PhotoBooth Icon

About Photo Booth

It’s easy to take a snapshot using Photo Booth. Using the camera built into your Apple display or Mac or an external digital video camera, you can take a still picture or make a short movie, include effects with the snapshot, and use your snapshot in several ways.

Selecting the type of snapshot

Photo Booth lets you take different types of snapshots. You can take a still picture, a quick burst of four snapshots (called a “4-up” snapshot), or a movie clip.

Selecting an effect

Before you take a picture, you can select an effect to apply to the picture. Click the Effects button, then click the arrows on either side of the Effects button to see the different effects you can select. When you find one you want to use, click it.

Selecting a video backdrop

You can select a picture or movie to use as a backdrop for your snapshot. A backdrop appears behind you when you take your snapshot. You can use a backdrop included with Photo Booth or add your own.

Taking a snapshot

When Photo Booth opens, video from your camera appears in the window so you can set up your shot. When you’re ready, click the Camera button. You’ll see a “3-2-1” countdown. If you take a still picture, your display flashes when Photo Booth takes the picture. If you take a 4-up snapshot, then your display flashes once for each snapshot. If you make a movie clip, Photo Booth starts recording.

Using your snapshot

When you take a snapshot, it appears as a thumbnail at the bottom of the window. To preview the snapshot, click the thumbnail. Now you can use the snapshot as your user account picture or iChat buddy picture. You can also send a picture in an email message from Mail or add it to your iPhoto library.