KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – Mother-and-son duo Bobbi and Nicholas Nagle have put a new and modern spin on the longtime favorite attraction – the photo booth.
Using a device called the Magic Mirror, they created FotoFusion BPH Entertainment. The Magic Mirror or smart mirror is used in this case as an updated version of the photo booth. The mirror has a camera behind it and a touchscreen interface running special software on top of Microsoft Windows.
“My goal was to start an entertainment-based company,” Nicholas said. “Then I bounced around with different things. One day we were having a conversation, and we saw this [the Magic Mirror] on Facebook, and I looked at her said, ‘Hey, we should get this.’ A few weeks later, it showed up in the garage. It was a joke to start with on the Facebook page, but then it moved forward, and it just kind of evolved into having fun.”
The photo booth concept has been around for a while. They’re usually staples at fairs or carnivals and can be found at parties and other gatherings. Children and couples often use them as a fun way to capture memories of fun times at different events quickly.
The mirror has many different home screens that can be chosen, depending on the type of event, different backgrounds to match, and many different emojis, and more. The subject poses in front of the mirror and a photo is taken. Then they can choose from the various effects they want to apply to the image. The device is entirely customizable, from the start screen forward.
People can sign up for FotoFusion parties at fotofusion.fun.com or by calling (904) 504-2568.
“This you can fully interact with as a guest,” Nicholas said. “Now, with COVID [19], things have changed a little bit, so we don’t let them touch the screen the way we used to.”
The Nagles love the versatility of the mirror.
“We’ll do events from anything. We’ve done birthday parties. We’ve done events at schools, from graduations, we did a little first-grade party; that was fun, a bunch of first-graders running around,” Nicholas said.
Parties with many teen-aged girls are exciting, according to Bobbi.
“A teenage girl will come and take her picture,” she said. “And then she needs to take it with her friend, and then they need to take it with their friend, and before you know it, you have a bunch of teenaged girls having a ball.”
One of the best things about the device, though, is the versatility in delivering the images. The pictures can be printed out on-site, and when connected to a network, the mirror can email or even text message the photos to the guest’s phone for easier sharing among friends and family.
To add more fun options, FotoFusion usually provides props, such as different hardware and costume items. Those can also be added digitally.
FotoFusion has two mirrors which they use for their business.
They usually rent out the service for set hour amounts at events.
One of the favorite events of FotoFusion is the annual Christmas Party for the JP Hall Children’s Charities, which typically has Santa Claus and provides gifts to underprivileged families.
“What was really heartwarming is when we went there and did it the first year,” said Bobbi. “We did this, and after it was over with, one of the mothers came up to me and said, ‘This is the only family Christmas picture we’re going to have this year.’”
The Nagles have vowed that as long as FotoFusion is in business, they will support the event.
Classics are that for a reason. They never go away. That doesn’t mean that with an injection of modern technology, they can’t improve. Just ask Nicholas and Bobbi Nagle.