The Lounge Booth on their approach to amplifying AAPI excellence through photography
Creative Entrepreneurs Charles Guinto and Leo Cabal are the Filipino American co-founding partners behind The Lounge Booth.
Their work is one of the most recognizable high-quality photography experiences in America, whose work has captured the likes of Agnez Mo, Hello Kitty, influential business leaders and philanthropists in America and more.
Cold Tea Collective is proud to introduce the Cold Tea Creator Collective, centering the stories of AAPI creatives whose work is inspired by their culture and aims to elevate and celebrate cultural pride.
In this creator feature, Guinto and Cabal share the story and inspiration behind their work and their thoughts on how they can capture and celebrate Asian American excellence through visual mediums.
Building The Lounge Booth
Both Guinto and Cabal started as wedding and fashion photographers and as the wedding and events industry came to a halt during the pandemic, they were experimenting with ways to adapt.
A friend suggested the two try combining their editorial and wedding photography skills to create a high-end photo booth experience.
“Our first big test came at YouTuber Albert Posis’s wedding, where we transformed the typical photo booth into a lounge-inspired, interactive setup,” said the pair. “It was a huge hit, and seeing the excitement from guests made us realize we were onto something.”
Since then, they’ve also captured special moments including the wedding of Philip Wang and Helen Wu.
Creating an outside-the-box photo booth experience
If you’ve ever attended a wedding or corporate event from the mid 2000s to 2010s onward, your photobooth experience would be likened to stepping into a tight space where you have to stay in frame, press a button on a screen, while a countdown appears as you form your pose.
Instead, each set up by The Lounge Booth allows you to engage with an actual human, an actual photographer, guiding you, styling you, and suggesting poses for you to try. The Lounge Booth team are likely having a conversation with you to help you feel most at ease and bring your biggest smile – or smize – to the camera. This experience can be likened to what it’s like being a cover model or winner of an Oscar (literally).
“Creating that inclusive experience and seeing guests light up as we captured their moments was incredibly rewarding and reinforced our commitment to making everyone feel valued and seen at every event we photograph,” shared the pair.
Guinto and Cabal share their best advice when it comes to advice for people who may not often have their photos taken: “The best way to feel confident is to relax and have fun! Take a deep breath, maybe share a laugh, and don’t worry about being perfect. Our job is to capture the best version of you, so just focus on enjoying the moment.”
While The Lounge Booth now often works with clients such as Universal Pictures and Netflix, they attribute their first true standout event to be Gold Gala in 2024 as the photographers to all guests. “It was a defining moment where we knew we’d made it; our mission was to make every guest feel like a VIP.”
Even when they’re not photographing celebrities or recognized leaders, their aim is to have each guest have a collection of high-quality photos that capture their best moments and unique energy of each event.
Celebrating pride in AAPI and Filipino American heritage
Both Guinto and Cabal come from what they describe as humble Filipino backgrounds. Guinto, originally from Guam, grew up in a home shared with 10 family members.
“We’re influenced by Filipino culture, which values warmth, connection, and togetherness,” shared Guinto.
“We also love drawing from art, music, and food—anything that brings people together and creates an experience,” shared Cabal. “Our Filipino heritage is all about community and connection, and that’s something we’re proud to bring into our work.”
“We want everyone who steps in front of our camera to feel seen and celebrated—that’s a big part of who we are,” said the co-founders.
The pair has flown across the country dozens of times in 2024 and also recognizes the importance of being a part of the larger AAPI community.
“It’s not just about great photography; it’s about lifting each other up, celebrating our heritage, and contributing to a community that thrives on collaboration and mutual support” they said. They also work closely with other Asian American and Filipino-owned brands to share their collective stories to “build something meaningful together.”
The team also looks forward to growing internationally and collaborating more within the Filipino and extended AAPI communities.
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