Photo Booth

Infobox Software
name = Photo Booth



caption = Screenshot of Photo Booth with the iSight camera covered.
developer = Apple Inc.
latest_release_version = 2.0.2
latest_release_date =
operating_system = Mac OS X v10.5
genre = Photo capture program
license = Proprietary
website = [http://www.apple.com/sg/macosx/leopard/features/photobooth.html Photo Booth]

Photo Booth is a small software application by Apple Inc. for Mac OS X for taking photos and (since Mac OS X v10.5) video with an iSight camera or other webcams. The program was initially only bundled with Macintosh computers that had a built-in iSight camera, but now it comes bundled with Mac OS X Leopard. It features 17 (16 filters, 1 normal) built-in effects that can be applied to photos. Developers will be able to develop custom effects and share them online. [ [http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/features/photobooth.html Mac OS X Leopard Feature Information] ]

The software integrates with instant messaging programs such as OS X's built-in iChat Software or Adium, for taking a picture to use as an avatar or Buddy icon.

Effects

Photo Booth has two sets of image effects that can be applied when taking a picture. The first set may be described to contain photographic filters similar to those in Adobe Photoshop:
* Sepia
* Black & White
* Glow
* Normal
* Colored Pencil
* Thermal Camera
* X-Ray
* Pop Art

Teenage Effects

The second set has been described by Apple's CEO Steve Jobs as a set of Teenage Effects, being a collection of effects that manipulate the shape of the image, rather than filtering it:
* Bulge
* Dent
* Twirl
* Squeeze
* Mirror
* Light Tunnel
* Fisheye
* Stretch

In the latest version of Photo Booth included with Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, the application incorporates the Chroma key technology which is used in professional film making to replace the background of a frame with an image or a video clip. Photo Booth incorporates this technology by recognizing a still background, then replacing it with either a pre-set image or movie clip, or allowing the user to choose their own background. Below is a list of pre-set backgrounds that come with the application (marked either image or video):

* Clouds (image)
* Color Dots (image)
* Earthrise (image)
* Eiffel Tower (video)
* Fish (video)
* Rollercoaster (video)
* Sunset (video)
* Yosemite (video)

Backgrounds are only available on Macs featuring an Intel processor. By default, Photo Booth's live preview and captured images are reversed horizontally, to simulate the user looking into a mirror; however, it can flip the image automatically or upon request to provide a true-to-life representation.

Gallery of Photo Booth Effects

ee also

* iMac
* MacBook Air
* MacBook
* MacBook Pro
* iSight
* Cheese (software)

References

External links

* [http://www.apple.com/imac/technology/isight.html Apple's Description of the iSight and Photo Booth capabilities on the iMac]
* [http://apple.janriggert.com/ Private website with more information, especially how to create your own Photo Booth effects]