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Shooting Square photos with Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.9
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.
Run the Photobooth Setup Wizard
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.

Customize the print layout

When you open the Print Layout Editor you will see that the print layout is square. Customize your print as usual.

Start the photo booth

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
Free print templates for DSLR Remote Pro and Webcam Photobooth
A big thank you to Tomasz Klusczyk of SMOVE, who has generously shared a set of print layouts for Breeze owners to use with DSLR Remote Pro, Hotfolder and Webcam Photobooth.
Download SMOVE 6”x4” (15cm x 10cm) print templates
Download SMOVE 6”x8” (15cm x 20cm) print templates
Note: Webcam Photobooth users need to select the “DSLR template compatibility” option at Step 3 of the Photobooth Setup Wizard to use these templates:

Find out more
- How to import print templates into DSLR Remote Pro
- How to import print templates into Webcam Photobooth
- How to import print templates into Hotfolder Prints
Download DSLR Remote Pro, Hotfolder and Webcam Photobooth
SMOVE is a Polish photo booth vendor who design and sell photo booths powered by DSLR Remote Pro thoughout Europe.
Copyright Breeze Systems Ltd 2018. Breeze Systems is not responsible for the content of external sites
Getting started with Breeze profiles: how to offer a choice of print layouts
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.
What you need to do
- Run the photo booth setup wizard for each option you want to offer; saving the settings for each option
- Run the photo booth setup wizard for the main menu
- Create a profile for the menu and each option
- Replace the initial ready.jpg screen with a menu screen; adding ‘touchscreen actions’ linking to the option screens
- Add a ‘back’ button and touchscreen action to each option screen so that guests can go back to the menu
- Start the photo booth and check everything works correctly
Run the photobooth setup wizard for a 1+3 photo layout
Start DSLR Remote Pro and run the Photobooth Setup Wizard.
- At Step 1 choose ‘1 large photo with 3 smaller ones below’
- At Step 2 name the folder your images will be stored 1+3
- At Step 3 make any other changes you need before selecting Finish
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.
Run the photobooth setup wizard for a single photo layout
Now repeat the process for the second option on your menu, the single photo. Run the Photobooth Setup Wizard again.
- At Step 1 choose ‘Single Photo’
- At Step 2 name the folder your images will be stored single
- At Step 3 make any other changes you need before selecting Finish
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.
Run the photo booth setup wizard to create the menu
- At Step 1 choose ‘Single Photo’ or any other option
- At Step 2 name the folder Menu
Remove the live view from your menu screen
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

Create profiles for the menu and each option
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
Create a new menu screen
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.

Link the menu screen to each menu option using profiles
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

First remove the actions you no longer need
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..

Then add the new actions
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
Adding a hidden action
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.
Add an exit button to each option so that guests can return to the main menu
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.
Add a back button to the 1+3 ready.jpg screen
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.
Add a back button to the single photo ready.jpg 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.
Start the photo booth and check everything works correctly
Check that the booth operates as you expect for both options, returning to the main menu ready for the next guests.
Find yourself a drink and take a well earned break
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).
Want to know more?
Note: This section was updated on February 17th and July 11th 2018.
Learn more about using profiles in the DSLR Remote Pro help files
Learn more about customising touchscreens in the DSLR Remote Pro help files
Learn how to combine Breeze tokens with profiles
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
Slideshow GIFs from photo booth strips: DSLR Remote Pro
Slideshow and Boomerang animated GIFs
You can make two kinds of animated GIFs using DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 and Webcam Photobooth 2.4 : slideshow and boomerang. Slideshow GIFs contain still photos taken during normal photobooth operation. You can set up your booth to print the strips (or other layout) and share the same photos in an animated GIF – which looks much more interesting than viewing a strip on a phone.
Boomerang aka Burst GIFs are captured with a short video clip. Both types of GIF can be shared via MMS/SMS, emailed and uploaded to social media.
How to create slideshow GIFs
This blog post explains how to create slideshow GIFs with animated overlays using the Photo Booth Setup Wizard in DSLR Remote Pro 3.8. Photos are printed in the usual way; guests can share the same images as an animated GIF. You can customize your GIFs using the advanced settings.
Start DSLR Remote Pro and run the Photobooth Setup Wizard. This example uses a strip of 4 photos. Choose whether to share via Twitter, MMS/SMS or email at Step 3. (Leave these boxes unchecked if you are using a separate sharing station.) This example creates a 4 photo strip; guests can share their GIFs using MMS/SMS.

Next tell the program to create a slideshow GIF:

1. Select Advanced Settings
2. Choose Settings on the Photobooth Settings screen
3. Check Share animated GIFs so that guests can share their GIF from the booth. (Leave this box unchecked if you are using a separate sharing station.)
4. Check Create an animated GIF from the photos
5. Then choose the Animated GIF settings to display the Animated GIF settings screen:

6. A photo width of 600 pixels is a good start point. Use the settings in the image above to create an animated GIF from the whole photo (landscape orientation) without any border. Check the final box if you want to make an MP4 copy of each GIF.
7. When you have chosen the settings you need click OK (here and the other pop up windows until you return to the main screen).
Adding an animated overlay to a slideshow GIF
You can create an animated overlay from a set of transparent png images. The falling snow effect here uses 12 images to create the animation. The snow flakes are in a different position on each image. (3 snowflake overlays are shown over each of the 4 photos.) You can download the snowflake overlays here .
To add an animated overlay return to the Animated GIF Settings screen (Repeat 1 to 5 above, selecting Advanced Settings, then Settings, then Animated GIF Settings.)
Change the number of overlays per photo to 3 and click OK (here and the other pop up windows until you return to the main screen).

Now copy the overlay images you downloaded into the PhotoBoothImages folder containing your screens (A). The overlays must be named GIF_overlay_1.png through to GIF_overlay_12.png (B).

Run the booth and you will create both a strip of four photos and a slideshow GIF with the animated overlay here:

Learn how to create animated GIFs with a border and/or title.
Create boomerang GIFs with an animated overlay.
If you found this post useful please share it with others. You are welcome to use these snowflake overlays in your own booth with DSLR Remote Pro.
Happy Christmas!
New Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.8: simple, powerful branding
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
- Fast simple branding for photo booth screens
- Create and save new photo booth screen themes
- Transfer themes between PCs
- Free sets of touchscreen buttons
- Create custom caption sets in any almost language
- Photobooth Setup Wizard now simplifies screen customization
- Animated backgrounds for green screen boomerang GIFs
- Support for Canon’s EOS 6D Mark II
Fast, powerful branding for photobooth screens
Brand screens quickly and easily with new DSLR Remote Pro themes
Create themed photobooth screen sets
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.
Transfer themes between PCs
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.
Free touchscreen button sets
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.
Create custom caption sets
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
Brand and customize screens with the Setup Wizard
- Change screen and keyboard background color at the touch of a button
- Generate complete screen sets from a single background image
- Automatically tile, stretch or crop images to fit any size of screen
- Create and save customized caption sets
- Save touch screen button sets
- Choose buttons running down the side or across the bottom of the screen
Improved animated GIF support
- New Animated backgrounds for green screen boomerang GIFs
- New support for animated GIFs in sharing screens (email, text, Facebook and Twitter)
More new features
- Useful shared print counter for events
- Send emails with or without image attachment
- Enhanced ability to pass information to microsites
- Tap for speedy countdown
- Default delay before taking first photo reduced to 5 seconds
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
Light painting without a tent
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 .
What equipment do I need?
- Camera
- Photo booth software that lets you control the camera settings
- Flash
- Black backdrop
- Lighting props
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.
How do I use DSLR Remote Pro to control the camera to create the light trails?
- Use external flash mode
- Set a slow shutter speed
- Use a small aperture and low ISO to cut out ambient lighting
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.
Ideas for lighting props

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 and articles such as these
Breeze Systems is not responsible for the content of external web sites
© Breeze Systems Ltd 2018