Let’s get down to details.
For Erie Street, commissioning The Absolute Best Thing for 9/18/25 at the Peninsula Hotel starts at $8,000.
This rate reflects a smaller 10’ x 10’ portrait studio size to fit in the Millennium Park room - The Absolute Best Thing will create a custom design with period-correct furniture that fits in that space, and harmoniously blends 1920s props and decor with an upscale sensibility.
Portrait photography by The Absolute Best Thing will be done by creative director Tuan Bui. In conversation with Joan at Fivegrain Events, these following four options will best fit the needs of Erie Street for their annual meeting.
Photos will be taken on a digital camera, and guests will have access to a secure passworded online gallery where they may download their photos one week after the event. This is the standard configuration for The Absolute Best Thing. Optionally, we can arrange to mail guests prints on photo paper of their photographs three weeks after the event.
Pictured are example photographs from the standard configuration of The Absolute Best Thing (at full 18’ x 20’ size).
Option 1: The Absolute Best Thing | $8,000
Photos will be taken on a digital camera, and edited and printed onsite on 8x10 photo paper for guests to take home. This process takes a few minutes per photo.
In addition, guests will have access to a secure passworded online gallery where they may download their photos after the event.
Pictured are example onsite-printed photographs from a previous event (though these are 4”x6” - smaller than what The Absolute Best Thing will provide to Erie Street).
Option 2: The Absolute Best Thing with same-night printing | $10,000
Photos will be taken on a period-correct film camera that has been modified to use instant film (Fuji Instax Wide). Guests will be handed their unique physical photographs. No copies of these photographs will exist except for the physical ones handed to clients; The Absolute Best Thing will not retain any version of these photos after the event.
Pictured is the actual camera, as well as two portraits on instant film taken with it (not at an event).
Option 3: The Absolute Best Thing with vintage camera and instant film | $8,000
Photos will be taken on a period-correct film camera that shoots real negative film. Guests will have access to a secure passworded online gallery where they may download their photos three weeks after the event. Optionally, we can arrange to mail guests prints of their photographs three weeks after the event.
Pictured is the actual camera, as well as a film photograph taken with it at an event. The last photo is a real historical mugshot from the 1920s, not taken by The Absolute Best Thing.
Option 4: The Absolute Best Thing with vintage camera and real film | $10,000
