Waking up to find a strip of photos sitting at the bottom of my handbag, that I didn’t remember taking in whichever bar or club me and my flatmates had visited the night before, was a regular occurrence during my first year of university. Each one captures a snapshot of who I was in that exact moment, garishly grinning next to my friends as we all clumsily try and squeeze into frame. They are now part of a much larger collection of photo strips, pinned proudly against the notice board beside my bed. For as long as I can remember, I have been utterly charmed by Photo Booths – dragging friends and family into each and every one I come across. Whilst phones and cameras are always present to capture life’s special moments, there is a novelty to Photo Booths that simply cannot be replicated. As 2025 signified 100 years since the invention of the Photo Booth (or as it was called then, the “Photomaton”) I reflect upon its significance over the past century, and resurgence in popularity in recent years. Unlike many other forms of digital media, the Photo Booth stands the test of time, evolving with the decades whilst maintaining its unique charm. Like an old friend, dependable and timeless, the Photo Booth prevails throughout our lives – turning spontaneous moments into treasured memories.
In 1925, Russian-Jewish immigrant Anatol Jospeho debuted the ‘Photomaton’, the world’s first automatic photographic machine. With just three booths on Broadway and Fifty-first Street in New York, the Photomaton had over 280,000 users within its first six months – proving to be an instant hit. For the first time ever, people could truly be themselves in front of a camera, free from the photographer’s watchful eye. With this, a new level of intimacy was established – one that I consider to be the Photo Booths most endearing attribute. Users are hidden in plain sight, sharing a secret moment of privacy before stepping back out into the surveillance of the public eye. This unique dichotomy blurring the lines between public and private creates a safe space for individuals to document their truest selves, raw and unfiltered. Before the US Civil Rights Act of 1964, Photo Booths were one of the only public spaces to not enforce racial segregation, highlighting the inherently political nature of photography throughout history. Interracial couples, queer couples, and all those denied the true freedom of expression, were able to create a physical memento to show the world that they, too, existed. Shielding its users from judgement, Photo Booths capture love in its purest form.
Over the last ten decades, the Photo Booth has undergone several physical changes, existing now in a variety of different forms. The original analogue design was revolutionary for its fast, easy-to-operate film photography – insert nineteen pence, pose, wait ten minutes, and voila! Then in the 1960s, colour was first introduced, as well as the use of props and backdrops, encouraging a vibrant and youthful silliness that even the most serious of individuals couldn’t help but partake in. However, with the emergence of digital photography in the late twentieth century, the Photo Booth momentarily lost its way. Inevitably, access to digital and phone cameras in the 2000s led to their significant decline in popularity. Yet in recent years, it seems young people have fallen back in love with physical media. Perhaps amidst the superficial chaos of social media and AI, we crave authenticity; something that we can hold in our hands – tangible and real. And so, steeped in nostalgia, the Photo Booth has slowly made its return to our streets.
This gnawing sense of nostalgia can be accredited to the Photo Booth’s exceedingly tactile qualities. The photo-taking process is entirely visceral, drawing upon all five senses with a welcome familiarity. Noses fill with the metallic scent of coins that grow sweaty within your grip, as you eagerly wait your turn. Thick, velvet curtains that brush past your face, shutting out the rest of the world. Arms around shoulders and kisses on cold cheeks. Anticipation, followed by a blinding flash and grinning, watery eyes. Then, the final long wait the for the photos to be printed – often imperfect, but we treasure them nonetheless. In an age of mass consumption where we can get almost anything we want instantly with the click of a button, the Photo Booth calls for us to be patient, making the reward seem even more worth the wait. It speaks to something greater, a shared desire to slow down and appreciate the process of creating just as much as we enjoy the end result. For it is within the process itself that memories are made.
For anyone looking, there are plenty of Photo Booth spots dotted around the city of Manchester. To name a few: Fred Aldous, 37 Lever Street, M1 1LW; Side Street, at the corner of Quay Street and Lower Byrom Street, M3 4AE; Cow Vintage, 61 Church St, M4 1PD; Albert’s Schloss, 27 Peter Street, M2 5QR.
