Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriel Beeler.
Gabriel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My photo booth journey started back in 2013 after I watched a YouTube video of someone making their own photo booth using a computer and a camera. The first event was an 18th Birthday, and everybody seemed to like the idea. At the time, there were only a few photographers who knew about photo booths, and there was nobody around to show me what to do or offer training. The first setup was a swap-meet style pop-up tent that had a backdrop curtain hung inside. As photo booths became more mainstream, my setups evolved into pipe and drape, inflatable booths and the standard aluminum open air photo booths that you see today.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I started this business with very little capital or knowledge of how a photo booth worked, so starting out with basically nothing was a struggle. There were no easy plug and play solutions when I started, and everything had to be hand programmed and built from scratch. My second gig went so horrible that I almost quit for good… it was a complete disaster with the power going out, my tent getting blown over and damaging a $600 lens as well. I was off to a very rocky start but somehow stuck with it and tried to improve little by little. Each setback and failure was an important lesson that helped to improve my service over the years. This was my first business, so along with learning how to take nice pictures, I needed to learn how to collect sales tax, write invoices, etc. All problems are opportunities to grow and learn from….The bigger the problem, the bigger the opportunity.
Please tell us about Lucky Frog Photo Booth.
Lucky Frog Photo Booth offers a unique photo booth experience that is completely custom designed for the best possible service. Our booths are custom built locally and are designed to handle small or large events with no problem. We have a wide range of different service options that are great for small parties or high-end corporate events. The younger generation loves the inflatable booths while corporate clients prefer a clean look with a pillow top backdrop.
Along with the traditional photo booth we offer a Hollywood GLAM booth that automatically smooths out the skin and gives guests an instant celebrity look. We also offer a selfie booth that is ultra-portable and clean looking, along with a handheld mobile unit that is very unique. All the options can be found on our website.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, I would have done anything differently. Every failure and mistake that I made along the way got turned into a learning opportunity. I am constantly looking for ways to improve, offer new services and stay current with the latest trends in photography. Failure should teach us, instead of paralyze us. I wake up every day with no regrets about my mistakes and just focus on getting a little bit better every day. I am thankful for all the people who have helped me along the way as well as all the customers who I have had a chance to serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.luckyfrogphotos.com/
- Phone: 562-303-9926
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbeeler33/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luckyfrogphotos
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/luckyfrogphotos
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lucky-frog-photo-booth-norwalk-7
- Other: https://www.gigsalad.com/lucky_frog_photo_booth_norwalk
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
