The short version

  1. Set up your phone. Prop it at eye level about an arm's length away, facing a window or lamp.
  2. Choose a layout. Open the Booth tab in Flashbae and pick Classic, 4-cut, Trio or 6-cut.
  3. Shoot. Follow each pose prompt; the booth counts down 3, 2, 1 and flashes for every frame.
  4. Decorate. Pick a film, a frame colour, stickers, a caption and the date.
  5. Save. Save it as a strip, an Instagram Story or a print sheet, or a behind-the-scenes video.

A photo strip is a short story in four frames: the coin-op booth gave you a few seconds between flashes to change your pose, and that rhythm is what makes strips fun. Here's how to get it on an iPhone.

1. Set up the shot

Prop your phone at eye level, about an arm's length away, so you can both fit without anyone holding it. Face a window or a lamp: soft light from the front is the flattering part, and the booth's screen flash adds the sparkle.

2. Pick a layout

  • Classic: four frames stacked, the original booth strip.
  • 4-cut: four portrait frames in a two-by-two grid.
  • Trio: three frames, a little bigger each.
  • 6-cut: six frames for a group or a longer story (Pro).

3. Shoot

Tap start and the booth runs itself: a pose prompt, a 3, 2, 1 countdown and a flash for each frame. Strips look best when they change pace: start calm, then a big reaction, something silly, and end on a serious model pose. Need ideas? Try these photo booth pose ideas.

4. Pick a film and decorate

One film covers the whole strip so the frames match: a silvery Photobooth black and white, a 1930s Booth with dust and grain, a CCD Cam digicam flash and 30 more (see them all). Then choose a frame colour, add stickers, write a caption and stamp the date.

5. Save, share or print

  • Strip: the classic image for your camera roll or group chat.
  • Story: sized for Instagram Stories.
  • Print sheet: a page laid out for printing, ready to cut.
  • Behind the scenes: a short video of the shoot.