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# Selecting a Camera & Adjusting Camera Controls

Your device has cameras and ALIVE lets you choose which one to use — plus fine-tune image quality with manual controls for zoom, exposure, white balance, and more.

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## Front Camera vs Back Camera

### Front Camera (Selfie Camera)

* Faces the same direction as the screen
* Guests can see themselves while posing
* Lower resolution than the back camera on most iPads
* Natural choice for selfie-style booths

### Back Camera (Rear Camera)

* Faces away from the screen
* Higher resolution and better image quality
* Guests can't see themselves (unless you add an external monitor)
* Better for setups where a booth attendant operates the camera

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## How to Switch Cameras

1. Go to **Settings** or access **Camera Settings** from the capture screen
2. Select **Front** or **Back** camera
3. The preview updates immediately


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## Camera Controls

ALIVE gives you manual control over several camera parameters. Access these from the **Camera Settings** on the capture screen:

### Zoom

Slide to adjust the zoom level. The available range depends on your device's camera hardware. Useful for framing guests without physically moving the booth.

### Exposure

Adjust the **exposure compensation** to brighten or darken the image. Slide up for a brighter image, down for darker. Helpful when your event lighting is too bright or too dim.

### White Balance / Warmth

Set the **color temperature** in Kelvin to match your lighting conditions:

* **Lower values** (3000-4000K) — Warmer tones, good for tungsten/warm lighting
* **Higher values** (6000-7000K) — Cooler tones, good for daylight/LED lighting
* **Leave on auto** — Let the camera adjust automatically (works well in most situations)

### HDR

Toggle **HDR** (High Dynamic Range) on or off. When enabled, the camera captures more detail in both bright and dark areas of the image. Works best in high-contrast lighting situations. Not available on all devices.

### Night Mode

Toggle **Night Mode** to boost low-light performance. The camera takes longer to capture but produces a brighter, cleaner image in dim environments. Not available on all devices.

### Flash

Toggle the **flash** on or off. Useful in low-light setups, but be aware that flash can cause harsh shadows and washed-out skin tones. Test it with your event's actual lighting.

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## Which Camera Should You Use?

| Setup | Recommended Camera |
| --- | --- |
| Self-serve booth (guests take their own photos) | Front camera |
| Attended booth (you or staff operate it) | Back camera |
| Booth with external monitor | Back camera |
| Quick selfie station | Front camera |

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## Tips

* **Front camera = convenience** — Guests see themselves and can frame the shot on their own
* **Back camera = quality** — If image quality is a priority (especially for printing), the rear camera is usually sharper
* **Test the lighting** — Each camera handles lighting differently. Take test shots with your event's actual lighting to see which looks better
* **Set white balance manually** — If your venue has mixed lighting (e.g., warm overhead + cool LEDs), manually setting the white balance ensures consistent color across all photos
* **HDR for high-contrast venues** — If your booth is near a window or has a mix of bright and dark areas, HDR helps balance the image

| Camera controls are persistent — they stay set until you change them. Always reset and test before each event.