Overview
This guide walks you through creating your first event in Pictor — from opening the app to launching your photo booth. Whether you're setting up a quick activation or a fully customized experience, you'll be up and running in minutes.
Step 1: Open the App and Sign In
Launch the Pictor app on your iPad and sign in with your account credentials. Once logged in, you'll land on the Events screen, which shows all your upcoming and past events.
[Screenshot: Events screen showing list of events with + button visible]
Step 2: Create a New Event
Tap the + button to create a new event. You'll be asked to choose between two creation modes:
Simple Mode — Sets up a ready-to-go event with smart defaults. Perfect for getting started quickly or when you don't need heavy customization. You can always switch to Advanced Mode later.
Advanced Mode — Gives you full control over every detail: workflow steps, output delivery methods, event security, and more. Best for experienced operators or complex event setups.
If this is your very first event, Simple Mode is a great place to start. You can always customize further once you're comfortable.
[Screenshot: Mode selection screen showing Simple and Advanced options]
Step 3: Enter Event Details
Fill in the basic information for your event:
Event Name — Give your event a clear, recognizable name (e.g., "Sarah & Tom's Wedding" or "Acme Corp Holiday Party").
Client Name — The name of the person or company you're running the event for. This helps you organize events and filter them later.
Start and End Dates — Set when the event begins and ends. These are used for scheduling and analytics.
Description (optional) — Add any notes for yourself or your team about the event.
[Screenshot: Event details form with name, client, and date fields]
Step 4: Set Up Your Workflow
The Workflow is the heart of your event — it defines what your guests experience from the moment they step up to the booth.
Simple Mode
In Simple Mode, Pictor sets up a default workflow for you. You'll typically just need to pick a template (the AI style or effect you want to use), and you're ready to go. The app handles the screen flow automatically.
Advanced Mode
In Advanced Mode, you'll use the Visual Workflow Builder — a drag-and-drop editor where you design the exact sequence of screens your guests will see. Every workflow starts with a START node, and you add steps from there:
Media Screen — A welcome or instruction screen with a title, subtitle, body text, and optional background image. You can set it to advance on tap or after a timer.
Choose Experience — Lets guests pick from multiple AI experiences or templates.
Survey — Collect guest info or feedback before or after the capture.
Capture / AI Processing — The main photo or video capture step, which runs the AI template you've selected.
You can also choose from pre-built workflow templates to get a head start, then customize from there.
[Screenshot: Visual Workflow Builder showing START node with connected steps]
For a full deep-dive into workflows, see Workflow Settings In-Depth.
Step 5: Choose Your Output Delivery
Output Delivery controls how guests receive their photos and videos after the experience. Common options include:
Sharing Station — Guests email, text, or scan a QR code to get their content on a secondary device.
Printing — Send outputs directly to a connected photo printer.
Virtual Booth — Share a link so remote guests can participate from their own devices.
Dropbox — Automatically back up all outputs to a Dropbox folder.
You can enable multiple delivery methods for the same event. In Simple Mode, the Sharing Station is enabled by default.
[Screenshot: Output Delivery panel showing available delivery methods]
For full details on every delivery method, see Output Delivery In-Depth.
Step 6: Review and Save
Once your event details, workflow, and output delivery are configured, save your event. You'll land on the Event Dashboard, which is your command center for the event.
From the dashboard, you can jump back into any section to make changes — Event Settings, Workflow, or Output Delivery — at any time before or even during the event.
[Screenshot: Event Dashboard showing the three main sections]
Step 7: Test Before You Go Live
Before your event, always run a test to make sure everything works as expected. From the Control Panel, you have three launch options:
Simulate — Runs through the guest workflow on-screen without using any tokens. Great for checking your screen flow and layout.
Test — Runs the full experience including AI processing, but uses a test token so you can verify the actual output quality.
Virtual — Launches a virtual booth you can access from any device via a shareable link. Useful for remote walkthroughs or client approvals.
Use Simulate first to verify the flow, then Test to confirm the AI output looks right.
[Screenshot: Control Panel showing Simulate, Test, and Virtual launch buttons]
Step 8: Launch Your Photo Booth
When it's showtime, head to the Control Panel and tap Launch Photo Booth. Your iPad will enter the guest-facing experience, and you're live!
While the booth is running, the Control Panel tracks:
Session count — How many guests have used the booth so far.
Active status — Whether the booth is currently running.
QR code — A scannable code guests can use to access the virtual booth or sharing station.
You can also access the Control Panel from a secondary device to monitor the event without interrupting the guest experience.
Tips for a Great First Event
Start simple — Use Simple Mode and a single AI template for your first event. You can explore Advanced Mode once you're comfortable.
Test your workflow — Always run Simulate and Test before the event starts. Catching issues early saves stress on event day.
Check your internet connection — Pictor needs a stable internet connection for AI processing. If Wi-Fi is unreliable at the venue, consider a mobile hotspot.
Set up printing early — If you're printing, connect and test your printer well before guests arrive. See How to Set Up and Use Printing for details.
Keep your iPad charged — A long event can drain your battery. Keep it plugged in or bring a backup power source.
Have backup tokens — Make sure your token balance has enough headroom for the expected number of guests.
Next Steps
Now that you've created your first event, explore these guides to get the most out of Pictor:
Event Settings In-Depth — Security, data management, and launch options.
Workflow Settings In-Depth — The full guide to the visual workflow builder.
Output Delivery In-Depth — All delivery methods explained.
Analytics — Track session counts, sharing stats, and more.
Need Help?
If you run into any issues or have questions, reach out to our support team through the chat widget on pictor.pro or email us at [email protected]. We're here to help you run a great event!
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