events are defined in a powerful Windows based program called Breeze Booth Event Editorv. This post uses a set of predefined ‘events’ that we have set up for you.
We have seen how to sync your iPad with a server containing sample events. First you download a list of events from the server, then all the detailed information you need to run an event.
The iOS 11 Files app can be used to view the files used by Breeze Booth for iPad. You can share events and their associated photos by copying them to an iCloud or DropBox folder.
Tap Browse in the Files app, then On my iPad . You should see a folder named Breeze Booth.
Tap on the folder to open it and there will be two folders: assets which is where the event configuration is stored and photos where photos, animated GIFs and MP4 movies captured by Breeze Booth are stored.
Please let us know what you think. You can either use the TestFlight feedback link below or ping an email to techsupport@breezesys.com
When a new beta is available you should receive a notification email and can install it by running TestFlight, selecting Breeze Booth for iPad and tapping “update”.
The first beta version of the editor has a basic user interface, which will be given a friendly front end and further features before the full release.
This beta is provided for Breeze DSLR Remote Pro users with experience using profiles. Please don’t be concerned if you don’t find it accessible at this stage.
Chris and I are overwhlemed by your enthusiam and appreciate the time loads of you are willing to spend testing this new product. We hope you will enjoy using it for many years.
Sue
© 2018 Breeze Systems Limited
Check a single box in the Photobooth Setup Wizard to shoot and print square photos using Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.9.
Usually photo booth images are shot in ‘landscape’ mode; so that you can comfortably include several people in the shot. Sometimes we want to vary this.
Start DSLR Remote Pro and run the Photobooth Setup Wizard (1) to set up a basic booth, selecting a square live view (2) at Step 2. DSLR Remote Pro allows you to customize your booth setup without connecting the camera.
In this example I have chosen a single photo (3) at Step 3.
When you open the Print Layout Editor you will see that the print layout is square. Customize your print as usual.
The Photobooth Setup Wizard has cropped both the live view and print layout for you.
Square photos can be combined with filters to give a pop art effect, or used singly for a ‘polaroid’ look.
Ready for more? You can also create round (or any other shape) photos using a live view overlay and print overlay. You will need to create these overlays in an image editor such as Photoshop. The DSLR Remote Pro help files explain how to customize screens and prints in more detail.
Copyright Breeze Systems 2018
DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 – can you resist?
PBPI delegates last month enthused about a pre-release version of the program. One even exclaimed “I’ve fallen in love with Breeze again”. I am delighted to announce the release of DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 on Valentine’s Day.
DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 supports most Canon DSLR cameras and runs on Windows 10, 8 and 7. This release is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 15th February 2017. Customers with an older DSLR Remote Pro license (and any NKRemote license holder) can buy an upgrade license to use this release.
Download and try DSLR Remote Pro 3.9
Buy full license * Buy upgrade license
We recommend everyone from Breeze Newbies to Ninjas uses the Photobooth Setup Wizard as a start point for setting up a booth. This is a simple, speedy and safe way to generate a working system which you can customize to your heart’s content (or spend the time you saved doing something even nicer).
Chris has improved the flow of the Wizard, making it a piece of cake to build a system offering guests choices (such as Photos or GIF), and run the booth with square or full screen live view as an alternative to normal landscape images.
Use the setup wizard to customize the live view. Changing the live view in the Wizard will automatically adjust the animated GIFs and prints created by DSLR Remote Pro 3.9.
Choose Photos or Boomerang GIFs and check Single ready screen so that guests start the booth and choose between still photos and boomerang GIFs from a single screen as here:
Running a ‘shoot and share’ booth with animated GIFs and no printing is increasingly popular. The DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 Wizard no longer asks you to select a printer when you offer only Boomerang GIFs or Video.
You can now add an optional soundtrack to the MP4 copy of your animated GIFs. Learn more
New: add a second overlay to animated GIFs with branding & logo. The additional overlay is an easy way to brand animated GIFs you have created yourself or sourced from third parties. Learn more
Print higher quality green screened images more quickly. DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 green screen algorithms have been rewritten to be both faster and produce higher quality results. Greenscreen photobooth
DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 – Try it today!
Copyright Breeze Systems Ltd 2018. Breeze Systems is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Happy New Year! This first post for 2018 explains how to use profiles to create a touchscreen menu of print layouts.
Breeze photo booth profiles are powerful building blocks you can use to customize your booths to offer guests choices such as print layouts and green screen backgrounds; or add an element of surprise such as random comments in a magic mirror booth.
This blog post has been written for DSLR Remote Pro 3.8.1.
Start DSLR Remote Pro and run the Photobooth Setup Wizard.
To customise the print or load predesigned layouts choose Print Layout. As you leave this screen you will be prompted to Save print settings to the default profile. Choose No.
Select the large ‘Advanced Settings’ button then, Save.
You will be asked whether to save the printer settings as well as the photo booth settings:
Take care to save the settings in the correct folder; here …\PhotoboothImages\1+3\settings.xml . You are updating the settings saved by the Photobooth Wizard; so choose Yes when asked whether to replace settings.xml :
Press OK to leave the Photobooth settings screen. Before moving on select Start Photobooth and check this layout works as you expect.
Now repeat the process for the second option on your menu, the single photo. Run the Photobooth Setup Wizard again.
Customise the print using the Print Layout Editor and make any other changes you need.
Select the large ‘Advanced Settings’ button then Save. Take care to save the settings in the correct folder; here …\PhotoboothImages\single\settings.xml
When you have saved your settings Press OK to leave the Photobooth settings screen. Before moving on select Start Photobooth and check this layout works as you expect.
Tip: During this process you need to keep saving your updated settings. Take care to check you are saving them in the correct folder each time.
1. Select the large ‘Advanced Settings’ button and remove the live view by unchecking Enable live view.
2. Select Save and update …\PhotoboothImages\Menu\settings.xml
Next create three profiles: one each for the menu, 1+3 print layout, and single print layout. The menu profile needs to be loaded each time the photo booth is started; and after each guest session finishes:
3. Stay in the Photobooth Settings screen and select the Profiles… button. This takes you to the Photobooth Profiles screen.
4. Set Profile 1 to C:\Users\sue\Documents\PhotoboothImages\menu\settings.xml
5. Set Profile 2 to C:\Users\sue\Documents\PhotoboothImages\1+3\ settings.xml
6. Set Profile 3 to C:\Users\sue\Documents\PhotoboothImages\single\settings.xml
7. Set Default profile loaded at startup and after each shooting sequence to Profile 1. This will display your menu each time the photo booth is started; and after each guest session finishes.
8. Click on OK to leave the profiles screen
9. If you want to be able to use this set of profiles again; save them using the Save Profiles button. I have called the profiles xml file demoprofiles.xml and saved this in my menu folder : …\PhotoboothImages\menu\demoprofiles.xml
Use an image editor to create a new jpg image containing icons for the 2 print layouts. This should be the same size as the screens generated by the wizard. Replace the original ready.jpg screen in PhotoboothImages\Menu with this image.
If necessary start DSLR Remote Pro and select Advanced Settings to Load your menu (…\PhotoboothImages\menu\settings.xml).
Start the booth to check that your new menu screen is displayed; then <Esc> to return to the main DSLR Remote Pro screen.
10. Select Advanced Settings; and select the Settings button for the touchscreen
Tip: Touchscreen actions. The Touchscreen settings screen allows you to choose what action the program takes when a guest touches different parts of the screen. These are called touchscreen actions.
11. Select Show/edit touchscreen areas to display a copy of the screen layout showing the ‘Touchscreen actions’ currently enabled. Each action and the part of the screen affected is shown like this
Remove each action you no longer need from the screen (here Photo Start, Photo Select Color mode, Photo Select B&W mode) by right clicking on the action and choosing Delete Action..
Move the mouse over your 1+3 icon and right click; then choose Add Action.
Choose Profile 2 from the drop-down list.
Click on OK. Move and resize the red dotted action box to cover your icon.
Repeat for your single photo icon; choosing Profile 3.
Optional: Add a hidden button to the main menu to exit Full screen photobooth mode
You may also wish to add a secret or hidden button to exit the full screen photo booth.
Position the mouse roughly where you want the hidden button (usually a corner of the screen so the operator can find it easily). Right click, choose Add action and then Exit Fullscreen photobooth from the drop down list. Resize and position the red dotted action box as before.
Right click the mouse on an unused part of the screen and choose Exit from the list. You will be prompted to save your edited settings – select Yes to return to the touchscreen settings screen.
Add a password to stop guests using the hidden button. Save the changes you have made by choosing OK on the touchscreen Settings Screen:
When you leave this screen you will return to the Photobooth Settings screen. Press Save and save the changes you have made to …\PhotoboothImages\Menu\settings.xml as before.
You now have a menu offering a choice of print layouts. The final stage is to add a mechanism for guests to return to the menu from each option screen. You need to add an exit button to each option.
Tip: if you are using the predesigned sets of buttons (such as those provided with DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 and later releases) you may want to use one of these as your back button. They are usually kept in sub-directories at C:>Program Files(x86)>Breezesys>DSLR Remote Pro>wizard as shown here
Use an image editor to edit the ready.jpg image containing icons for the 2 print layouts. These should be the same size as the screens generated by the wizard.
Use an image editor to edit the …\PhotoboothImages\1+3 \ready.jpg image. The final image should be the same size as the screens generated by the wizard. Replace the original ready.jpg screen in …\PhotoboothImages\1+3 with this image.
Start DSLR Remote Pro, choose Advanced Settings and select Load. To load the settings for your 1+3 layout; select …\PhotoboothImages\1+3\settings.xml
Stay on the Photobooth Settings screen, select the Touchscreen Settings button and then Show/Edit touchscreen areas to display the Touchscreen Actions for the 1+3 ready screen:
Move the mouse to your new back icon and right click to add an action for this icon. Select Add Action as before, then Select Profile 1 from the drop down list. (Profile 1 is the menu profile we set up earlier.)
Exit and save your updated settings to …\PhotoboothImages\1+3\settings.xml. Click OK to leave the touchscreen settings screen and return to Photobooth Settings. Press Save and update …\PhotoboothImages\1+3\settings.xml before hitting OK to return to the main screen.
Repeat the steps above for the second print layout. To load the settings for your single print layout; select …\PhotoboothImages\single\settings.xml and save them to the same directory and file when you finish.
Check that the booth operates as you expect for both options, returning to the main menu ready for the next guests.
Congratulations – you have learnt how to use one of the most important features of DSLR Remote Pro. You can use the same method to create other menus (and sub menus if you wish).
Note: This section was updated on February 17th.
You can learn more about using profiles (and other DSLR Remote Pro features) in Chris’ classes in March at Photo Booth Expo.
Book Chris’s Photo Booth Expo Workshop on DSLR Remote Pro
Book Chris’s Photo Booth Expo Workshop on DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera
Learn more about using profiles in the DSLR Remote Pro help files
Learn more about customising touchscreens in the DSLR Remote Pro help files
DSLR Remote Pro 3.8.1 is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 12th December 2016.
DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 15th February 2017
If you found this post useful please share it with others.
Copyright Breeze Systems 2018
Breeze Systems is proud to announce the release of DSLR Remote Pro 3.8. Easier to use and more powerful than ever before, DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 includes two free button sets designed by Wilkes Booth Co.
Highlights of the new release
Brand screens quickly and easily with new DSLR Remote Pro themes
Create, load and save DSLR Remote Pro themes containing screen background, touchscreen button, and caption sets
A. Complete sets of custom photo booth screen backgrounds can now be generated from a single image. The same background image can be tiled, stretched or cropped to fit any screen with new themes
B. Create your own buttons or choose from those shipped with DSLR Remote Pro 3.8. Touchscreen buttons can be placed below the image or to one side using the Setup Wizard.
C. Customize captions in almost any language. Adjust the color of your text.
To generate themed screens on PCs with different screen size/aspect ratio by just copy the theme to the new PC and run the Photobooth Setup Wizard.
Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 includes 2 new free button sets created by Wilkes Booth Co
Buy Breeze Wizard themes or complete interface designs for DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 from Wilkes Booth Co
Choose whether to run buttons across the screen or to the side using the Photobooth Setup Wizard.
Breeze software is used in over 80 countries world wide. DSLR Remote Pro already supports Unicode and handles characters in most languages. Use the Photoboth Setup Wizard to create reusable caption sets, and apply them to different themes.
DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 is shipped with English, German, Polish, Italian and Romanian captions.
Thanks to Jürgen Mayr (Photobooth-deluxe), Tomasz Klusczyk (Smove), John Bonardo (Babooth), and Dan Neamtu (Mirror Magic), for providing the German, Polish, Italian and Romanian caption sets shipped with DSLR Remote Pro 3.8
DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 29th November 2016.
Download DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 Buy your own license
When we first showed light painting in a bright exhibition hall at Photo Booth Expo 2016, the industry was amazed. This post explains how to use light painting at indoor venues with an open or closed booth using DSLR Remote Pro.
You can use the same technique with DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera .
Camera: we recommend using a Canon DSLR camera. Webcams and iPads are not suitable because you need complete control over the exposure and settings (including aperture). This is not possible with a webcam or an IPad.
Photobooth software: The examples here use DSLR Remote Pro and DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera. You can use the same technique with other programs which allow you to control the camera settings.
Flash: You need a powerful flash to freeze the subject at the start of the exposure. We like to position the flash high up so that people are less likely to look directly at it and be dazzled by the light. The flash also acts as a cue to the guests to start light painting. Ask them to pose until the flash fires and then start moving the lights.
Black backdrop: the light trails show up best against a black background. If you have a light background you may get ghosting (dark shadows) when guests move around.
Lighting props: guests’ phones, colored torches, LED batons or more elaborate props such as pixel sticks.
External flash mode: Run the photo booth setup wizard; select <Advanced Settings> and check the box to set external flash mode. If you also check ‘Mirror output images’ the words guests write with the lights will be reversed to read correctly:
Shutter speed: You need an exposure of at least 1 second to create the light trails. We find between 2 and 3 seconds is best. (Guests start to run out of ideas with exposures longer than 3 seconds).
In the <Advanced Settings> screen select camera settings mode Bank 1, then click on the <Camera Settings> button to the right. This takes you to the camera settings screen. You need to adjust the Bank 1 settings for both taking photos and live view.
Camera settings: Start with exposure (Tv) set to 2″ (2 seconds), aperture (Av) 22, ISO 100 and white balance ‘flash’.
Live view: Select Tv: bulb for a bright live view image and White balance: Auto (ambience) for reliable colors.
In a brightly lit venue you may need to reduce the length of the exposure or use a screen to dim the ambient light.
DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera users should use the same technique.
The simplest props are guest’s own mobile phones and colored LED torches. A set of LED finger torches can be glued together.
Our most popular props are made from LED lighting strips wound round a foam baton and powered by rechargeable batteries. Pixel sticks can be customized for branded events.
For more ideas search for specialist websites such as lightpaintingphotography.com
Copyright Breeze Systems Ltd 2017
Do you want to offer your guests something new with very little effort? You can add animated GIFs to your booth with just one extra click using the Photo Booth Setup Wizard in DSLR Remote Pro.
DSLR Remote Pro and Webcam Photobooth include two kinds of animated GIFs: boomerang and slideshow. Boomerang GIFs are captured with a short video clip, and usually shared using social media or by email. Slideshow GIFs contain still photos taken during normal photobooth operation. These GIFs can also be shared. The same photos can be printed in a strip or other layouts.
This blog post explains how to create simple boomerang GIFs using the Photo Booth Setup Wizard in DSLR Remote Pro. Webcam Photobooth works in a very similar way. You can customize your GIFs using the advanced settings.
You need DSLR Remote Pro 3.7, Webcam Photobooth 2.4 or a more recent release; a touchscreen, and your camera must support video. Customers with DSLR Remote Pro licenses issued before 22 February, 2016 also need to buy a DSLR Remote Pro upgrade license. Customers with Webcam Photobooth licenses issued before 17th May 2016 need to buy a Webcam Photobooth upgrade license.
1. Start DSLR Remote Pro. Select the Photobooth Setup Wizard.
2. At Step 3: Select the sharing and other options you need (B), then check the box to capture animated GIFs (C) . Choose any other options you need before clicking on <Finish> (D).
3. The next screen confirms that you have completed running the Setup Wizard. Close this to return to the main screen.
4. Connect your camera and switch it on before selecting ‘Start Photobooth’. That’s it!
5. This is the default photo booth screen created by the Photo Booth Setup Wizard in DSLR Remote Pro 3.7.3 . Guests switch between boomerang GIFs and still photos using the button in the top right corner.
6. You can choose whether guests share GIFs directly from the booth as shown here, or take time to browse and share them away from the booth with Breeze Kiosk (purchased separately).
7. The dinosaur chase at the top of this page shows what you can achieve just using the photobooth setup wizard.
You can modify the default settings to change the video length and playback speed; add overlays and a title page to brand GIFs for each event. This example shows the same GIF overlaid with a simple border. The capture rate and image interval have also been altered to give a smoother result. Find out how to customize your own Boomerang GIFs .
7 December 2018: This post has been updated to show the new Photobooth Setup Screens in in DSLR Remote Pro 3.8
Copyright Breeze Systems Ltd 2017
