The Rich History of the Photo Booth: Why the Photo Booth is So Innovative

As with most staples in modern technology, the photo booth has had its fair share of historical changes since its original incarnation; here we look at some of its most compelling iterations.

Image by Patrick Q. via Flickr

Your friendly neighbourhood coin-operated photo booth as we know it today hasn’t changed too much on the surface since its spin-off from the camera, which took place around 1925.

The real changes that have taken place over the lifespan of this wonderful machine have transpired mostly while photographic technology was still in its infancy, while others have been integrated gradually under the hood –with updates being added by every generation of users the technology has recorded.

In this post we’re going to take a trip down memory lane and take a look at the most pronounced members of the photo booth’s family tree.

Obscure beginnings

The humble beginnings of today’s photo booth we have all come to know and love started off as nothing more than a small box with a hole in it.

This box was the first camera, aptly named “Camera Obscura”, and it reflected light from a source and projected it upside down inside the box. It allowed you to see something happening outside a room, within a room –although the image was more of a silhouette than a crisp image like cameras produce today.

It wasn’t very useful on its own initially, but it captivated the curious minds of those who continued to develop and shape its future.

The Camera Obscura which had been invented originally by the ancient Greeks and Chinese eventually gained notoriety in 1544, when an iteration of the device was crafted to observe an eclipse in January of that year under the moniker “pin-hole camera”.

Another change to the technology didn’t happen for almost another 150 years, and along the way, the camera became a contraption large enough so subjects could enter it to have their photo taken –however the oft-times cloth booth was the camera to some degree; the booth wasn’t an optional component for convenience, but instead a necessity.

Moving on

As the camera continued to evolve, it acquired a number of useful abilities and shed the confines of a booth. Some of those abilities included the ability to record images first for a short time, then for the long term. Soon afterward, the photo flash was added to its repertoire as an add-on before becoming a mainstay feature of all cameras.

Once it’s transformation from pin-hole camera to hand-held was secure, the technology was ported back to one of its early forms as a booth.

Out of history

Image by Jim Pennucci via Flickr

Today, there are two veins of photo booth culture that have emerged; the purists who use original moving parts and analogue cameras –and those who use camera booths equipped with silicon microchips and internet connectivity.

The purist photo booth advocates who sport older machines appeal to those looking for the old authentic, vintage photo booth experience of the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s, and 1990’s.

The old coin-op machines with their old rustic booths and analogue cameras which can be heard whirring and clinking as they take their photo and then produce a developed print still remain the most popular photo booths in existence.

Those looking to get into this business should consider franchising. There are companies like Blue Steel Photo Booth for franchise in London who will set you up for this endeavour with plenty of options. But the first tough choice is which route to follow –contemporary or vintage.

More contemporary photo booths are growing in popularity with younger generations less so for their old-timey character, but more for their modern features and connectivity.

Photo quality from these newer machines is measured by the mega-pixel, and photos are not always collected in the form of paper prints from a hole in the side of the booth. Instead, they can be sent off digitally over-the-air to social accounts through internet connectivity.

In today’s selfie-obsessed culture, whichever route you choose is sure to be popular!

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